Can you imagine waiting for months to receive a letter from loved ones in an era where our dear ones are just a click away, regardless of the distance? Since smartphones arrived, technology has dramatically simplified global communication. The world has indeed become a smaller place.
In the digital landscape of the 20th century, technology has advanced significantly, revolutionizing communication by enabling interaction between humans and machines. Gone are the days of manual task typing. Why bother typing grocery lists and schedules when your phone’s voice assistant can do it with a simple voice command?
This article delves into the importance of voice search engine optimization in today’s digital world. It emphasizes optimizing websites for voice assistants to ensure adequate visibility in search results. With the inclusion of regional languages and further evolution, enthusiasts predict the continued growth of voice search’s popularity.
The Emergence of Voice Search
1952: Bell Laboratories introduced the first voice recognition device, Audrey, capable of recognizing spoken digits.
1987: World of Wonders releases Julie, a doll that can distinguish speakers and respond to them. (Note: For detailed technical information about Julie, refer to this manual.)
1990-97: Dragon Dictate and Dragon NaturallySpeaking become the first commercially available voice recognition programs, processing 100 words per minute.
2008: Google achieves a speech recognition breakthrough with its Voice Search App for iOS users.
2011: Apple unveils Siri, an AI-based virtual assistant and the first of its kind, capable of conversing with users.
2016-2018: Following Siri’s launch, Google introduced its voice assistant, Google Assistant, in 2016. Statistics reveal that between 2016 and 2018, approximately 20-27% of Google searches utilized Voice Search.
The popularity of voice assistants further surged during the COVID pandemic, where hands-free technology gained traction as a preventive measure against exposure. As more people turn to mobile devices for web searches, voice assistants are expected to rise, underscoring the significance of voice SEO.
Understanding Voice SEO
Voice SEO operates through an Automatic Speech Recognition System (ASR) that converts spoken words into text. This process involves optimizing keywords and phrases for voice searches, considering the distinct natural language and conversational tone used in voice queries. Voice SEO aims to align content with these language patterns to enhance visibility in voice search results.
Critical Strategies for Voice SEO:
a. Prioritizing Local Businesses: Voice searches often involve navigation and local inquiries. This is because many voice search users are mobile phone users seeking quick results. Websites must ensure mobile-friendly browsing with easy readability, swift response times, and short loading durations.
Registering on platforms like Google My Business enables businesses to manage their presence and enhance visibility in voice search outcomes. Your Google My Business profile includes details like the business address and contact information. For location-based searches, Google relies on this profile for information. These details promote the business and establish a direct connection with customers, even in the digital realm.
b. Incorporating Natural Conversational Phrases: Voice searches mimic honest conversations. Adding conversational phrases through long-tail keywords enhances Voice SEO by matching searchers’ natural language usage. Incorporating terms like “Why,” “What,” “When,” “How,” and “Where” helps integrate natural language patterns.
Long-tail keywords, being more specific, help businesses reach relevant target audiences while providing consumers with precise results. Google’s Autocomplete and ‘People Also Ask’ features, along with platforms like Reddit, aid in keyword research and offer insights into the target audience.
c. Harnessing Microdata for Improved Understanding: Microdata is a coded language that embeds metadata within HTML. In the web ecosystem, microdata assists web crawlers, browsers, and search engines comprehend webpage content.
In simpler terms, metadata optimizes websites for Voice SEO by aiding in understanding content context. This makes information more specific and machine-readable. This understanding is pivotal in delivering pertinent search outcomes to the audience and boosting website traffic.
Debating the Relevance of Voice SEO:
Critics argue that Voice SEO is irrelevant as voice searches are converted into text-based searches before submission, resembling desktop or mobile searches.
Despite voice searches operating on the Speech-to-Text (STT) conversion formula, query nature and language differ from typed searches. Voice SEO advocates assert that a nuanced grasp of Voice SEO equips search engines and marketers with deeper insights into consumer behaviors and demands. This enables more efficient and immediate service to the target audience than traditional text searches.
Given the technological strides in Voice Search and its rising popularity among users, Voice SEO is pivotal in enhancing website visibility in search results. Surprisingly, the number of monthly voice searches surpasses a billion!
Websites can significantly improve their chances of prominent visibility in voice search results by optimizing for conversational language and local inquiries and utilizing microdata. This caters to the growing user base relying on voice assistants for their search needs.
Written by Kriti Pant,
Edited by Krishna Rathore and Suranjan Das.