How people search for information online is constantly progressing, with today's technology allowing us to search the internet with just our mouths. This
can be done with the leading smartphones and tablets voice assistants; Siri on Apple devices, Cortana on Microsoft devices and Google voice search
for the browser.
Current statistics show that almost 60% of searches are made on a mobile device and with the number of people using mobile devices increasing,
people are starting to find it easier to search with their voice, instead of taking the time to type it into the tiny little screens of their phones.
The chief scientist of Baidu is predicting 50% of all searches to be made through speech in five years, and statistics from May 2016 show 1 in 5 searches
on mobiles were made through speech...
So how do you do it?
Ever since search engines were introduced in 1990, users have learnt how to search specific keywords in order to obtain information online. However, unlike
keyword phrases usually used, voice search is more conversational and a lot less formal.
Conversational keywords
Keywords are no longer just keywords. Keywords used in the voice search world are known as long-tail+. The plus refers to the informal phrases
that you must add when optimising for website conversational voice search. Your keywords should be much more natural and must replicate how people
talk; try to think of how customers talk to you over the phone. Start to document and record the exact words they use when they're talking.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) pages
FAQ pages are a great way to focus on long-tail+ keyword phrases, as more direct questions are received. Also more vague questions will start to disappear
and specific searches will become more common, such as: "Siri, where can I find used cars that are local?
We are more than happy to help you optimise your website for voice search - just give us a call on 01243 888555, find us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter or pop into our Chichester-based office.