Although we may all be spending this weekend eyeing our Echo devices suspiciously, there’s no doubt that voice search is and will continue to be a hot trend in digital marketing.

Why is voice search so important?

With the continued use of our smartphones and digital personal assistants (think Siri and Alexa), search engine algorithms are leaning more toward natural speech. As of January of this year, there were one billion voice searches per month.

Here are three tips to use voice search to your advantage:

 

• Think about the questions your customers ask: It’s time to shift focus from key phrases to questions and answers.

 

• Talk like they would: This is not new, but it’s more important than ever now to produce content the way people actually speak. For example, you wouldn’t go up to someone and say, “Barbecue recipe!” You’d likely ask them, “What’s your best barbecue recipe?” The same thing happens when we’re voice searching. The trick is to craft those answers in a human voice and enhance the user experience.

• Make sure your website is optimized for mobile: This one’s common sense, but it’s always good to check. Most voice searches are initiated on mobile devices, and with people constantly on-the-go, it’s safe to assume that they won’t have the patience to comb through results. If they’re not finding what they’re looking because of a disorganized and non-mobile-friendly site, they’ll move on to the next search result very quickly.

 

 

It’s estimated that by 2020, 50% of all searches will be voice-initiated. Start making changes now and reap the benefits for your business. If you need help optimizing your strategy for voice search, we’d be glad to assist.

Have a great Memorial Day Weekend,

Mana

P.S. We won’t blame you if you’re tempted to get an Echo this weekend – they’ll likely be on sale. 😉