The Next Big Thing In SEO-Rise In ‘Voice Search’

Temitayo Michael
2 min readFeb 2, 2024

Have you ever caught yourself doing any of this?

Hey Siri: where is the closest UBA bank branch to me?

Hey Google: If I want to make pancakes, what are the ingredients I need to get started?

Voice search is rapidly changing in the digital landscape, and as a business or professional that utilizes SEO, you must adapt your strategy to conversational queries to stay relevant.

Here are some data and stats to consider:

1. A rising adoption of voice search:

  • 31% of adults globally use voice search at least once a day. (Statista, 2023)
  • 55% of teenagers use voice search daily. (Comscore, 2022)
  • 45% of all smartphone users use voice search at least once a month. (Search Engine Land, 2023)
  • 62% of voice search users make local business-related searches. (BrightLocal, 2022)

2. A shift towards “more conversational” queries:

  • Voice searches are typically 3x longer than typed searches. (Search Engine Land, 2021)

Typical voice search: where is the closest UBA bank branch to me?

Typical typed search: ‘closest UBA bank branch to me’ or “UBA bank branch near me”

  • It’s also obvious in the example above, that users ask voice assistants questions in natural language, like

“What’s the best pizza place near me?” instead of “best pizza place near me”

  • 70% of voice search queries are long-tail keywords with 4 or more words. (Moz, 2022)

What’s The Impact On SEO & How To Optimize For These New Search Terms:

  1. We should start optimizing for longer-tail keywords and natural language questions.
  2. Our content structure and readability are now even more important for voice assistants to understand.
  3. Local SEO optimization is essential as most voice searches made by users have some local intent.
  4. Fast-loading mobile websites is critical for voice search users often on the go.

Tips For Adapting Web Content For Voice Assistants:

  • Create content in a question-and-answer format or adapt your content into listicles.
  • Focus on high-quality, informative content that provides value.
  • Optimize your website content for local searches with accurate business listings.
  • Use schema markup to help search engines understand your content.
  • Experiment with voice search tools like Google Search Console.

Conclusion:

Voice search optimization is no longer an option, it’s a necessity for modern digital marketing.

By understanding user intent, focusing on conversational queries, and optimizing for voice assistants, businesses can reach a wider audience and thrive in this evolving landscape.

I hope this information is helpful! If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.

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