The Rise of Voice Search and How it Affects SEO

Mar 13, 2023
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By
KLR Agency

The ever-evolving digital advertising sphere has seen a substantial rise in voice search usage, which is having an immense effect on how individuals gather information. With more people using their phones or smart home devices to ask questions, it’s no surprise that businesses are asking how this affects SEO.

As a result, at KLR Agency, we’ve identified the implications of voice search on SEO and determined why it’s an important part of any business’s marketing strategy to remain competitive.

In this article, we’ll explore what exactly voice search is, how it impacts SEO strategies, tools for optimizing your website for these searches, and best practices for maximizing its potential benefits.

By learning about all aspects related to the rise of voice search and how it affects SEO you can stay ahead of the game with your optimization efforts.

What is Voice Search?

Voice search technology permits users to communicate with gadgets such as smartphones, tablets, and computers via natural language.

It uses speech recognition software to interpret the user’s voice commands and provide an appropriate response.

Voice search has been gaining traction as of late, owing to its expediency and precision.

Benefits of Voice Search

The primary benefit of voice search is its convenience; it allows users to quickly access information without having to manually type it out on their device’s keyboard or touchscreen interface.

Additionally, voice searches are often more accurate than traditional keyword searches since they rely on natural language processing (NLP) algorithms which understand the context better than keywords alone can do.

Finally, many people find speaking easier and faster than typing so this makes voice searching even more attractive for those who don’t have time for manually inputting queries into a computer system.

How Does Voice Search Affect SEO?

At KLR Agency, we use voice-activated gadgets such as Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Apple’s Siri. Their growing use is leading to a surge of voice search queries. 

To remain competitive in today’s digital advertising landscape, it is important to understand how voice search affects SEO and what strategies can be used to optimize for this type of query.

Impact on Keyword Research and Optimization

Voice searches tend to be longer than traditional text queries because they use natural language instead of keywords.

Keyword research should shift towards longer phrases rather than single words or short expressions, due to the natural language employed in voice searches typically being more extended than traditional text queries.

Additionally, marketers should pay attention to conversational terms that may be used in spoken queries such as “what” or “how” when conducting keyword research.

Impact on Content Creation and Optimization

Content creation must also take into account the differences between text-based searches and voice searches. 

For example, content should include answers to questions that might be asked via voice search rather than just focusing on keywords alone. 

Content should be composed with a lucid, straightforward articulation to be comprehended both by people and machines.

Impact on Structured Data

Structured data, also known as Schema markup, helps provide additional context about webpages which makes them easier for search engines like Google to understand the information contained within them better. 

This is especially important when optimizing for voice search since structured data provides additional clues about the page’s topic which can help improve its ranking potential with these types of queries.

Additionally, schema markup can also help provide additional context about webpages which again improves their chances of appearing higher up in results pages when users conduct a voice query related to their topic area.

Tools to Help with Voice Search Optimization

Keyword research tools allow you to identify which keywords are most likely to be used in a voice search query. 

These tools also provide insights into how competitive each keyword is and what types of content should be created around them. Popular keyword research tools include Google Keyword Planner, Moz Keyword Explorer, SEMrush Keywords Magic Tool, and Ahrefs Keywords Explorer.

Structured data testing tools enable you to test whether or not your web pages have been properly marked up with structured data (also known as schema markup). 

Structured data helps search engines understand the context of a webpage better so they can deliver more relevant results when someone performs a voice search query related to it. Popular structured data testing tools include Google Search Console’s Structured Data Testing Tool and Schema App’s Structured Data Validator Tool.

By using these two types of tools together, businesses can gain valuable insights into how their websites perform on voice searches and make improvements where necessary to increase visibility on these platforms. 

Additionally, by optimizing content for both text-based queries as well as spoken ones, businesses will be able to reach more potential customers who use either method when searching online for products or services related to their industry.

FAQs About Voice Search and How it Affects SEO

How has voice search changed keyword research?

Voice search has drastically changed the way keyword research is conducted. Instead of focusing on exact keywords, voice searches rely more heavily on natural language processing to understand user intent and context. 

This means that marketers must now focus their efforts on optimizing for conversational phrases rather than single words or short phrases. 

Additionally, voice search results are often personalized based on a user’s location, past searches, and other factors which can further complicate keyword research strategies. 

Given the alterations in keyword research, marketers need to bet on these modifications to guarantee their targeting of suitable audiences with pertinent material.

What are the benefits of voice search optimization?

Voice search optimization offers several benefits to businesses and consumers alike. 

It allows for more efficient searches, as users can simply speak their query rather than type it out. Additionally, voice search makes it easier for people with disabilities or limited mobility to access information online.

Optimizing content for voice search can help increase visibility in organic rankings since many popular digital assistants use algorithms that prioritize results from websites that are optimized for voice queries.

Is voice search increasing?

Yes, voice search is increasing. According to a recent study by BrightLocal, voice searches have grown by over 200% in the past two years. 

Furthermore, Google has reported that 20% of all mobile queries are now made using voice search technology. 

This surge can be linked to the expansion of virtual helpers like Alexa and Siri, as well as advances in natural language processing (NLP) that permit more precise results from these devices. 

It’s probable that with further progress in the development of virtual assistants, NLP, and related technologies, we will observe a sharp upsurge in voice search utilization going forward.

Why is voice search so important?

Voice search is an increasingly significant factor in the digital world, enabling users to gain access to info swiftly and without having to type out a query. 

Voice search also provides more accurate results than traditional text-based searches, as voice recognition technology can better understand natural language and context. 

Additionally, voice search offers convenience for those who are on the go or have difficulty typing due to physical disabilities. Voice search is a highly advantageous resource, providing users with an effortless means of attaining precise results in no time.

KLR Agency’s Final Thoughts

Voice search is becoming increasingly popular and businesses need to understand how this technology affects SEO. 

By implementing strategies such as optimizing content for natural language, leveraging structured data, and utilizing tools like Google Search Console, businesses can take advantage of the rise of voice search and maximize their visibility in search engine results. 

With a few simple steps, companies can ensure they are staying ahead of the curve when it comes to the rise of voice search and how it affects SEO.