Today experts from AZ Citation will show you how to optimize your citations for voice search. Voice-activated search is expanding, and it is altering the way people look for nearby information. Reports from the year 2022 claim that: Between December 2021 and January 2022, 45% of internet users worldwide used voice search or commands. Sales from voice-activated searches are expected to surpass $40 billion in the near future, according to studies. On the other hand, have you made your material suitable for voice searches? It’s easier to talk than type, therefore voice search is gaining traction all around the world. One evidence of this tendency is the recent spectacular growth of voice assistants as well as smart home gadgets like Amazon’s Alexa. Customers may not be aware of your company until you optimize for voice searches. To improve your visibility and rank in voice search, consider the following advice.
Start optimizing content
Searching for a company or product using one’s voice differs slightly from using a computer or mobile device. When conducting a voice search, users are more likely to ask detailed inquiries than they would be when typing. They also employ question tags like “who,” “when,” “where,” and “how” in their speech. People sometimes use phrases like “Alexa, what are the best Italian restaurants within 3 miles” and “Ok Google, show me the nearest Italian restaurant” instead of the more general “Italian restaurants around me” when speaking to their digital assistants. Therefore, when making content, make sure it answers the query the user has.
FAQs and featured snippets
Make a frequently asked questions (FAQ) section a priority if you don’t currently have one on your site. A frequently asked questions (FAQ) part might be a subsection of an existing website or an altogether new page. Common inquiries and their solutions should be provided in this area. In addition, your frequently asked questions should be written in a conversational tone, as this is how voice searches are written. You can enhance the functionality of the segment or page by using a frequently asked questions (FAQ) structure.
FAQ information that is properly marked up can improve your visibility in search engine results and in voice searches. Incorporate a frequently asked questions segment and try to get featured in search engine results. Featured snippets are excerpts from longer articles that appear at the top of Google search results. Since they come in at a higher position than the best-performing links, they are given the “0” ranking. Take a look at this included excerpt as an illustration.
Is your site optimized for mobile?
Most people use their phones or smart speakers like Amazon Echo or Google Home to conduct voice searches. In contrast, SEMrush opens a new window that home assistants aren’t designed to be used for search searches, but rather to recognize voice commands. Additionally, unlike smartphones, computers, and smart home devices are not portable. That’s why you need to make your site mobile-friendly. Mobile-friendly web design also benefits those using smart home gadgets.
Add some personal touch
More and more artificial intelligence functions are being added to voice assistants by major tech companies such as Google and Apple. Using the context of a voice search query, AI can nowadays reliably predict what consumers want and provide customized answers. Here’s a case in point. Simply asking Google “What is Sarah’s address?” will not return any useful information. When you ask your iPhone this inquiry aloud, though, Siri will look through your contacts to find the information you need. Through the use of AI, virtual assistants can take into account the history of queries to better understand the context of a question. A typical user’s next question after typing “Apple shop near me” into Google is “How do I get there?” Artificial intelligence allows virtual assistants to interpret your “there” reference from the prior inquiry.
What does this imply for your grassroots effort, then? It’s a great example of how subject clusters and article tagging systems may lead users down a “rabbit hole” of linked content. Your site needs to be ready to respond to users’ follow-up questions as they look for more information.
Do some serious citation clean-up
This is something you have to take seriously. This mostly applies to the businesses that had any changes. In reality, everyone should check out to see if their citations are in order. We are talking about your NAPs right now of course. NAPs are extremely important. If you check out our blog you will see why and more about them.
You don’t have to do it on your own
So, if your name, address, or phone number has changed over the years you need to do a citation cleanup. If you are having any difficulties you can always call professionals to help you. Not doing this on time can become a real problem real soon. We want to avoid it obviously.
In contrast to text-based searches, the keywords used in voice queries are original. This is important when you want to optimize your citations for voice search. Voice-activated queries are usually more detailed and comprehensive than text-based ones. As a result, you’ll need to rethink your approach to keyword research and your criteria for what constitutes a “good” term.
Location, location, location
The speed with which voice search returns results is a strong selling point. This is especially true for mobile users seeking nearby businesses and services. Tourists may use voice search to request an Uber or Lyft, locals can ask Alexa whether a cafe across town is open, and drivers can ask Siri for instructions to the closest business. While both voice search and standard search can yield results based on your current location, speed is of the essence when it comes to voice search. Now you know much more and will be able to optimize your citations for voice search. Good luck!
