The Complete Guide to Voice Search Optimization: How to Rank Higher and Connect With Voice Searchers

Hey there! Voice search is taking over – but are you ready?

As our wise friend Alan Partridge once said: "Voice recognition – it‘s the future."

And the future is here. With the meteoric rise of voice assistants like Alexa and Siri, voice search has gone from niche to mainstream.

But are you optimized for this brave new voice-first world as a brand?

In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll cover everything you need to know about voice search and how to boost your rankings and visibility.

You‘ll learn:

The explosive growth of voice search adoption
How voice queries are radically different from text
Why voice search optimization should be a top priority
Tactics to optimize for voice search success
Advanced strategies used by leading brands
Predictions for the future of voice
And much more

Let‘s dive in and get you fully prepped for the voice search revolution!

Voice Search is Taking Over Fast

Remember the days of typing clunky keywords into Google?

Those days are history. Voice search has arrived and is taking off like a rocket.

Smart speakers and voice assistants are entering millions of homes. In fact, voice search surpassed text search way back in 2020.

Let‘s look at some mindblowing stats:

55% of US households will own a smart speaker by 2022 (NPR)
Today, 20% of mobile queries are voice searches (Comscore)
But by 2023, 50% of all searches will be voice searches (Comscore)
58% of smart speaker owners use them for search queries daily (NPR)

As you can see, the growth of voice search adoption has been skyrocketing. And it shows no signs of slowing down.

Who‘s driving this growth? Smart assistants like Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant are bringing voice technology into our daily lives.

82% of smart speaker owners say they wouldn‘t want to go back to life without one (NPR). Wow.

But smartphones are also playing a major role. With Siri and Google Assistant built into iOS and Android devices, billions of mobile users have access to voice search right in their pockets.

Now that we‘ve entered the voice search era, brands and marketers need to shift strategies if they want to continue reaching consumers.

How Voice Search Changes the Game

So what makes voice search different from old-fashioned text searching from an optimization standpoint?

There are a few key ways voice is radically changing the game:

1. Say goodbye to keywords – it‘s all about natural language

The days of cramming keywords into content are over.

Voice queries are conversational, using natural speech in full sentences like:

"Hey Siri, where‘s a good Italian restaurant nearby?"

"Alexa, how do I remove a coffee stain from carpet?"

"Okay Google, what‘s the best hotel in Tulum?"

Keyword-stuffing will only make your content sound weird and robotic. The key is conversational language that feels human.

2. People increasingly use voice searches for local intent

With voice devices, it‘s easy to ask for stuff in your immediate vicinity:

"Alexa, find me a gas station."

"Hey Google, what grocery stores are open now?"

One study found that 42% of voice searches have local intent (Mindjump).

If you‘re a local business, voice search optimization is crucial to connect with nearby customers.

3. Brands get left out of voice search queries

Here‘s one big shift – voice searches typically don‘t mention brand names:

"Alexa, order more paper towels."

Not:

"Alexa, order more Bounty paper towels."

This means brands need amazing SEO to rank for non-branded queries. Brand authority isn‘t as influential.

4. Long-tail, conversational queries are common

Voice lends itself to longer, more conversational queries like:

"What‘s the best Mexican restaurant in Austin for couples?"

"When does Target open today?"

"How can I get grease stains out of clothes?"

Optimizing for longer, natural language queries is key for voice search success.

5. Rich results rule

Here‘s the reality – voice assistants need to provide fast, focused answers. That means rich results dominate:

Featured snippets, lists, tables, and other rich results appear for many voice queries. Brands should optimize for rich results wherever possible.

Now that you know how voice is transforming search, let‘s talk about why optimizing for voice is mission critical.

Why You Need a Voice Search Strategy ASAP

With the meteoric rise of voice assistants, having a smart voice search strategy is crucial for brands who want to survive and thrive.

Here are 5 key reasons voice search optimization should be a top priority:

1. People are using voice search throughout the day

Per NPR stats, 58% of smart speaker owners are voice searching multiple times per day. Voice search is becoming an all-day habit.

To connect with consumers amid their daily voice searching, your brand needs to be discoverable and accessible.

