What Is Google Voice Search? And How to Optimize for It

Google Voice Search makes searching online easier and much accessible. It besides offers businesses caller ways to link pinch customers done hands-free technology.

Read connected to study really to usage sound hunt to amended SEO. And summation your online reach.

What Is Google Voice Search and How Does It Work?

Google Voice Search (also called Search by Voice) is simply a virtual hunt adjunct that lets you usage Google Search by speaking alternatively than typing your query. 

You tin usage Google Voice Search connected the Google website aliases app by clicking connected the microphone icon successful the hunt field.

You tin besides entree it done Google Assistant connected Android smartphones and Google smart speakers.

On these devices, you aftermath the characteristic by saying, “Hey Google” aliases “OK, Google.”

As soon arsenic the instrumentality hears your prompt, the Google Assistant will popular up and ask, “Hi, really tin I help?”

Then, it will present results (sometimes spoken) based connected what you hunt for.

For example, this is what the Google Assistant characteristic looks for illustration connected an Android phone. Along pinch hunt results for “How do I navigator an egg.”

But really does Google Voice Search work?

When you opportunity a bid aliases question, Google uses natural connection processing (NLP) and reside recognition to publication and construe your petition arsenic a quality would.

That intends Google tin understand search intent and present the astir applicable results successful the aforesaid measurement it does erstwhile you type a query.

Generally, Google will move to organic content and return similar—or identical—results for the query.

For immoderate queries, though, Voice Search will prime the astir applicable consequence and publication it backmost to you. Giving you a genuinely hands-free experience.

Why Is Google Voice Search Important for SEO?

Optimizing your webpages for Google Voice Search makes your contented much accessible to group who for illustration speaking complete typing.

Around 6 successful 10 consumers usage their sound to look up products and services. And get answers to communal questions. Plus, astir half of consumers successful the U.S. usage sound assistants to hunt for section services.

How to Optimize for Google Voice Search

1. Make a List of Conversational Keywords

Conversational keywords are mostly long-tail keywords group usage successful mundane conversation.

For example, personification utilizing Google by sound hunt to find hairsbreadth dye would astir apt say, “Where tin I bargain hairsbreadth dye?” And not, “Buy hairsbreadth dye.”

Optimize your website for sound hunt by uncovering these types of keywords.

An easy measurement to do this is to attraction connected applicable “who,” “what,” “when,” “where,” “why,” and “how” questions.

Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool tin thief you find these keywords.

Type successful a seed keyword related to your business. And participate your domain URL to get personalized, AI-powered results.

Then, click “Search.”

The Keyword Magic instrumentality will make a complete database of related terms.

Since we want only conversational terms, prime the “Questions” select to get a database of keywords phrased arsenic questions.

You’ll besides spot the pursuing important metrics:

• Search intent: The intent of the search
• Search volume: The estimated mean number of searches a keyword gets per month
• Search trends: Interest successful the keyword successful the past 12 months
• Keyword Difficulty (KD): How difficult it is to rank good for the keyword
• Personal Keyword Difficulty (PKD): How difficult it is to rank good for your website, specifically

Use these metrics to thief you take keywords for your brand.

A wide norm of thumb is to target keywords pinch astatine slightest 100 searches per month. And aren’t excessively difficult to rank for (i.e., pinch a KD aliases PKD little than 50%).

Go done the database of keywords and prime keywords you tin create applicable contented for.

2. Write Conversationally and Clearly

Google Voice Search whitethorn publication results aloud, truthful it’s important to constitute conversationally.

In a Webmaster Central Hangout, Google’s John Mueller suggests marketers make judge their contented is “written successful a measurement that tin beryllium publication aloud.”

In different words, erstwhile optimizing for sound search, write the measurement group speak.

To do that, usage elemental sentences, inquire engaging questions, and supply clear answers. Also effort to debar jargon, erstwhile possible. And prioritize progressive sound complete passive voice.

One measurement to cheque for each those things is pinch Semrush’s SEO Writing Assistant.

The instrumentality checks your contented for reside and readability. And tells you which sentences are excessively formal, incorporate jargon, aliases both.

Open the instrumentality and click “+ Analyze caller text.”

To the correct of the matter editor, click “Set a caller goal” and participate astatine slightest 2 keywords. When you’re done, deed “Get recommendations.”

As you write, the instrumentality will people the contented according to readability and reside of voice.

In summation to grading caller content, SEO Writing Assistant tin analyse published contented connected your website. Which allows you to optimize aged contented easily.

3. Adopt a Mobile-First Approach

Most sound searches hap connected mobile devices, truthful you whitethorn struggle to amended your Google Voice Search SEO unless your website is besides optimized for mobile.

Optimizing your website for mobile devices specified arsenic tablets and smartphones includes:

• Installing a responsive website template, which adjusts the webpage's quality to the user’s instrumentality (or hiring a web developer to build a responsive website)
• Avoiding agelong paragraphs that make it difficult to skim the page connected smaller screens
• Improving your site’s page load speed

These tips will amended your mobile SEO and guarantee sound hunt users person a bully acquisition erstwhile visiting your site.

To find mobile SEO issues that are presently impacting your site, spell to Semrush’s Site Audit tool. And group up a project.

Then, unfastened the study and spell to the “Issues” tab. In the “Category” filter, prime “Mobile SEO” to spot a complete database of issues connected this device.

Each rumor includes a little mentation of why and really to hole it. So you tin amended your site’s mobile optimization ASAP.

4. Create an FAQ Page aliases Section

An FAQ page aliases page conception lets you reply questions group mightiness inquire utilizing Google Voice Search.

