Amazon has the Echo, Google has the Assistant, Apple is halfway there with the HomePod and now Sony is jumping on the bandwagon!
From Siri to Amazon Echo, to asking Alexa to hit up “Mr Brightside” by The Killers, voice searching is becoming increasingly mainstream. Eventually, there will be two types of searchers, the talkers and the typers. But will voice-over change the future of SEO?
More and more people are now using their mobile phone rather than a laptop. It’s amazing how 4G is helping change the way we shop, bank, watch TV and now it could even change the way we do SEO. If you’re a digital marketer or a business owner, perhaps it’s time to think outside the box and tap into this ‘keyboard free’ style!
It seems the reason for voice technology’s growth is the increased rate at which voice commands are very accurately captured. According to comscore, 50% of all searches will be voice searches by 2020. It’s fast, it’s easy and most of all, it’s keyboard free. This could be a game changer!
Just think about how voice search is used to get information about local businesses nearby. You might say something like, “Where is the best pizza place in London?” or “Find me the best recipe for a Victoria sponge cake”. This is when you’d want to make sure you optimize the content on your pages for “best pizza place in London”. Or, if you’re a food blogger, it might be time to optimize your best Victoria Sponge recipe! Don’t forget that adding natural language to your site’s content will simply increase your SEO with voice search results.
When it comes to thinking “why you should I be using this new technology for my business?” these few points will help you out:
You’re probably reading this on your smartphone.
Personal assistants are now included, by default, on smartphones. To put it into perspective, two-thirds of people own a smartphone, using it for nearly two hours every day.
They use their phone to browse the internet, access social media, bank and shop online. This means people will gradually adapt to operating technology using voice commands.
It’s easy to use!
Voice search is providing a better experience for its users, particularly on mobile devices. Don’t forget that next generation of B2B buyers who are growing up with the technology as second nature. Familiarity with personal assistant technology will encourage more people to try voice search – and its convenience will really drive adoption.
It’s giving us instant answers.
We’re starting to see the rise in conversational and voice search. Voice search is being used for a variety of purposes, and its influence on B2B decision-makers is growing too.
This time-saving technology has big potential to do a lot more for us in the future. Teens and adults are asking their phones to skip from one iTunes playlist to another as well as being used for directions, restaurants, shopping, the list is huge.
Overall, voice search is actively shaping the future of SEO and changing how SEO techniques are adopted in the mobile age. The big question is, is it time to start rethinking your SEO strategy?