How many times have you said ‘Hey, Google?’ today? You would most certainly not be the only one. Voice search is not only on the rise, it’s becoming second nature for everyone in their day to day lives. It’s not only questions being directed at smart speakers, but there’s also a massive surge being used for mobile. With that being said, if you aren’t optimizing for voice search in 2021, that is likely to have an impact on your ranking in the future. Experts at Onimod Global are here to help you discover more about voice search and how your keyword decisions could make all the difference.

As usual, data is very telling. Almost one-third (27%) of the online users globally use mobile voice search. Those numbers will be considered minuscule in the future as they’re bound to double in the next few years. The big pressing question: why is this the case? Is it just because it’s practical, or because it’s convenient, or maybe just because it’s trendy? One thing is certain: it’s gaining popularity as it is for sure easy to use, fast, and conversational compared to conventional typing. 

Voice Search 101

By definition, voice search is voice recognition technology that allows users to perform searches by speaking directly to their supported devices. These range from smartphones like your iPhone and Samsung to your computers to any home assistant devices such as Amazon’s Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple’s Siri and many more device assistants. In total, Google voice searches have skyrocketed over the past several years, so how you incorporate voice search into your digital marketing strategy is a must. 

Whether you’re working as an SEO consultant or working on building a website right now from the ground up, we advise you to ensure your site and all pages are optimized it for voice search. 

Website Voice Search Optimization in 2021

You may still be asking yourself, what are all of the benefits that come with optimizing for voice search in 2021?

• More revenue: More visitors mean will in turn result in more conversions, and more conversions will of course equal more revenue.  
• Higher rankings: Almost always these queries will rank in the top 3 positions on search engine results pages (SERPs).   
• Higher authority: When you start ranking for voice searches and increase your audience, you boost your website’s authority. 

There is of course a catch, and that catch is called keywords. So in order to make your voice search optimization work as planned, you need optimized content. As always, keywords are the key.   

Voice search SEO requires:   

• Question-based keywords: Queries should be in the form of questions, as that is also how the query is typically formed
• Long-tail keywords: Really think about user intent and focus on action queries 
• Conversational content: Natural-sounding language is key

Your Google My Business Page Is Important

More often than not, most users finish their queries with the words “near me.” The determining factor for where your page will rank for those types of searches is the Google My Business listing. This is by far one of the easiest ways to get noticed by your target audience via voice search, but one important key factor is ensuring your content and all contact information are complete and on point. 

Google needs to know where your business is located when someone asks to display similar businesses in your area. Include your name, address, and phone number (NAP) in the listing and choose the right business category and area code. 

Additionally, you can try to rank for those “near me” queries by targeting local keywords that contain location-specific phrases that generate results related to the same geographic location. 

Final thoughts

In addition to voice search SEO strategies and other digital marketing tips, we will continue to share case studies and the latest digital marketing news and tips to help you drive your business. Our goal is to ensure we help improve your marketing and drive success.

At Onimod Global, we have endless experience and expertise when it comes to all things SEO, general social media advertising, and digital marketing. Got questions about how to optimize for voice search or want to learn more about us? Contact us here today.