Voice Search Mastery: Alexa, Siri and Google Home Optimisation

With the dawn of an age of in-home modules like Alexa and Google Home and digital assistants like Siri, people’s search for information online is evolving rapidly. One of the most significant developments in this regard is the rise of voice search technology. Stauffer recognises these new trends and wants our friends and clients to stay informed. This article will explore voice search, why it matters for businesses, and how to optimise your website to harness its potential.

The Rise of Voice Search

Voice search has witnessed a remarkable surge in popularity. According to recent studies, over 50% of all searches are now voice-initiated. This trend highlights a fundamental shift in how users interact with search engines and technology, reshaping the search engine optimisation (SEO) landscape. Users are now posing queries in a conversational, natural language, leading to a transformation in keyword strategy. This change underscores the need for businesses to adapt and optimise their content accordingly.

Voice search offers a new level of user convenience, allowing users to search hands-free, which is particularly valuable when typing is inconvenient or unsafe. Optimising for voice search can increase website traffic and business conversion rates. Meeting user needs through voice search can enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty. The caveat to all new consumer technology is that there is a new learning curve for us marketers to understand each new means of consumer convenience, so let’s briefly touch on how voice search works:

How Voice Search Works

Voice search operates mainly through something called natural language processing (NLP). Voice search technology relies on NLP to understand and interpret spoken language through a series of coders and encoders, which, when combined, are called a “transformer.” NLP takes these transformers and uses them to comprehend the nuances of human speech, making voice search more intuitive and user-friendly.

Voice searches can be broadly categorised into three different types: informational, navigational, and transactional queries, each serving a unique user intent. Understanding these queries is essential for tailoring content to meet user needs effectively.

Informational Voice Search:

- Intent: Informational voice searches are likely the most common type. Informational voice searches are initiated when users seek information or answers to questions. These queries seek facts, explanations, or details on a specific topic.

- Example: “Who was the 21st vice president?” or “How does quantum entanglement work?”

- Characteristics: These searches are often open-ended questions, and their phrases begin with words like “what,” “how,” “why,” or “where.” Users expect concise and informative responses from informational voice searches.

Navigational Voice Search:

- Intent: Navigational voice searches are performed when users want to find or access a specific website, app, or online resource. These searches aim to navigate directly to a particular online destination.

- Example: “Open Instagram” or “Take me to stauffer.com”

- Characteristics: These searches typically involve brand or website names, specific apps, or services.   Navigational voice search users seek a direct link to their desired destination.

Transactional Voice Search:

- Intent: Transactional voice searches are executed when users intend to take a specific action or make a purchase. These searches often involve commercial purposes and signify the user’s readiness to engage in a transaction.

- Example: “Order my grocery list from Whole Foods” or “Buy tickets to the Beyonce concert.”

- Characteristics: These queries include action-oriented words like “order,” “buy,” “book,” or “reserve.” Users are seeking to complete a transaction or reservation through their voice command. 

Search engines employ machine learning algorithms to process voice queries and deliver relevant results. They consider context, location, and user history to provide accurate and timely information.

Optimising Your Website for Voice Search

The best way to optimise for voice search is in your copywriting strategy. In the old days of the internet (like ten years ago), cornering the market on “short tail” keywords, i.e., one or two phrase snippets, was a practical and efficient way to get ranked on search engines. However, technology has improved, and “long tail” phrases are much more reliable and useable, especially for voice searches. To improve your rankings on search engines for voice search, consider the following tips:

- Natural Language and General Optimisation: To optimise your website for voice search, focus on using natural language in your content, improving site speed, and structuring content for featured snippets. These strategies align with the conversational nature of voice queries. 

- Adding Voice Search Optimised Pages: Implementing long-tail keywords and offering concise answers to common questions via an FAQ section on your website enhances voice search optimisation.

- Prioritise An Intent-Based Content Strategy: Consider why your site viewers may be accessing your site and prioritise that information. By emphasising user intent, voice search queries will rank more relevant for search engines. Creating engaging content based on user needs and ensuring websites are optimised to load quickly on various devices will pay dividends in your conversion rates.

Naturally, Stauffer offers a wealth of optimising and copywriting services that will help with the technical and human aspects of an engaging and efficient communication strategy.

Tools and Resources for Voice Search Optimisation

- Useful Tools: Google’s Voice Search Quality Guidelines and Google Analytics are valuable resources for any team’s voice search optimisation strategy. These tools help organisations understand user behavior and provide essential data to improve your website’s voice search performance. Utilising Google Analytics enables teams to track voice search data, gaining insights into how users interact with your website through voice queries. This data informs optimisation efforts and assists when making strategic decisions. To stay ahead of the curve, an organisation’s marketing strategy must keep up-to-date with voice search trends and adapt to changing search algorithms. Stauffer recommends regularly monitoring industry developments and staying vigilant in adjusting your optimisation strategies accordingly; our blog will continue to be an invaluable resource for teams looking to stay abreast of these developments as they come.

Emphasising the benefits of optimising your website for voice search is no longer an option; it’s necessary. The benefits it can bring to businesses, including increased visibility, engagement, and conversions, are undeniable. Meeting user needs through voice search is critical to thriving in the digital age.

Stauffer strongly encourages businesses to embrace voice search optimisation as part of their digital strategy. It’s an opportunity to outshine competitors, provide exceptional user experiences, and secure a bright future in the evolving world of online search. Looking to open up the conversation for your organisation on voice search devices? We are here to help, let’s talk.