The Threadgill Agency | Six Tips to Enhance Voice Search Rankings for Your Business Web Page
Improve voice search rankings with key steps - conversational tone, page speed, social shares, voice-search keywords, user intent, Google My Business, and optimized images.
voice search, voice search SEO tips, voice search optimization, voice search SEO strategy, increase voice search rankings, image optimization
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Six Tips to Enhance Voice Search Rankings for Your Business Web Page

08 Dec Six Tips to Enhance Voice Search Rankings for Your Business Web Page

Posted at 14:23h in Advertising, Branding, SEO, Social Media by

Six Tips to Enhance Voice Search Rankings for Your Business

 

Twenty-five years ago, we’d power up our desktops then meander to get a cup of coffee as dial-up whizzed and whirred its way to a connection with the World Wide Web. Phone books were delivered to our doorsteps. Business cards were printed in bulk and kept in a Rolodex. Fast forward to today, when search capabilities are accessible and endless via the phone in our pocket or at home through smart devices like Alexa or Google Home ⸺ all by the power of our voice.

 

Consider these facts about voice-based internet searches:

  • About 50% of all internet searches are voice-based.
  • 40% of adults use voice search at least once every day.
  • On mobile devices, users are three times more likely to be searching for local information, according to Search Engine Watch.
  • For local business information, 58% of consumers use voice search.
  • By 2022, 55% of homes are expected to have a smart speaker device.

“We are shifting to a mobile-first world where devices and people are mobile,” observes Search Engine Journal. And hyper-local queries like these top the list of voice inquiries:

“Ok, Google. Find a realtor near me.”

“Where’s the best burger in Dallas?”

“Alexa, where is the nearest bike repair shop?”

“Find an orthodontist near me.”

 

As your business is building its online marketing strategy, it’s vital to prioritize SEO that is voice-search friendly. Here are six key strategies to optimize your website for voice searches:

1. Use a conversational tone.

With voice search results only 29 words long on average, direct and concise text is key. Write copy in simple, conversational language; include questions in your keywords and meta descriptions; and provide direct answers in your web copy and code.

Short-tail keywords (three words or less) and long-tail keywords (more than three words) are both important. But long-tail keyword phrases will help boost your ranking and provide much higher conversion rates. Capture all the questions you get from customers (via email, phone calls, and social threads), check out conversations on industry forums and your competitors, examine your Google Analytics for search queries, and brainstorm with your co-workers to find the key phrases that mean most to your customers.

For example:
“Dallas orthodontists” versus “What Dallas orthodontist does dental implants?” 

“New Dallas homes for sale” versus “Find a North Dallas custom home builder”

 

2. Page load time matters.

Make sure large images and broken or cumbersome code isn’t slowing down your site. Your page load speed plays a vital role in how quickly voice searches can find your site. Also, check that your navigation is user-friendly and your business information is easy to find.

 

3. Share, share, share on your social channels. 

If you have a new product, an upcoming event, or special promotion, write about it on your webpage (not just your social channels) and share it often via social media. You are already doing the work – create a new teaser and share again. Due to algorithms, your customers are likely not going to see it every time and will not be bothered by your eagerness. The more social shares, the more chances a voice search will find you, says Quora Creative.

4. Focus on top voice-based keywords.

Since one-fifth of all voice-driven searches are triggered by 25 keywords, it’s wise to incorporate these phrases into your online marketing. The top 10 voice searches include these words: how, what, best, where, and easy.

Offer your customers answers to simple, searchable questions like: “Where is the best home organization business in Dallas?” Search results: “TidyUp in North Dallas offers the best home organization help for any size project. From closets to garages, we help you organize your way to a happy home.”

If you want to get into the technical side of things, look further into schema markups and featured snippets (aka enhanced descriptions) in your web code to really draw in the search engines.

5. Think like your customer, and write with user intent in mind.

Instead of filling your site with clever language or industry-exclusive jargon, drill down to the basics of what solutions your customers are searching for. 

“The most impactful SEO tip for optimizing for voice search is to incorporate question keyword phrases into blog content and website copy,” advises Search Engine Journal.

You may think Q&A or FAQ pages are time-consuming to create, but it can improve customer service by anticipating customers’ questions and increase your site’s search ranking because of the easy keyword-ability of such pages. And while some argue that blog posts are a thing of the past, voice search results tend to favor long-form content and freshly updated sites.

6. Optimize your Google My Business listing and e-commerce stores.

While it may be tempting to focus all of your resources on your own website, do not skimp on your Google My Business listing. This service is free, and including all of your local information (location, hours, description, photos, phone number) will boost search results. Search to see if your Google My Business page exists, then follow these steps to bulk up your listing. Make sure your information is updated, accurate, and engaging. Finally, get customers involved by encouraging and incentivizing them to post reviews.

As more consumers get smart devices in their homes and in their hands (or on their wrists), the use of voice search continues to rise exponentially. With intentional marketing toward voice-based searches, businesses can utilize this hyper-local tool that converts click-throughs into loyal customers. Try the strategies above and speak the results into reality.

 

Bonus: Image Optimization

In addition to text and code, your web images impact your search engine results for better or worse. With more than 20% of all web searches taking place on Google images, simply uploading a stock image or product photo without purposeful image tags, SEO friendly alt text, and a specific file name is a missed opportunity. Plus, compressing images to a smaller file size increases your webpage speed, which in turn increases its findability via voice searches. Did you know you can also make your images mobile friendly that automatically adjust to the device on which it’s viewed?

Image optimization – don’t overlook this important factor of your digital marketing strategy. Improve your site’s search results with the Search Engine Journal’s 11 Important Image SEO Tips You Need to Know.

 

Resources:

How to Optimize for Voice Search: 6 SEO Strategies for Success
Voice Search: What Small Business Owners and Marketers Need to Know
Top Voice Search Statistics, Facts And Trends For 2020
26 Voice Search Stats Marketers Need to Know in 2020