2. Voice search will soon surpass text search

Right now, 20% of searches are done by voice. By 2023, over 50% of all searches will be voice searches (Comscore).

Text search is on the decline. Smart brands will shift focus to optimize for voice now before it‘s too late.

3. Local searches are super common

As we covered earlier, a huge chunk of voice searches (42%) have local intent. People use voice to find nearby businesses and services on the fly (Mindjump).

Localization and proximity are huge ranking factors. Is your business ready for the voice-driven local search boom?

4. Consumers discover new brands by voice

Here‘s an exciting possibility – voice search allows people to discover your business for the first time.

In one study by BrightLocal, 74% of consumers said they discovered a new company with voice search.

Optimizing for voice can significantly expand your reachable audience.

5. Your competitors are likely already on it

Make no mistake, voice search optimization is heating up. Many brands are already shifting strategies and budgets toward voice search.

Act now so you don‘t get left behind as your competition starts connecting with voice searchers.

Now let‘s get into the tactical side – how can you optimize for voice search success?

Voice Search Optimization Best Practices

Optimizing for voice search well requires some different approaches compared to standard SEO.

Here are my top tips:

1. Use conversational language and natural phrasing

As we covered earlier, voice queries are conversational, not keyword-based.

Avoid awkward spammy phrasing. Write like you‘re explaining something to a friend:

"Here are 5 common causes of a sore throat and how to get relief…"

"The best family-friendly hiking trails in Sedona Arizona are…"

Sound human, not robotic.

2. Go after long-tail queries

Voice searches tend to be longer and more conversational. Target related long-tail queries:

"what was the most popular song in 1998"

"how to get pasta sauce stains out of a white shirt"

This tactic only works if you rank well for head terms too. But long-tail keywords help pull in more voice searchers.

3. Localize your business for voice

As we discussed earlier, voice searches often have local intent. To rank locally:

Optimize Google My Business listings
Add your address and contact info across your site
Monitor Google Map searches for your keywords

The more signals of your local presence, the better.

4. Design content for snippets

Featured snippets are prime real estate for voice search:

Featured Snippet Example

Optimize your pages, especially for "how-to" queries, to earn these coveted snippets. Use lists, templates, tables, and other easily scannable formats.

5. Develop your brand‘s voice

Just like a person, your brand needs to cultivate a unique voice and tone. Determine the voice that best resonates with your audience.

Is your brand:

Helpful? Educational?
Witty? Humorous?
Knowledgeable? Inspirational?

Define your brand voice and inject it into your content.

6. Make content easily consumable by voice

Voice searchers can‘t see images, videos, or other visual content.

Make your content "hearable" – limit multimedia and break up paragraphs for easy listening snippets.

7. Promote your brand‘s voice app

Developing a custom voice app allows you to control the experience and answers for voice queries related to your brand.

For example, Starbucks has an Alexa app that lets customers place orders or find stores by voice.

8. Monitor your voice search visibility

Use Google Search Console to see queries your site ranks for in voice results on mobile. Identify top queries driving voice traffic.

You can also look at third-party tools like SEMRush. Then optimize pages for the most popular voice questions.

That covers the voice search optimization fundamentals. Now let‘s look at some more advanced tactics and examples.

Advanced Voice Search Optimization Tactics

Ready to take your voice optimization to the next level? Here are some powerful advanced strategies.

Implement structured data

Marking up your pages with structured data like schema and JSON-LD helps search engines understand your content for voice search.

Some types of schema that help voice search:

FAQ schema – Highlights key product/service questions
How-to schema – Provides step-by-step instructions
Recipe schema – Enables easy comprehension of ingredients and directions
Local business schema – Optimizes listings for local results
Review schema – Makes your product reviews stand out

Adding relevant structured data improves voice search visibility and comprehension.

Here‘s an example FAQ schema:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "FAQPage",
  "mainEntity": [
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "What are your shipping times?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "We ship all orders within 2 business days. Allow 5-7 days for delivery."
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "How do I track my order?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "You‘ll receive a confirmation email with tracking info when your order ships."  
      }
    }
  ]
}
</script>

Create "how-to" guides and tutorials

Walkthroughs and tutorials are perfect for voice searchers looking for quick instructions:

"Alexa, how do I change a bike tire?"

