Modern internet users need accurate results and they need them fast. This is probably why modern customers use their mobile and voice searches to look for products online.<\/p>\n

Businesses are quickly altering their marketing strategies to stay in sync with their customers – are you?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what you need to know about the changing trends in the world of digital marketing.<\/p>\n

What is Voice Search?<\/h3>\n

Voice search is a voice-initiated command that enables users to search the internet or manage an app through voice commands.<\/p>\n

Modern devices are voice-activated. This means that you can search for information on the internet or execute various functions on your electronic devices by issuing voice commands.<\/p>\n

There are a number of voice-activated devices out there, including smartphones, tablets, and laptops. Moreover, smart speakers by Google, Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft have made voice search more advanced, quicker, and highly functional.<\/p>\n

Due to its high efficiency and ease of use, more than 50% of all online searches are voice searches. People now prefer screenless inquiries, and voice search is a great way to make that happen.<\/p>\n

With your customer base highly reliant on voice search, it is also becoming vital for businesses.<\/p>\n

The Advent of Voice Search<\/h3>\n

Voice technology has revolutionized the tech industry as well as our homes. The modern man is now a resident of a \u201cSmart Home,\u201d where he commands his virtual assistants to execute even the smallest of tasks.<\/p>\n

All of the leading tech giants-Google, Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft- have launched their version of virtual assistants or smart speakers.<\/p>\n

Siri, for instance, is a virtual assistant by Apple and operates on all Apple devices. Siri helps the user by performing many tasks through voice commands like answering queries, finding information asked by the user online, and various other functions like starting a call, making reminders, setting up alarms, etc.<\/p>\n

Similarly, Google Voice Search enables the user to scour the internet for information by voice commands. Another Google virtual assistant is Google Home. Google Home can execute a number of tasks around the house and is compatible with many devices, including smartwatches, smartphones, and the television.<\/p>\n

How Does Voice Search Work?<\/h3>\n

Voice commands are a faster and more efficient substitute for textual searches. Not only does a voice-enabled search save you plenty of time, but it is also quite convenient.<\/p>\n

Voice search also allows users to put in precise queries and get accurate results in turn. While in text-based searches, you get a number of generalized results from which you pick out the most relevant result.<\/p>\n

Voice-enabled searches can be about anything and everything: You could inquire about Gold\u2019s price or stock prices for the day or a hairdresser in your vicinity or the best vegan pizzas in town!<\/p>\n

Leveraging the Power of Voice Search for Your Small Business<\/h3>\n

With more than half of internet users switching to voice search, most small business technology solutions<\/a> will be to tap into the customer base who would rather use voice search than type.<\/p>\n

It is highly likely that all of your competitors have devised a strategy around this. If you haven\u2019t yet taken these users into account, there is a high probability that your potential customers are landing on your competitor\u2019s pages.<\/p>\n

In order to make sure that the customers who use voice search to look for your brand actually land on your page, you must include a digital voice search strategy in your marketing strategy. This way, none of your customers will end up buying from your competitors, and you will be able to enhance customers\u2019 experience all in one go.<\/p>\n

Moving from Website Optimization to Voice Optimization<\/h3>\n

Now that we have established that the modern customer is more inclined towards voice searches rather than text-based search, small business owners must start focusing on Voice Optimization along with Website Optimization.<\/p>\n

Voice search for small businesses is equally important as it is for large-scale companies. Small businesses with limited resources can find multiple avenues to introduce voice optimization to their marketing strategy while being cost-effective. This is the only way to ensure that you stand out from your competitors and don\u2019t drown in the sea of irrelevance.<\/p>\n

Voice Optimization in Your Marketing Strategy<\/h3>\n

Voice search allows users to get a single precise result for their query. So, your voice optimization strategy must effectively place you on top of the search results so that your customers can access your website. Unlike the text-based searches where businesses would be easily noticeable even on the fourth and fifth spot, voice-enabled searches don\u2019t take the third or fourth result into account.<\/p>\n

So, you need higher visibility. Here is how you can ensure that your business stands at the voice search query\u2019s top result.<\/p>\n

Make Content That Is Voice-search Friendly<\/p>\n

Voice search optimization of your website means that you will increase the relevance of your content. To reach out to your customers who use voice searches, you need to pop up as the most relevant result. And for that, you need to up your game of keywords.<\/p>\n

