How to Effectively Optimize Your Content for Voice Search

Siri, Alexa, Google… “how to effectively optimized your content for voice search?” Click here to find out right now.

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Did you ever think you might miss out on traffic because users were not searching the way you believed they were?

Indeed, user behavior has drastically changed over the past few years: Thanks to AI technologies and digital assistants like Siri or Alexa, today it’s much more comfortable to search by voice than typing.

For web design and marketing specialists willing to see their pages on top of SERP, it means the total revision and optimization of their content. 

But how to effectively optimize content for voice search? How does it work? Are there any specific details to consider?

This article is here to give all the answers, step by step.

What is Voice Search?

First, the question:

Have you said, “OK, Google” or “Hey, Siri” at least once today?

No worries, you’re not alone: 55% of teens do the same, as well as 56% of adults who say they feel tech-savvier when using this technology, known as voice search.

So, the definition:

Voice search is a voice recognition technology allowing users to access search results by speaking queries directly to their smartphone, computer, or home assistant devices like Microsoft’s Cortana, Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri, and others.

That’s how it works:

Search platforms analyze words and respond to queries with natural language, thus satisfying user search intent. And while it doesn’t 100% look like Tony Stark communicating with his AI J.A.R.V.I.S, the technology is still gaining tremendous popularity.

Why Consider It When Optimizing Your Content

Today, 71% of consumers admit they prefer voice search to traditional typing, and this number tends to grow. No wonder:

Voice is faster and more comfortable to use than wondering what keywords to use for your query and typing them in a search box. Plus, voice search is more efficient, providing concise and precise answers to your questions. It’s that particular technology enhancing consumer experience with search engines.

At the same time, it changes the whole game for digital marketers and SEO specialists:

Voice searchers look for fast answers. They won’t spend time scrolling SERPs and comparing the results to choose the best one. They check the first three (maximum!), assuming they are the most relevant and answering their queries all the way through.

So now, if you don’t want to miss high rankings and all those users, you need to optimize your website content accordingly.

Voice search optimization is your chance for:

1. High rankings: voice search results usually take the top three positions in SERPs.
2. Higher conversions: your top positions in search engines will attract more visitors, which equals more prospective customers.
3. Higher website authority: ranking for voice searches, you increase the audience, which is a signal for Google that your website is trustworthy.

That’s all well and fine, but it’s time to move to the practical part:

How to Optimize Content for Voice Search

In short:

Two cornerstones of voice search optimization are proper keywords (long-tail and question-based) and conversational content (written with natural-sounding language).

Some technical SEO aspects like page speed and the SSL protocol also matter, but lots of work here center around website content optimization.

Here’s what you need to do:

1) Optimize for Long-Tail Keywords

Voice search has changed the way users look for information online. Now they don’t think of 2-3 words to type in and get results but “talk” to their device with natural language, which means queries become longer and more conversational.

Example:

• A person types: “best pizza in Chicago.”
• A person speaks to the voice assistant: “What is some good pizza to order in my area?”

Given that, do your best to focus on long-tail (4+ words) keywords for your voice search optimization. Not only do they account for 95.88% of total online searches, but they are also easier to rank for because of their singularity.

Use long-tail keywords that are as close to natural speech as possible. And remember to optimize content for related terms and concepts too: Search engines use semantic analysis to understand the context, so LSI keywords, user-generated keywords, and associated questions will come in handy.

2) Optimize for Question-Based Keywords

Users practice voice search to ask direct questions and get precise answers to them. So make sure your content gives that:

Optimize content assets for 5W + H: who, what, where, when, why, and how.

Use your keyword explorer tool to find related questions or consider the People Also Ask and Related Searches sections in Google. Once you have the list of questions, you can use them as follows:

• Create a FAQ page on your website: Provide short and precise answers to the most common questions about your business or product.
• Add some questions to related website pages like About Us or landings.
• Optimize your relevant blog posts with FAQs sections, placing the question-based keywords and answers there. Example: How to Write an Argumentative Essay.

• Add Q&A sections to product descriptions on your eCommerce website.

3) Publish Long-Form, Conversational Content

All marketing analytics tools confirm that voice search optimization and position in SERP are not merely about a website’s tech metrics but also its content quality. Ensure to optimize your articles so they would become comprehensive and valuable for the target audience.

Content length is among the metrics that still matter for search engines here. It doesn’t mean that you need to write for the sake of nothing but wordiness, but there’s still a relationship between content length and its position:

A 2,000+ word post on your blog has all the chances to win SERP if it’s informative, optimized for snippets, and meets user search intent.

Long story short, optimize your content as follows:

• Write questions in headings.
• Use how-to sections.
• Add subheads and bullet points.
• Provide precise step-by-step answers.
• Use data, facts, and your original research.
• Add high-quality visual content: custom images, infographics, videos, interactive elements, and other relevant.

The more comprehensive your content is, the more likely search engines will rank it high, and more users will see it.

But in pursuit of excellence, don’t forget about the nature of voice search.

People talk to their voice assistants the way they speak, so it would be logical to assume that you need to write content the way you talk: 

• Use natural, conversational language.
• Avoid overcomplicated words and corporate tone.
• Use short sentences and paragraphs, making your content up to a point. (A typical voice search result is just 29 words in length.)
• Use active voice and verbs, especially when writing step-by-step posts.
• Ask questions in content. (Use them in subheads and throughout the text, but make sure to provide answers.)

In a word

Voice search influences user behavior, changing how people look for information online, and search engines respond to these changes with corresponding updates. Now, if you want to grow organic traffic and win SERPs, optimizing for voice search queries should become an integral part of your marketing strategy.

If in doubt or not sure where to start and how to effectively optimize content for voice search right, don’t hesitate to ask SEO copywriting specialists for help. It’s often the case that slight changes in website content can considerably boost your marketing endeavors.

Ready to try?