Optimize step-by-step guides related to your products or services help establish your brand as an authority.

Publish podcasts and audio content

Podcasts and other audio content could become searchable by voice assistants in the future.

Consider launching podcasts related to your industry and optimize transcripts with keywords and conversational language.

Formulate an audio brand

Just as your website has visual branding, think about your audio brand – what does your brand sound like?

Some elements that shape your audio brand:

Spokesperson voice and tone
Background music
Consistent intro/outro in videos

Build a voice app

Developing a custom voice app or "skill" puts your brand in front of voice assistant users. And you control the entire experience.

Big brands like Starbucks have seen success creating their own voice apps. Look at partnering with Amazon or Google to build yours.

Monitor voice analytics

Use analytics platforms to identify the voice queries people actually ask that your brand ranks for.

Google Search Console displays voice search impressions on mobile.

You can also look at third-party analytics tools. This reveals opportunities to create content that targets popular voice queries.

Phew…that was a lot of advanced tactics! Let‘s look at some real-world examples next.

Real Brand Examples of Voice Search Optimization

Wondering exactly how brands are optimizing for voice search in the real world?

Here are a few great examples to inspire your efforts:

1. BuzzFeed‘s Tasty

BuzzFeed‘s recipe brand Tasty kills it when it comes to voice search optimization:

Natural language – Their recipe titles use conversational wording: "How to make 2 ingredient pizza dough"
Featured snippets – Tasty consistently ranks #1 for recipe-related featured snippets
Conversational instructions – Their step-by-step recipe instructions are scannable and easy to follow
Videos – They optimize YouTube videos with natural narration and on-screen text

Tasty nails all the tactics for voice search recipe queries.

2. Home Depot

Home Depot built a custom Alexa skill to handle home improvement voice searches:

Lets users add items to an in-store shopping list by voice
Helps them estimate the cost of home projects
Offers DIY advice for home projects

Now Home Depot owns the voice search experience for their industry. Pretty smart!

3. WebMD

As a respected health site, WebMD developed their content for voice search users:

Symptom checker – Allows voice searchers to share symptoms and get condition assessments
Conversational content – Optimized articles around natural language questions like "what causes headaches"
Videos – Video content explains health topics clearly and conversationally

With tactically optimized content across text, video, and tools, WebMD provides an authoritative voice search experience.

Those examples showcase brands effectively optimizing content assets, site architecture, tools, and apps for voice search success.

Now I‘ll wrap up with my predictions for the future of voice…

What‘s Next for Voice Search?

Voice search has rapidly gone mainstream. But in many ways, we‘re still just scratching the surface of what‘s possible.

Here are a few voice search predictions to give you a glimpse into the future:

Voice search engines will understand context and intent even better
Brands may be able to buy sponsored placement in voice results
Voice results will integrate AR, VR and other technologies
Video content will likely become indexable by voice assistants
Personalization will improve based on user identity, location and context
Smart home devices like refrigerators will conduct their own voice searches
New audio formats like interactive stories and games will emerge

As machine learning and AI advances, virtually every search will be done by conversational voice. Brands have a huge first mover opportunity to optimize for voice now before consumer expectations get even higher.

It‘s an exciting time!

Let Your Brand Thrive in the Voice Search Future

You made it! You‘re now officially a voice search expert.

Here‘s a quick recap of what we covered together:

Voice search growth is absolutely exploding
Voice is completely changing search behaviors and expectations
Failing to optimize for voice risks your brand‘s future discoverability
Conversational language, long-tail queries and rich results are key
Both basic and advanced tactics help improve voice search rankings
Real brands are innovating with structured data, custom apps and more
The voice search landscape will only get more sophisticated

Hopefully this guide gave you lots of useful insights and a plan of attack for optimizing your brand for voice search success.

It may take some work to adapt, but the opportunity is huge!

With smart preparation, your brand can become discoverable and accessible to the growing army of voice searchers out there.

So put on your thinking cap, get going with voice optimization, and prepare to thrive in the voice-first future.

You got this! Now go rock it.