Digital voice assistants like Siri and Cortana were first introduced in the early 2010s and have only become more popular. Every smartphone and smart speaker is equipped with a virtual assistant these days. These virtual assistants allow users to make voice searches. While voice search is useful when people are trying to find an answer to a question, it can also be utilized by businesses. In this article, we will explain how companies can take advantage of voice search and the benefits of optimizing this trend.
Why and How Should a Business Optimize Itself for Voice Search?
Companies should ensure they are optimized for voice search so they can increase their SEO (search engine optimization) ranking. The higher a business’s SEO ranking is, the more likely people will find their website and become customers. According to a study from PWC, 58% of people have used voice search to find information about a local business. Also, 71% of consumers prefer voice search over physically typing in a query.
Someone can use Siri or Alexa to search for a keyword such as “pizza near me” and can find restaurants that have optimized themselves for voice search. To increase these rankings, business owners should create a Google My Business Profile to make themselves seem more legitimate. Business owners can also claim listings on Apple Maps, Google Maps, and Yelp to further improve their voice search rankings. Also, the staff should focus on considering phrasing customers might use (i.e., saying “pop” instead of “soda.”) and consider long-tail keywords to further improve their SEO rankings.
Top Benefits Companies Can Gain From Optimizing Voice Search
Now that we know about the basics of voice search, let’s go into more detail about the benefits businesses can gain from optimizing it.
1. Increases Awareness
As mentioned above, users can discover new businesses using voice search. For this reason, companies should incorporate keywords into their websites and optimize their profiles so they can attract and retain more customers. Also, results from voice searches can reach multiple people living in the same household. Due to this increased awareness, companies can increase the number of people that visit their websites.
2. Increases Trust
Companies can also increase trust among customers when they properly implement voice search. If a business’s website ranks high on search engine results, customers are more likely to see it as trustworthy and are more likely to visit the website.
3. Improves the Customer Experience
Companies can improve the customer experience when they optimize their voice search capabilities. Voice search allows for customers to instantly get answers to their questions. This is more convenient than waiting for a web page to load.
Wrapping It Up
Companies can greatly benefit from optimizing voice search to improve their SEO. Business owners can optimize their voice search rankings by claiming their profiles on listings such as Google My Business, Apple Maps, Google Maps, and Yelp. The benefits of using voice search include increasing brand awareness and trust and improving the customer experience.
Businesses that need help with their voice SEO strategy can contact a third-party agency. Zorbis is a web development company specializing in various services such as SEO, social media, website development, and mobile app development. Zorbis can perform voice SEO optimization for both small and enterprise websites. To learn more about Zorbis, contact us today to schedule a meeting with a team of experts.
