“Alexa, tell me why I should be talking about voice search?”

Voice search is becoming increasingly important for businesses as it continues to grow in popularity and with the rise of voice assistants such as Siri, Google Assistant and a fave to many of us, Alexa.

More and more people are utilising their devices to ask questions rather than type them out. So, this means that businesses need to start optimising their content for voice search because let’s be real, we’re all a little bit lazy nowadays.

In this blog, I’ll delve into the nuts and bolts of voice search optimisation, offering actionable insights and practical tips to help you navigate this cool (yet scary) change we’re all getting used to.

Understanding the Value of Voice Search Optimisation

In a world that’s getting smarter every day, you can’t fall behind on the power of voice search.

With the rise of virtual assistants more and more people are using voice search to find information online. Therefore, businesses need to ensure that their websites are optimised for voice search, in order to remain relevant.

By understanding the value of voice search optimisation, businesses can improve their online visibility, attract more customers and ultimately increase their revenue. So, whether you are a business owner or a digital marketer, it’s crucial to stay up-to-date with the latest trends in search optimisation and leverage the power of voice search to achieve your business goals.

Use Natural Language in your Content

When it comes to writing content, it’s important to use natural language that connects with your audience.

Utilising everyday phrases, common idioms and natural sentence structure makes your content more readable and engaging, giving it a conversational tone that is easy and less of a pain to follow.

This approach also helps to build trust with your readers, making them feel like they’re reading something written by a human, rather than a robot (and let’s be honest, with some of the ChatGPT garbage you see from time to time, now’s your chance)

When you prioritise natural language in your content writing, it’s not just about making it easier for your audience to understand your message and incorporate it into voice search. It’s also about ensuring that when we do take the time to read, we’re engaging with content that’s actually worthy of our precious eyeball attention.

Because, let’s face it, life’s too short for dull content. Can I get an Amen?

Step 1: Use schema markup

Schema markup is a code that you can add to your website’s HTML to help search engines better understand the content of your pages. This helps them accurately interpret and present information in response to user queries, making it easier for voice assistants to understand what people are asking.

By adding schema markups to your website, you can make sure that your website is optimised for voice search, which in turn will improve its visibility and ultimately result in better engagement.

Schema markups also help to provide more accurate results for search queries, making it easier for people using voice search to find what they’re looking for. So, if you want to take advantage of the growing popularity of voice search, using schema markup is a must.

Step 2: Include keywords that people will actually say

When it comes to optimising content for voice search, one of the most important things is to include keywords that are likely to be used by people when searching for answers.

For instance, nobody is going to say “Alexa, where can I find a purple polka-dotted platypus wearing a top hat?” Unless, of course, they’ve stumbled upon a very niche and oddly specific need for their next party.

These keywords should be relevant and related to the topic you are writing about, as this will make it easier for your content to be found by voice searches. You should also make sure to include long-tail keywords, as these are more likely to appear in voice search queries.

Finally, it is important to keep your content up-to-date and relevant by including current events and trends that are popular at the moment. This will help you rank higher for voice search queries related to those topics.

Step 3: Structure content with headings & subheadings

For any piece of content, it is important to structure it with headings and subheadings so that readers can easily scan through the text and find what they are looking for. This is especially important when optimising for voice search, as this will make it easier for voice assistants to understand the structure of your content.

By using heading tags such as H1, H2 and H3, you can help voice assistants to better recognise the structure of your content. This will make it easier for them to identify the relevant information that people are looking for in their search queries.

Step 4: Utilise Structured Data

Another important factor when optimising for voice search is to implement structured data into your website. Structured data is a way of organising information on your site so that search engines can understand it more easily.

By adding structured data to your pages, you can help make them more visible to voice searches and ensure that they appear in the top results for relevant queries. This will then lead to increased visibility, customer engagement and ultimately more sales (hello moolah.)

My Final Thoughts

Voice search optimisation is a crucial thing to keep in mind when creating a successful digital marketing strategy, and guess what? It’s here to stay.

By following these tips, you can ensure your website is all set for voice search and boost its visibility in the digital realm. Good luck!