We have probably all said “Hey Siri,” OK Google,” and “Alexa,” more than we can remember. Voice search is becoming more and more important in our daily lives. The novelty of asking a phone or assistant to tell a joke or order something extravagant fades, but its importance grows. I don’t use voice search much (unless I am driving) or ask Siri to remind me of things. However, I recently received smart light bulbs.
Initially, I was hesitant. Do we really need them? It’s not necessary, but it is incredibly convenient to ask Alexa to turn the lights on/off so that I don’t have to walk around in the dark or get up. Who needs an extra remote when light bulbs come with their own remote? Voice search has become a mainstream technology thanks to the rapid evolution of AI and voice search technologies. We can multitask and go hands-free, saving precious seconds. These seconds are important in our fast-paced world. As technology continues to improve, the voice search capabilities will expand.
It’s a long time since only a handful of people talked on their phones. Take the Google partnership that was announced in August 2017, which allows users to shop with ease by simply saying, “Ok Google.”
Voice search is more than a new trend that has changed the way we buy toilet paper and other household items. This is a new technology that allows us to search for keywords and phrases and then spit back the answers we want.
Recent research by Stone Temple Consulting shows how voice search has become more common, and people are clamoring for more. Voice search is still in its early stages (early 2018).
- Voice search is not only used at home or in private/personal situations. People are now talking on their phones in public more than they did a year earlier. Voice search is still most popular at home, but people use it less than in 2017. Voice search is most commonly used in the workplace, public transport, and restaurants when not at home. It’s no surprise that the theatre is the least common place to use voice searches. However, this usage has more than doubled since 2017. Don’t use voice search while watching a show or movie.
- The results of the survey showed that most voice search users on smartphones are married men from the West Coast aged 25-44, with a college education earning between $50 and $99k.
- When asked which search tool they prefer, 44% chose mobile browsers, while 16% selected voice search. Interestingly, this number matches the 16% who decided to use an app for a search engine. The percentage of people who use voice search is also just below the 18% for searching on the phone. Only 6% chose to send a text to their friends in order to get information and answer questions.
- The most popular applications that users use to control their voice are making calls, texting, and navigation. The top reasons users gave for preferring voice-over keyboard were speed, no typing, and accuracy. Not to mention, it’s convenient while driving.
- The study concluded that voice search users are satisfied with its performance. Over 70% of respondents were happy with the way their virtual assistants understood them.
The study concluded that voice search and command will only continue to improve. The study found that the three most requested features for voice command in the future are more direct responses, more custom voices, and greater app integration.
Voice search will continue to develop, and brands and marketers will have more opportunities to optimize their products and services.
A new study on voice searches by ROAST revealed that Google responds to and understands voice searches. Here, brands and marketers can test and innovate in order to use voice search. These are the key findings:
- Rich snippets, or the highlighted results that Google displays to users in search results, are usually the voice answers.
- According to a study, many of the questions that you ask using voice search receive the same answer as they do on your desktop. Google Home answered 80% of questions the same way as Answer Box.
- If you get the Answer Box, a virtual assistant will likely feature your answer.
How can brands leverage voice search?
Companies should optimize their voice search and focus on providing the best possible answer to the query. Remember that what works now may not be effective in a year or even months. This is especially true with the rapidly evolving technology. Here are some ways to leverage existing tactics for optimizing voice search.
Use structured data- Your SEO plan should include optimizing structured data (also known as Schema Markup). Structured data is a way to make certain information on your site more accessible to search engines. These data can enhance your search results. In a crowded area, being able to stand out is important.
Create strong, relevant, quality content -We must understand and consider the differences in key phrases for voice searches compared to written searches. Voice search is more conversational and focuses on questions and sentences. If you’re looking for soccer cleats, you may type in “soccer,” but with a voice search, you could ask, “where can i buy a pair of new soccer cleats?”
You may type “July Weather in San Diego” on your computer, but your voice search might sound like “What is the weather in San Diego, July?” This means you must create high-quality content that addresses the who, what, and when questions. This has been the foundation of Power Digital Marketing’s integrated SEO and content strategy. You’re answering the entire query if you answer the five vital questions. This is true for both desktop and voice searches.
Optimize Local Search (if applicable). Local SEO becomes more and more critical for companies that have a physical address. People are most likely to use voice search when they’re looking for a place, like “where is my nearest ice cream shop?” or “top nails salons near me”. You’ll also need to have a Google My Business Account.
We’re on a somewhat new and uncharted terrain, but it’s exciting, with many opportunities for brands and marketers. In the past few years, voice search has evolved, and now we can do more in a single day. The adoption is also growing quickly. The opportunity to innovate and test this powerful technology will grow as technology improves and more integrations are brought to market. This will be an ever-evolving search method, similar to desktop and mobile searches. It will start with organic results before moving into paid advertising. We want to look back on the good times when we did not have to worry about the unknown and asked because we wanted to know. What will you do? What will you be doing?