Voice search, language assistants, voice input, and voice control, these terms have been following us for several years. This is how Amazon got the ball rolling with its Amazon Echo or simply Alexa. It is also known that innovation giants and large corporations such as Google with Google Home, Apple with Siri, and Microsoft with Cortana have already followed suit with their variants of the language assistant.
In the meantime, Amazon has gone one step further and brought the language assistant to the market in various versions. Such as in combination with a touchscreen, the Echo Show.
But what’s the point of all this hype? Are we actually writing history for online marketing and web search with the language assistants?
What is voice search?
According to industry research, more than 60% of searches are now done on smartphones, of which 20% are voice searches. Another expert in marketing analytics predicts that by 2020 half of all searches online will be done by voice. As voice recognition technology is getting smarter and merges more with artificial intelligence, voice search has revolutionized the internet.
Personal assistants are technologies from the field of machine language processing with the aim of creating a voice dialogue that is as realistic as possible between the person and the language assistant in order to make the acquisition of information personal and pleasant.
So what does voice search bring to the user?
Techies, IT folks, and tech junkies are probably the first things that spring to mind when you think of Alexa as early adopters. Probably not entirely wrong either, but is voice search reaching the masses? He fulfills the long-cherished wishes. Let’s take a look at the development of the personal computer.
So in the beginning there was a big box that was just called the PC and that only a few experts could work with. The further form made it possible for several people to use this computer. The development went further and further away from the medium for programming towards the working tool for the masses.
Due to increased usability and also adaptation in forms such as laptops, smartphones, and tablets, this technology has become an integral part of our lives. Nevertheless, and still today, it is the case that humans have to acquire the functionalities of the PC. This is now different for the first time with voice search.
In this way, the language assistant learns from us and, thanks to our input, becomes more and more “smart” and advanced. This is fascinating and actually opens the doors to many further developments. Surely the first ones are already imagining an Alexa household robot.
Voice search and search results
Voice search is changing the way users see results. Voice search is no longer about the relevance of the results, but about the “best” answer, i.e. the most important result. The pressure of competition is increasing for companies to be “the best answer” for the search engine. Although the field “more results” is displayed in the apps of the language systems in order to get as many clicks as possible, every company still wants to be at the top and be displayed or named as the first result.
Voice search has become one of the most important topics in the context of web search. More and more people rely on the use of Alexa and Co when they want to search for something in search engines. There are countless situations in which voice search offers the perfect solution. Be it while driving or taking a shower – the voice search replaces typing in the search field and thus offers absolutely simple information procurement.
When we type a question into a search field, we automatically choose different terms than when we ask the same question verbally. Spoken search queries via voice search are longer because not only keywords but complete sentences are spoken.
Therefore, you should consider what questions a user might ask about a topic. The text must then answer this as clearly as possible.
Benefits of voice search
Voice search is fast, effortless, and hands-free. This digital assistant can get quick answers, find directions, and opening times, set up reminders, and get pizza delivered. Google’s Mobile Voice study found that 55% of teens aged 13-18 use voice search at least once a day, and 40% of adults dream that one day voice search would find their keys and remote controls.
But teens aren’t the only age group who supports the voice search popularity. Baby boomers who are not great fans of typing, especially on smartphone screens, are welcoming the ability to search online using their voice. So it’s only been a matter of time for SEO strategists to readjust their digital presence to this new technology.
Voice searches are most often used to find local-based information such as directions, local businesses, opening times, and customer service contacts.
Voice search and SEO
The conversational nature of voice queries requires a different approach to search engine optimization copywriting. Keywords are different — in fact, the customer is more likely to ask a complete, naturally sounding question rather than type keywords.
We are entering the era of conversational search where the customer speaks to the search engine in the same way she asks Siri what is the weather tomorrow.
It is important to deal with the following topics:
- What kind of questions are often asked?
- What kind of answers fit best?
- What conversation style do users choose?
- What kind of question keywords are used?
You don’t need a computer screen to answer these questions, nor do you need multiple results to choose from. Because the answer is precise. So if the user asks one of these questions, your text should be displayed at the top.
The key SEO techniques for voice search
In order to guarantee good findability of your content, the following points should be considered:
- The fast loading speed of the site.
- The question appears in headings and meta texts, as well as in the URL.
- Keywords appear in the form of questions (who, how, where, what, when)
- Filler words are added to the natural conversational style. (at, after, for). It is best to also write the content in the FAQ pages because these are highly relevant for voice searches due to the question and answer structure.
- You use longtail keywords because the spoken query consists of more words than the typed variant.
The key to being ranked as relevant is a clear, mobile-optimized website with indexing geared to language systems, i.e. tags to be able to present the most relevant information to the user.
Best practices of copywriting for voice search
What are the best ways to leverage voice search for your website? Optimizing the website for a mobile experience is perhaps the most obvious.
- The website has to load quickly and contain no elements that block CSS, JavaScript, or video.
- A high ranking for local-based keywords will ensure that customers who look for “best Indian restaurant near me” will find your client and not a competitor.
- Another proven method is to create a detailed FAQ area where all questions start with What, How, When, and similar words. This will ensure that voice searches with questions about your product will bring up relevant results from your online resource.
In contrast to conventional and text field-based searches, modern assistants also have to differentiate between their functions. In addition to the informative role (when asked “what day is it”, the user does not want to receive a list of results), these can also have an -acting (“call Pizzeria Italy and reserve a table for today at 6 p.m., for two people”) function.
So far, the voice assistants have had very monotonous voices. Now they should be able to use new language styles and also show emotions. Google Assistant, Alexa, and Co should speak longer sentences in order to be able to have almost real conversations.
The voice assistants can also understand and act on slurred speech and dialects or accents. In contrast to the current voice of Alexa and Co, this should sound more human. The language assistants should recognize the mood of the user both from the tone and the choice of words so that they can then react accordingly. We remain curious about when we will be able to have almost real conversations with language assistants and how this change will affect our everyday lives.
FAQ
How do I turn on Voice Search?
You can turn on voice search on Android devices. On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google app. At the top right, tap your Profile picture or initial Settings. Under “Hey Google,” tap Voice Match. Here’s how you turn on Hey Google.
What’s the criticism of voice search?