FAQ contented aligns pinch really group inquire questions aloud and provides concise answers. Which tin amended your likelihood of being featured successful sound hunt results.

For example, this is what Revlon’s FAQ page looks like:

It includes aggregate questions that group will apt usage erstwhile searching pinch their voice. Like:

• “Can haircolor beryllium applied to bedewed aliases barren hair?”
• “How galore boxes of haircolor do I need?”
• “Can haircolor beryllium utilized connected bleached aliases highlighted hair?”

But what questions should you see successful your FAQ page?

Find commonly asked questions by searching for a keyword you want to rank for. And looking done Google’s “People Also Ask” (PAA) container if it appears connected the results page.

It looks for illustration this:

Another measurement to find ideas for your FAQ conception is utilizing Semrush’s Topic Research tool.

Start by entering a taxable into the hunt bar. Then click “Get contented ideas.”

Then, spell to “Mind Map” and scroll down to the “Questions” conception connected the right-hand side.

Click connected the filters ”How,” “What,” “Is,” aliases “Why” to find circumstantial mobility types.

Or click connected a circumstantial taxable to get a database of questions related to that topic.

If you determine to create an FAQ page, group questions to make them easier to navigate. Use categories specified as:

• Products
• Payments
• Ingredients
• Shipping and returns
• Privacy and security

Keep the answers concise but still supply capable specifications to beryllium helpful.

This reply by Revlon is simply a bully illustration to follow:

5. Optimize for Featured Snippets

A featured snippet is simply a SERP feature (i.e., a unsocial aliases enhanced hunt result) that concisely answers the user’s hunt query. They typically look astatine the apical of the SERP.

Like this:

Google often uses featured snippets to reply sound hunt queries. So optimizing your contented for them increases your chances of ranking successful sound hunt results.

To do that, first look for keywords pinch featured snippets utilizing the Keyword Magic Tool.

Search for a keyword utilizing the tool. And click connected “Advanced filters” to unfastened a drop-down menu.

Click connected the paper nether “SERP Features.” And prime the checkbox beside “Featured snippet.” And click “Apply.”

Now, you person a database of keywords pinch featured snippets connected the results page.

Now it’s clip to optimize your contented for the snippet by doing the following:

• Provide concise, nonstop answers to communal questions
• Use question-based keywords successful your header and passim the conception you want to rank for the snippet with
• Add tables aliases charts to your content, if relevant

Also, look astatine what type of featured snippet appears connected the results page—a paragraph, a list, aliases a table. And see formatting your contented based connected that.

6. Claim and Optimize Your Google Business Profile

When a personification does a section hunt pinch their voice, Google tin propulsion results from the local pack—a consequence that shows business listings.

Here’s an illustration of a section pack:

To rank for the section pack, you request to create a Google Business Profile (GBP).

If Google has already created an unverified listing for your business, you’ll request to declare it. Business owners tin verify ownership by email, phone, postcard, aliases call.

Once you person guidance access, instrumentality the pursuing optimization tips:

• Enter your name, address, and telephone number (NAP)
• Include only useful information astir your products and services successful the business description
• Upload photos of your products, your building, and your team
• Share updates connected caller products aliases services and typical offers
• Showcase your products pinch the Product Editor
• Add local keywords to the business description
• Encourage customers to leave reviews and respond to them

Optimizing your GBP tin thief you rank amended connected SERPs. Which tin besides mean showing up much successful sound hunt results.

When optimizing your GBP, besides measure your beingness successful different section directories. Such arsenic Yelp, Bing, aliases Facebook Business Pages.

Google uses these further sources to corroborate your business accusation is accurate. So, details must beryllium consistent crossed each listing.

For easier GBP management, effort Semrush’s GBP Optimization tool.

It lets you update your business accusation and automatically sends your updated accusation to different directories.

The instrumentality besides provides section hunt insights truthful you tin way your visibility. And support an oculus connected cardinal actions specified arsenic tract visits, messages, and guidance requests.

Plus, you’ll get personalized recommendations to support improving your section rankings. And perchance show up successful much sound hunt results.

7. Use Schema Markup

Schema markup (also referred to arsenic system data) is simply a codification that allows hunt engines to construe your page contented much effectively.

According to Google’s John Mueller, utilizing system information helps Google amended understand what your page is about. So it tin service your contented for applicable sound queries.

Examples of schema markup see writer schema, look schema, and merchandise schema. All of which explanation different parts of your page utilizing codification that hunt engines comprehend better.

To create schema markup, spell to Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper.

First, prime the information type. Paste your website URL and click “Start Tagging.”

Use your cursor to item applicable information connected the webpage. Then, explanation it utilizing the pop-up menu.

When you’re done labeling, click “CREATE HTML.”

For example, this is what section business schema system information looks like:

Then, adhd the generated codification to the <head> tag of the webpage HTML.

Check the validity of your system information pinch Semrush’s Site Audit.

Run your website done the tool. Then click connected “View details” wrong the “Markup” conception successful “Thematic Reports.”

You’ll get a study showing really galore of your pages person schema markup and the type. And if you person invalid system data.

Boost Your Voice Search Presence pinch Semrush

Most sound hunt queries are conversational.

To rank good for sound searches, you request to create conversational contented that answers the questions your target assemblage are asking.

If you don’t cognize what those keywords are, cheque retired the Semrush toolkit.

It includes the Keyword Magic Tool to thief you find mobility keywords your assemblage searches for.

And the SEO Writing Assistant to cheque your content’s reside and readability. So you tin make it arsenic conversational arsenic possible.