Optimizing Your Website for Voice Search

Voice search is a technology which allows the users to search for things online via voice inputs and has been around for quite some time, how can we forget our favorite Siri, Alexa or Google Voice Assistance. Voice assistance is not just optional anymore as it not only helps in ease of access but it is essential to make sure your website is voice optimized along with other considerations to improve its accessibility for users with disabilities.

The increased use of smartphones and voice assistance devices have made the voice input a popular search option and it seems to be growing more.  To make your website voice optimized, make a few changes as mentioned below;

Come up with a Strategy:

The first thing you need to do is set and decide upon a strategy which works for today as well as the future voice search requirements. Produce contents according to these requirements.

Use Long Tail Keywords:

Voice search is not similar to typing in a search box. People when typing in a search box stick to minimum use of words and short keywords. During a voice search, people tend to search by communicating long phrases mostly in the form of questions. Keep this in mind and try to use more long tail keywords answering such questions directly.

Optimize for Local Search:

Most people are interested in searching for local businesses through voice assistance. You need to list your business online, providing a valid address. Voice search just like any SERP (Search Engine Results Page) first lists the local businesses. After you have listed your business online in various SERPs like Google and Bing, optimize your website's content and listing for local search.

Improve User Experience:

You need to focus on other elements of the website so that it is easy for the voice assistance device to access it. Your website needs to load fast, should be secure and most importantly should be mobile friendly and well optimized for multiple devices. Use a responsive theme so that the voice assistant can easily access your optimized website. Additionally, make sure that your website is enabled for a screen reader, accessible via the keyboard like using tab keys, you have added alternative text to all images; the zoom is enabled and you are using contrast colors so that people with various disabilities also can access your webpage.

Produce Content which is Voice-Search Friendly:

Make sure that the content you create is mostly conversational and is written in an active voice so that it is easy for the automated voice to read it and the users to understand it.

Don't Forget to Do Regular SEO:

Making your content voice search friendly doesn't mean you stop focussing on SEO as if you produce high-quality content and stick to good SEO strategies, your websites will automatically rank higher even when searching through voice command.

Voice search is growing, and it is anticipated that by 2020, 50% of search would be through voice input hence start focusing on making your website, voice search optimized, today so that you do not get left behind in this highly competitive industry.