Optimized for Voice Using Long-Tail Keywords<\/h3>\n

Voice Search users tend to use voice queries that are natural and casual. Generally, their questions are elaborate and quite wordy.<\/p>\n

When working on your search engine keyword strategy, your primary focus should be finding the most relevant long-tail keywords used by your targeted customers. These keywords could be 4-5 words long or could be a phrase.<\/p>\n

When you\u2019re done identifying those keywords, your focus should be on how well you can incorporate these words in your website\u2019s content so that they can thoroughly blend in with the content.<\/p>\n

The tone should be as if you\u2019re having a conversation with the searcher.<\/p>\n

One thing that needs to be kept in mind is that you ought to give the user what they want, so if you don\u2019t blend in words properly and if you mention the keywords excessively and out of place in your content, the consequence will be a bad user experience. And that will be bad news for you.<\/p>\n

A very convenient way of getting content ideas or discovering what your target audience is looking for is to use the \u2018Ask the Public\u2019 option.<\/p>\n

You need to remember a few things about your audience.<\/p>\n

\n
• First of all, think of your audience as the busiest people that could walk the earth.<\/li>\n
• They need the most relevant, complete and easy to comprehend information within no time.<\/li>\n
• Believe it or not, they\u2019ll first go through the whole content without reading the complete sentences and judge by that quick view whether they should give it a proper read or not.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

  So, that quick view should be enough to make them stay.<\/p>\n

  Be straight-forward and Concise:<\/h4>\n

  Here are a few points for your guidance:<\/p>\n

  \n
  • Your content should be worth their time. Make it clear, very relevant, and understandable\u2014no need to begin with lengthy opening statements.<\/li>\n
  • An effective FAQ section.\n
    \n
    • Your FAQ section should reflect your audience\u2019s needs.<\/li>\n
    • It should cover a broad range of intent.<\/li>\n
    • Should be updated frequently.<\/li>\n
    • Do not overdo it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      If your goal is to make the user happy, your work will ultimately be identified as the most appropriate and chosen for the top spot.<\/p>\n

      Enhance Your Visibility For Local Searches<\/h3>\n

      Voice search for small businesses provides an excellent opportunity to tap into the local customer base. This is due to the fact that most of the voice search queries inquire for products in the vicinity of the user. So, you must optimize our local searches.<\/p>\n

      All you will have to do is go to \u2018Google My Business\u2019 and register your business to optimize your local searches. It is also wise to register your business in local business directories and local search engines to maximize your reach.<\/p>\n

      Create a User-Friendly Website<\/h3>\n

      Most internet users access the internet and different websites through their smartphones. Whether they initiate voice-enabled searches or text-based searches, they will most likely access your website via their smartphones.<\/p>\n

      That means that websites not mobile optimized will not make many business transactions. Your business website must be mobile-friendly to ensure a seamless experience for your customers.<\/p>\n

      The main goal of voice search for small businesses is to provide swift information to customers. And so, creating a mobile-friendly website is an essential part of the Voice Optimization strategy.<\/p>\n

      You can quickly check how your website is doing in terms of mobile friendlies by testing it out via Google\u2019s Mobile Friendly Test.<\/p>\n

      Speakable Structured Data<\/h3>\n

      Speakable Structured data refers to your website\u2019s parts that are best-suited as results for Google voice searches. When your data complies with the Schema Markup, it increases your website\u2019s potential for reaching out to your customers because it is then deemed a highly relevant result for Voice searches.<\/p>\n

      Concluding Thoughts<\/h3>\n

      There is no denying that voice search is becoming an increasingly popular mode of browsing among internet users. Therefore, it is vital for businesses, especially small businesses to inculcate voice search optimization into their digital marketing strategy. Every company has a unique marketing plan and a unique customer base, and so each business needs to devise its marketing strategy with great care and high personalization.<\/p>\n

      You can always reach out to a professional digital marketing agency for an effective digital marketing strategy because effective marketing can secure you the number one spot. And for voice searches, that is every business\u2019 number one goal.<\/p>\n

      Scott Hall writes about digital content marketing and business software for entrepreneurs and small business on ScottHall.co<\/a>. As a content marketer and search engine expert, his book on social media ‘The Blog Ahead' was published in 2006.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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