Voice search has established itself as the future of online searches. But is your business ready to make the transition? How can you ensure that your company appears in Siri’s, Alexa’s, and Google Assistant’s recommendations?
The latest research states that more than 55% used voice searches regularly. And about 20% used smart speakers to search online at least five times a week. Moreover, the same research indicates that voice search is slowly but surely replacing traditional methods.
In any case, voice search has a long way to go. And if you are to reap its benefits, you need to jump on the bandwagon as soon as possible.
But, What is Voice Search? Voice search is the technology that allows people to perform searches using voice commands rather than entering text on the search page. It uses the Automatic Speech Recognition system (ASR) to convert voice to text.
Here are five crucial steps to help your business rank faster on the voice search results page.
List Your Business
The core of your online presence is to get your business listed on all relevant business listings and directories. It is also the easiest way to establish your online footprint.
Ensure that your NAP, i.e., Name, Address, and Phone number, is current and consistent everywhere, including your website, social networks, search engines, and mobile apps. Even updating outdated apps like Yellow Pages and MapQuest can help.
Apart from the NAP, you can also add your business information, a 250-word long description, and a 100-word short description. Make sure you add your photograph, business hours, parking facilities, and other relevant information in your business information.
Make the Most of Online Reviews
According to the latest research, nearly half of all internet users post online reviews regularly. So, whether it is something mundane or significant, people are increasingly reaching out for online reviews.
The more positive reviews your business has, the higher the chance it appears on voice search results.
Along with online reviews, adding review schemas to your page will direct search engine crawlers to your website information. The search engine then presents this information on the Search Engine Results Page as snippets, otherwise called position zero.
Voice search uses this information to display relevant results.
Optimize for Long-Tail Keywords
The nature of the search terms differs when spoken instead of typing it out. People are likely to talk as they would to another person instead of a couple of keywords. They use entire sentences, and that’s why you should optimize your website for long-tail keywords.
Besides long tail keywords, it would help if you also optimized for “Near Me” searches. Additionally, identify the natural search terms people use to look up your business and optimize your business for those and other related search terms.
Make Your Website Mobile-Friendly
As per the latest Google algorithm update, mobile-friendly website versions are a key ranking factor for voice searches.
Furthermore, it is also essential that your website is optimized for mobile. This is mainly because, more often than not, people use mobile devices for voice searches.
Not only should it be responsive, but it should also meet modern standards like a faster loading time says 2 seconds. And it should also be optimized for smaller screens meaning there shouldn’t be any large images or content.
Take Advantage of Featured Snippets
Snippets, otherwise called Position Zero, by search marketers, is a summarized version of the long-form content present on the website. The snippet pretty much answers your question.
The featured snippet also contains the page title and a link to the page directing people to your webpage.
Contact Shelley's Social Media to help you with getting your business found on voice search today!