The Power of Voice Search

By Rhian Biggs

Voice search has become an essential part of our daily lives. Whether you’re asking Siri for recipe inspiration, Alexa for weather updates, or using Google Assistant to find your closest coffee shop, voice technology has made it easier than ever to access hands-free, relevant information instantly. 

With advancements in natural language processing and machine learning, coupled with people’s growing demand for convenience, it’s no surprise that more than 20% of Google’s App searches are now conducted using voice search (Think With Google). With this figure expected to grow by 2025.

As marketers, it’s essential we understand how this trend impacts consumer search behaviour and adapt our search strategies to stay ahead in the search market. 

 

The Conversational Shift

Voice search is inherently conversational. People tend to speak more naturally when using voice commands, often using phrases and questions that they’d use in everyday conversation. To ensure our content matches how people naturally search using voice, we should focus on some key strategies:

• Incorporate conversational keywords and phrases into your content by researching common phrases and analysing search term results. Mirroring everyday language patterns and crafting tailored responses can make your content more discoverable through voice search. 
• Provide direct answers to common questions. Structuring your content to address specific queries will enhance its relevance. Focus on how users might phrase their questions. Incorporate question words like “who,” “what,” “when,” “where,” and “why” into your headlines and content to align your responses with their search intent.

 

Long-Tailed Keywords

‘Long-tail keywords’ are the foundation of voice search optimisations. They are highly specific, targeted phrases that align closely with the way people naturally voice search commands. 

For instance, instead of using a broad keyword like “running shoes,” consider a more specific phrase such as “women’s Nike running shoes size 12.” Similarly, “coffee shops” can become “coffee shops near me.” They are more reflective of real-life speech patterns and, therefore, more likely to be used in voice search queries.

While this approach may seem limiting from a traditional search perspective, long-tail keywords not only improve your chances of ranking top in voice search results, but they also closely align your brand with user intent, potentially resulting in more efficient performance. 

 

Context Matters

Context plays a key role in voice search. Factors like time of day, location, and even recent search history significantly influence search results. For example, a query like “What’s the weather today?” is more likely to be asked in the morning, while searches for “restaurants near me” typically occur in the afternoon or evening. 

Understanding the importance of contextual relevance, and ensuring your search strategy is adaptable and dynamic can significantly improve your effectiveness. Being aware of when and where your audience will engage with voice search and optimising your content to meet their needs in the right context is key. 

This can be easily achieved by implementing dynamic bidding strategies to adjust your bids based on real-time factors such as device type and location. This will help you reach users at the precise moment they’re looking for information you can provide.

Adapting your search strategy to encompass voice search is no longer optional – it’s essential. Voice search optimisations require marketers to anticipate user behaviour. A proactive, smart, and agile approach – one that takes into account context, relevance, and a human-centred perspective – will help you succeed in voice search marketing.