As time goes on, the more integrated voice assistants like Alexa and Sir become in people’s lives. Finding a restaurant that has delivery in your area is as simple as asking your device to search for you. The hands-free feature is easy, smart, and convenient for your everyday needs, making this AI technology a mainstay now and in the future. Doing voice SEO is a little different from optimizing standard search queries, so understanding how to integrate this into your marketing strategy is essential to kick off a successful 2021 for your business. Here is the role of voice search this year and how you can take advantage of it. 

All About Voice Search

Voice search technology is simple enough to understand: it allows users to ask devices questions using verbal commands. It has been around for some time since Google introduced it in 2011, and improvements in speech recognition have only gotten better since the technology was introduced a decade ago. These days, the rise in popularity can be attributed to the recent stay-at-home behaviors brought about by the pandemic. 

Google, Apple, and Amazon all offer voice assistants, making them more ingrained in people’s daily lives than before. Doing tasks such as re-ordering your dog’s food or searching for the best ergonomic office chair has never been easier. About 44% of internet users in the country used voice assistants in 2020, with more commands being carried out in wearable devices, smart cars, and smart home appliances in addition to smartphones.

The Need to Optimize for Voice Search

Voice assistants and searches are becoming big determinants in consumer behavior for the world of e-commerce. Voice shopping is projected to reach $40 billion next year. If you aren’t working to optimize your content for voice search, then you could miss out on this lucrative opportunity. Stay ahead of the competition and keep your organic traffic and revenue streams steady by keeping up with this trend.

How Voice Search Affected SEO

Organic results are unsurprisingly affected by the rise of voice-based technology. Here are three of the many impacts that search engine optimization went through due to increased voice searches. 

  • Mobile-Friendly Adjustments

Most business owners understand the importance of optimizing their websites for mobile use, but some may not realize how essential it is with voice search on the rise. About half of all Google searches are performed on mobile devices, and not being prepared for these queries will result in losing traffic from failure to cater to consumers using voice search. Your brand will be better positioned to earn from this multibillion-dollar market by making the necessary changes to optimize voice search.

  • Conversational Language and Keyword Length

Voice assistants have inevitably led to a new way of phrasing search queries with speech, which marketers quickly adjust to for full optimization. Many users give commands to virtual assistants in the same manner as speaking to a human being. If you would key in shorter phrases and keywords when typing questions into search engines, then voice searches allow you to speak in full sentences and questions. Instead of typing “best air fryer,” you’re more likely to say, “Hey Siri, what are the best budget air fryers near me?” The increase in the search volume of longer and more natural phrases pushes marketing teams and professionals to update their keyword strategies continuously, especially for local SEO. 

  • Featured Snippets

Your goal when optimizing content is to appear on featured snippets that appear on the top of Google’s organic results to quickly answer any query. Customers will likely click on that result to read more. It will also be Siri’s answer to users’ questions,  providing you with improved visibility and credibility for your brand. 

Conclusion

Planning out your voice search optimization strategy for 2021 should start with an in-depth understanding of how your consumers are making their search queries on devices with voice-assisted features. While there is a great deal to consider when upgrading your SEO strategy, keeping up with such trends allows you to pursue new growth opportunities for your brand, ultimately leading to success.

At Local SEO Pro, we offer on-site optimization, content strategies, and quality outreach link building to provide our clients with the best voice-focused SEO solutions. Sign up with us today to get started with one of the best SEO companies!