Google voice search is simply a matter of speaking the search query rather than the slower process of having to type it. Voice search has gained popularity on mobile devices since typing on a tiny phone screen is somewhat tricky and far less accurate compared to using a computer keyboard. It’s a matter of convenience, and with so many people accessing the internet from mobile devices rather than desktops, Google and SEO companies have seen the need to really ramp up their efforts on voice search technology and its rollout.
People are becoming lazy typists when it comes to searching for things on the internet, especially when using our smartphones. With most modern phones having the capacity to receive voice commands these days, more and more people are opting to use their voice rather than their fingers when they want to perform an action, such as a Google search.
In this article, we’ll be taking a look at Google voice search, why it matters, how it differs from typed search queries and why every webmaster and online business should be optimizing their content for voice search as well as traditional typed queries.
So let’s take a look at voice search and see exactly what it’s all about.
What Is Voice Search?
For years Google and the other major search engines have been working towards improving voice search technology and its accuracy. Google especially is continually tweaking its algorithms to comprehend better the intent of the user for both typed searches and voice search requests.
How Does Voice Search Work?
Using Voice search on Google with a smartphone is very simple. It’s just a matter of selecting the microphone function and speaking a command into the phone rather than typing a query into the search bar. Spoken commands need to be clearly enunciated and spoken slowly and evenly for the search engine to understand the query without any errors in wording.
The ability to understand an entire range of voices, accents and different languages is something Google has put a lot of time and effort into perfecting to achieve accurate results, and each time they roll out a new algorithm, they improve on this function.
In the infancy of voice search, often search queries had to be repeated or spoken a different way for the search engine to grasp the meaning, but now its extremely on point most of the time, so long as the searcher speaks clearly.
Voice search can also be a hands-free way of communicating with Google, at least in the first instance.
How Voice Search Differs From Typed Searches
Google voice searches could still be the same, but more often than not, the query will be different. As most people only like to type the bare minimum when it comes to using a search engine, it’s an entirely different story when verbalizing a search query. People tend to speak longer queries compared to typing them and will often make a request in full sentences.
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Here’s a simple example. Say you live in Dallas, Texas, and you’re looking for a mechanic to service your car. The following could be examples of a typical text search, followed by two examples of possible voice search queries:
- Looking for the best car mechanic in Dallas for car servicing
- Where is the best motor mechanic near me?
The last voice query brings up another important point, and that is the use of location tracking on mobile devices.
With voice searches, users can take things a step further. Not only can they voice their query, but Google can track where the person is and point them in the direction of the closest location to them at any given time, even when they’re driving around.
Location tracking can be used in conjunction with typed searches as well, but more often it goes hand in hand with voice searches.
People also love using voice searches in conjunction with location tracking when they want directions to a particular location, shop, entertainment venue and so on.
Can Optimizing for Google Voice Search Improve Website Rankings?
It will help with ranking a piece of content on your site. While you will still target specific keywords that are popular with typed search queries, it’s also an excellent idea to start thinking about how those same queries might be worded when someone is performing a voice search and include these as well.
The more naturally worded options you can cover, the more chance your content will rank in Google and other search engines for a variety of typed and spoken search queries. All this adds up to more and more ways people can find your content and interact with your website and your brand. Depending on its length, you could find one piece of content ranking for hundreds of keyword phrases.
Should You Enlist Professional Help for Voice Search?
This depends on the individual and how you create or source your content, but there are advantages to hiring the services of professional Search Engine Optimizers and copywriters. Industry experts can provide you with the best content marketing plan to ensure your website has every chance of being top of the search results for voice search.
This optimization can also apply to your videos as well as text-based content. Google owns YouTube, and YouTube is widely considered to be the world’s second-biggest search engine.
Not only can an experienced SEO company assist in new content creation, but they can also advise you on how existing content on your website can be optimized for voice search technology.
The Takeaway
Voice search isn’t just something that’s going to be big in the future, it’s huge right now, and anyone who is not optimizing for voice search could seriously be missing out on loads of traffic, leads, sales and income.
The time to get focused on voice search is today, to keep your online presence at the top of the search results, rather than languishing on page two and beyond.
