Voice Search is the Next Big Thing

Update February 3, 2017

When you think of optimizing your 2017 digital marketing strategy, going mobile-first might come to mind. Or maybe adding more video content to your site.

While these tactics are certainly important, there’s a new game in town. Voice search has been an ongoing project in the tech industry for a while. Now that voice recognition technology makes fewer errors, it’s becoming one of the fastest-growing search options. For users, it’s appeal is undeniable. It’s hands-free, fast, and futuristic.

In recent years, voice search has doubled, with 65% of mobile phone users reporting they use a virtual assistant. Everyone’s getting in it — Apple’s Siri, Microsoft’s Cortana, and Amazon’s Alexa represent how the big players are going for voice search. It’s becoming a technology everyday consumers are using over traditional search techniques.

Voice is changing the SEO game

If there’s one thing we know about SEO, it’s that it’s always changing. Those keyword-rich blogs and websites became ancient history when Google changed its algorithms. Now voice recognition technology is shifting how things work again.

For businesses, this means you have to craft content based on how people speak rather than how they type. Voice technology often encourages users to ask questions in complete sentences with responses in complete sentences too. So instead of a user typing in: “best pizza chicago il,” they might ask, “What’s the best pizza place in Chicago?” Note that users are likely to ask who, what, where, and when questions, like “When is the Super Bowl?”

Pair with mobile device upgrading

You might have spent a lot of time getting the details right on mobile-friendly service. Here’s the good news: That’s not going to waste. While at-home voice search products exist, mobile is still the main player in the game. Building a website designed for mobile use is essential for doing business in 2017.

You should also consider which search engines you’re optimizing voice search for. Up until now, Google has been king. But the default option on Apple’s iO7 and Windows use Microsoft Bing. However, currently 83% of the market uses Android products, which default to Google. In the future, Bing could play a larger role in voice search.

The bottom line with getting voice search right is like all marketing — keep testing it out and readjusting as you go to find the mix that works. Listen to how people talk about your business and keep your content fresh. In the long run, this strategy will bring in more customers and help your business grow.

Marisa Fritzemeier

Angel of Innovative Artistry and Design for Viral Solutions LLC