randyseoppc
Junior Member
- Feb 24, 2016
- 174
- 61
How do you optimize your website content for voice search?
Voice Search Optimization
- Thread starter randyseoppc
- Start date
There's some great academic papers around this!
Have a search through Google Scholar to pick them out.
As a starting point, you need to know how the AI is going to interpret your query. Siri and Google Assistant work slightly differently in context, and remove certain words from queries.
You used to also need to know what search engine the voice search is using (The good news is Siri and Google Assistant both use Google, Alexa obvs uses Amazon.)
Next, you'll probably notice that your query changes from when it's typed. People tend to ask longer search queries with more filler words in voice. On average, people will say 4.2 words in a search query, but they'll only type 2.2. Plus 35% of people using voice search will say 5 words or more!
They might also describe something in different words - so they use more conversational or slang words when speaking.
They also tend to ask more who/what/why/when/where queries. And more queries with verbs in them.
Finally, they have very different search intent. When people are using voice search, then tend to have more of an informational intent and a lower commercial intent. So they use voice search to look for information relating to songs, movies, weather, directions, distance, recipes, and other things that they naturally glance at on their phone. The problem with those is that they usually trigger specific behaviours inside the phone itself that don't go through to Google, or are rarely clicked.
The consequence of all the above is that it means voice search skews heavily towards websites like Wikipedia, IMDB, and other big content portals.
If you had to optimise a website to attract as much traffic as possible from voice searches, you'd probably create a site with a lot of trivia style articles like "What year did the Titanic sink?" or "How do you make gravy?" or "What's the best way to get from Times Square to Newark Airport?"
It might also be good for things like "The best seafood restaurant [near me]" in platforms like Google/Apple Maps.
Otherwise you'd just optimise for keywords that make sense for non-voice searches and you'd likely get to the top of rankings on the rare occasion that someone searched for info on that.
P.S. The academics also found an oddly high % of voice searches were for porn. Surprising!
Have a search through Google Scholar to pick them out.
As a starting point, you need to know how the AI is going to interpret your query. Siri and Google Assistant work slightly differently in context, and remove certain words from queries.
You used to also need to know what search engine the voice search is using (The good news is Siri and Google Assistant both use Google, Alexa obvs uses Amazon.)
Next, you'll probably notice that your query changes from when it's typed. People tend to ask longer search queries with more filler words in voice. On average, people will say 4.2 words in a search query, but they'll only type 2.2. Plus 35% of people using voice search will say 5 words or more!
They might also describe something in different words - so they use more conversational or slang words when speaking.
They also tend to ask more who/what/why/when/where queries. And more queries with verbs in them.
Finally, they have very different search intent. When people are using voice search, then tend to have more of an informational intent and a lower commercial intent. So they use voice search to look for information relating to songs, movies, weather, directions, distance, recipes, and other things that they naturally glance at on their phone. The problem with those is that they usually trigger specific behaviours inside the phone itself that don't go through to Google, or are rarely clicked.
The consequence of all the above is that it means voice search skews heavily towards websites like Wikipedia, IMDB, and other big content portals.
If you had to optimise a website to attract as much traffic as possible from voice searches, you'd probably create a site with a lot of trivia style articles like "What year did the Titanic sink?" or "How do you make gravy?" or "What's the best way to get from Times Square to Newark Airport?"
It might also be good for things like "The best seafood restaurant [near me]" in platforms like Google/Apple Maps.
Otherwise you'd just optimise for keywords that make sense for non-voice searches and you'd likely get to the top of rankings on the rare occasion that someone searched for info on that.
P.S. The academics also found an oddly high % of voice searches were for porn. Surprising!
- Feb 14, 2024
- 516
- 127
Focus on using natural, conversational language and target long-tail keywords that reflect how users ask questions. Your content should be optimised for featured snippets, as these are often read aloud in voice search results. Including FAQs and optimizing for local SEO can further improve your chances of ranking in voice search queries.
- Feb 8, 2015
- 2,323
- 594
Write your content like you're talking to someone use casual, everyday language because that's how people ask questions with voice search.
Focus on long, specific keywords that match how people speak, like instead of just "best shoes," think about "What are the best shoes for running?" Make sure your website is mobile-friendly and loads quickly since most voice searches happen on phones.
It's also good to include answers to common questions directly on your site, like in an FAQ section. And don't forget about local search many people ask for nearby places, like "Where's the nearest coffee shop?"
Focus on long, specific keywords that match how people speak, like instead of just "best shoes," think about "What are the best shoes for running?" Make sure your website is mobile-friendly and loads quickly since most voice searches happen on phones.
It's also good to include answers to common questions directly on your site, like in an FAQ section. And don't forget about local search many people ask for nearby places, like "Where's the nearest coffee shop?"
dictatormarketing
Junior Member
- Aug 15, 2024
- 127
- 40
First of all you have to understand what type of question your targated audience ask to voice search. Then you have to optimize your content based on this matrix. When you will optimize content focous on Natural word. Don't use any advance word.
- Nov 26, 2010
- 5,267
- 824
To optimize your website for voice search, write in a natural, conversational style that reflects how people speak. Focus on long-tail keywords and create content that answers common questions, as voice searches often come in the form of queries. Make sure your site is fast, mobile-friendly, and optimized for local searches. Using structured data can help search engines understand your content better.
- Nov 1, 2013
- 3,551
- 527
Voice search uses natural language to describe how people ask a question; instead of short keywords, use long-tail keywords. Make sure the content has a question-based type. In voice search, it almost happened on mobile. So make sure your site is mobile friendly and has a high page loading speed.
hey man!!
Great info - But i want to make a quick question.
when it coms to keywords on website, that means i have to change my YOAST - AIOSEO focus keyword and make it longer ? plus adding long tail keywords on my content ?
embossitworld
Elite Member
- Jul 16, 2013
- 1,516
- 150
To optimize your website content for voice search, focus on using natural, conversational language. Voice search queries are often longer and more specific than text-based searches, so create content that answers common questions directly. Use keywords that people might speak rather than type, such as complete sentences or phrases. Also, structure your content with clear headings and bullet points, making it easier for search engines to understand. Additionally, ensure your website loads quickly and is mobile-friendly, as most voice searches happen on mobile devices. Finally, include local SEO strategies by adding location-based keywords, since many voice searches are location-specific.
Anna Martin
BANNED
- Sep 5, 2025
- 12
- 2
Answer direct questions people ask in a natural, conversational way. Think about how someone would phrase a question out loud. Your content should be clear, concise, and get straight to the point to provide immediate value. Also, ensure your site performs well on mobile devices.