5 ways to improve your website for voice search

Voice search is set to dominate the world of search with more and more people opting to ask the questions they want answers to rather than lengthily typing them out.

Voice search allows people to conduct searches for information, services, products, and local businesses simply by verbally asking a question to your device. Naturally, this means that search marketing as we know it is evolving rapidly. Voice search is no longer just asking Siri to play the UK Top 50, or asking what the temperature is outside. It’s developed into a tool for people to find out answers to more complicated queries and find local businesses that suit their needs while they’re out and about.

The new technology isn’t evolving as quickly as predicated which is great news for small businesses. This means you have more time to optimise your website for voice search before things really start to lift off.

List Your Site on Google My Business

Google My Business is a search directory that helps local businesses connect with customers. You’re able to list useful information such as opening times, location and images to promote your business. Voice search is likely to be used for finding local businesses with users asking ‘where is the closest pizza takeaway?’ or ‘which hairdressers near me do extensions?’ If your business is at the top for these particular search queries then you’ll be recommended. Make sure that your Google My Business is optimised and kept up to date. Businesses with higher reviews will be prioritised and the feature is not just used for voice search results.

Featured Snippets Are Key

Now both Google and Bing have featured snippets at the top of their results pages to help users find answers to their queries as fast as possible with the most relevant content. This snippet always features at the top and can take the form of a paragraph, list or table. In voice search, these snippets are used to answer a user’s question. As a result you need to optimise your content to appear as a featured snippet to be the top answer for users. To do this answer questions that are directly related to your industry that will help people find your business.

Use Conversational Language

To improve your website for voice search you need to think about how the user is going to ask their question. When somebody uses voice search they tend to ask questions as they’d speak. Instead of typing keywords into Google such as ‘street food Leeds’ they’re more likely to ask something along the lines of ‘where is the best place for street food in Leeds?’ When optimising your content for voice search opt for a more conversational tone in your copy that reads more naturally. Also, ensure you’re using simple language. The average Google voice search result is written at a 13 year old’s level. If you need to use more technical language try to break it up or explain the term directly after using it.

Focus on Responsiveness and Speed

Smartphones are the most popular tool for voice searches. Users who are out and about are more likely to make a voice search query than users on a desktop. This means that your website needs to be mobile responsive. If your website pops up in the search results but takes a long time to load or doesn’t appear correctly your customer will move on to the next best option. Regardless of optimising for voice searches, your website should always be mobile responsive. The rate at which your speed loads not only effects your voice search listing but also your traditional SEO.

Create an FAQ Page

FAQ pages are a fantastic way of answering the questions your potential customers have and give you the ability to pepper relevant keywords all on one page. Along with this, if you have short, conversational answers, they’ll be more likely to appear in the snippets section at the very top of Google which we’ve briefly covered. Think about the kinds of questions your customers will want answering and how this relates to your business. You’ll simultaneously be improving your website for both traditional SEO and voice search.

If you need help optimising voice search for your business website get in touch with our dedicated SEO experts.