Drugi jezik na kojem je dostupan ovaj članak: Bosnian
By: Rilind Elezaj, Digital Marketing Specialist
Within the past 5 years, apps with voice recognition capabilities, such as Google’s Google Home and Google search, Apple’s Siri, and Amazon’s Alexa, have become a commoditized feature of the technology we use every day. Recently, the number of users adopting voice searches is significantly increasing. This might be due to the fact that users are finding conversational search more natural, convenient and user-friendly than the traditional search method.
For instance, MindMeld 2016 survey revealed that the number of smartphone users that had been using voice search in the US. In a related report, Mary Meeker reported that Google voice searches in 2016 were found to be up to 35 times those of 2008. Recently, Google disclosed that 20% of its mobile app and Android services searches are made by voice, and the number is expected to drastically increase in the next few years.
ComScore predicts that, by 2020, 50% of all searches will be carried out by voice. There is another speculation that, by 2022, voice search is more likely to replace keyboards. Beyond doubt, voice search is now becoming an indispensable communication medium, which is currently revolutionizing app development technology, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and product and services marketing strategies. Vasile of Creative27, when asked on how voice search is impacting technology said that “We are leveraging on this trend in developing apps with conversational search capabilities. Voice Search will greatly impact on businesses and their success will substantially hinge on it”.
How Voice Search Will Change SEO
One of the reasons why conversational search is revolutionizing SEO and having an edge over the traditional keyboard searches is its convenience and speed. It is more convenient and faster for you to speak up to 150 words per minute, while you may manage to type up to 40 words per minute; this will affect your search queries.
For instance, you don’t have to take off your glove in order to activate a search on your phone or take out your laptop, switch it on and waiting for minutes for it to boot. All you need to do is to open your phone and talk. Moreover, how we phrase and word our search queries is different from the old keyboard typing method, and this will directly affect SEO and marketing practices.
One factor that could be a setback for voice search is the word accuracy, but at present, Google’s word accuracy has improved, now over 90%. So with this improvement, reliance on keyword stuffing is waning and conversational search queries are taking the lead. This offers voice search a remarkable buzz and it is currently changing SEO, search traffics, and the marketing strategies in the following ways:
1 – Increased Dependence on Natural Language Searches
Voice searches involve the use of structured, full and grammatically correct phrases and sentences. For instance, instead of typing the search term “best Biology book 2018 Amazon,” with a voice search, the user can conveniently speak “the best selling Biology textbook on Amazon in 2018.” Therefore, keyword stuffing will no longer work for optimizing your site for word search, you will need to optimize your site for natural language searches.
As a matter of fact, Google is now working on how their system will better accommodate conversational search queries by putting natural language queries into consideration. After all, Sundar Pichai, Google Sundar, has revealed that Google Assistant will be capable of handling follow-up queries without any need to restate the context.
2 – More Mobile Searches
Though voice recognition apps for a desktop are available, yet the use of conversational searches on mobiles brings a lot of convenience to the user. According to the Higher Visibility finding, 53% (more than half) of the voice search users used it while driving and up to 21% users used it while on other activities. Therefore, there are more mobile searches and the number of mobile voice search users is increasing. WIth this, optimizing your mobile for mobile feasibility is imperative.
3 – More Local-Based Searches
The 2016 Meeker’s Internet Trends disclosed that voice searches in mobiles are more local-based queries than the text-based queries. This is due to the fact that people speak different languages and voice search is critically language dependent. Hence, you need to SEO localization strategy in order to rank higher in search engine organic results.
Tips for Improving Voice Search SEO
Since voice search will affect and reshape the future of SEO, you need to get prepared by taking the following steps:
1 – Make Use of Long-Tail Keywords
Voice searchers make use of longer queries, so you need to begin targeting longer-tail keywords with natural language. Hence, you will have to consider how your target customers will more likely phrase their search queries. You might use website analytics to get one or more search terms that will more likely fit in.
2 – Make Use of FAQ Page
Making use of FAQ page strategy by developing sets of questions that customers are more likely to ask will help you are a long way in optimizing your website for conversational searches. Hence, you will need to make use of words like “what,” “where,” “who,” “how,” and “why.” Then provide answers to the questions, not only on your website but also on your blog and your social media posts.
3 – Use Natural Contents
Make your contents natural by writing them in a natural voice so as to make your brand conversational. With this, you will be able to develop a site with contents that are more related to the target customers’ voice searches.
4 – Make Your Site Responsive
According to StatCounter October 2016, the global browsing statistics showed that mobile browsing exceeds desktop browsing, with the mobile accounting for 51.3% and desktop 48.7%. Since voice searches are more mobile-based, you need to make your website responsive by making it display properly on mobile devices. If you don’t know how to handle this, try to consult an experienced web developer to do it for you.
5 – Improve Your Localization
Since 2015, mobile internet searches have been ranking higher with local businesses receiving more traffics from local searches, especially searches that were appended with some search terms, such as “near me,” “around me,” or using the local name of the location. For instance, “the Chinese restaurant near me.” or the Chinese restaurant in Morrow, GA”. So you need to localize your content so that you will not be missing out on most searches.
Conclusion
Now you have known how voice search is revolutionizing and shaping the future of SEO so that you can get prepared for the impending challenges it can create for your marketing strategies. Hence, you will act wisely by applying the above-stated tips to optimizing your business for conversational searches and maintain higher rankings in organic search results.
However, I will not desist from being honest with you by telling you that you have had all you need to get your business prepared for the trending conversational search that is changing and complicating the face of SEO practices. Candidly, if you want to integrate voice search in your marketing strategies and have the best results, you need a monthly SEO package that comes with a more friendly cost. You need to get a professional SEO Service to get it done for you. This is the secrete successful business owners are currently using to keep their SEO marketing strategies at bay.
