Voice search optimization (VSO) refers to the process of optimizing the content of a website for voice search queries so that it ranks higher in the search results when people ask questions using voice commands on devices such as smartphones or smart speakers.
There is a huge opportunity for your business to optimize your website content for voice search. You can increase your chances of reaching out to potential customers who are using their voice assistants to help them find information. It should be a top priority for small business owners to adopt voice-activated strategies to optimize content for voice search.
As speech recognition technology has improved dramatically in recent years, voice search has become an important part of digital marketing and search engine optimization. According to Google, 20% of mobile searches are now voice-activated.
Voice search represents one of the biggest recent changes in marketing. It represents many of the evolving consumer trends that companies are struggling to keep up with. If you want to stand out in 2025, you need to understand how voice search will impact SEO and how you can use voice search marketing to your advantage. Get ahead of the game with this guide from the ABA Agency.
What is voice search?
The term ‘voice search’ is pretty self-explanatory. It’s the process of using voice commands to carry out searches on the internet. In popular apps like YouTube and, of course, Google, you’ve probably already seen voice search prompts.
Voice search is powered by speech recognition technology, whereas traditional search relies heavily on keywords. This enables platforms to interpret queries and deliver results. This voice search optimization technology is supported by sophisticated natural language processing algorithms that allow users to search for information more naturally and conversationally.
Make no mistake: voice search is not new. Google launched its first voice search beta in 2011. Google Assistant built on that foundation with its 2016 release. However, with more than 50% of consumers using voice search daily, up from 27% in 2016, it’s only recently that it has become a dominant consumer trend.
What is voice search optimization (VSO)?
Voice search optimization is the process of improving your online presence for voice searches. When users perform a voice search, the primary goal is to be selected and/or read aloud by voice assistants. These include Google Assistant, Siri, Cortana, Microsoft, and Alexa from Amazon.
Using desktop devices, users can also conduct voice searches on search engines such as Google. However, these results will continue to be displayed in the same way as a text-based search. Searching by voice isn’t the same as searching by traditional text. That’s because it’s a little different to how we phrase what we want to ask.
For example, you might type “Italian restaurants near me” into a search engine if you’re looking for an Italian restaurant in your area. But you’re more likely to formulate a voice search query like this: “Hey, Siri, is there an Italian restaurant near here?” We talk to our voice assistants in the same way as if we were talking to a real person.
As a result, voice queries tend to be more conversational, longer, full sentences or questions. To be selected by voice assistants, you need to optimize for these types of queries.
Voice-enabled search evolution
When we think about how voice search is going to be used in the future, it’s not necessarily how I’m going to use it; it’s looking at how the next generations are going to use it.
My friends who have children tell me that their children use their voice for most of the things. They don’t just ask Alexa or their Google Assistant (or Gemini). You talk to your smartwatch or whatever device you have nearby, and you ask the question.
People will become even more comfortable using their voice for searches as ChatGPT and other applications introduce voice searches. People are likely to engage with and use ChatGPT in their daily routines, as mentioned in Introducing ChatGPT voice and image prompts.
So what does this mean for voice search? Will it matter in 2025? And if we don’t have access to data, how do we know if it’s working? My view is that the data is on its way. What’s important is that marketers are prepared for the change to come.
Getting Started with Voice Search
According to Statista, more than 25% of people from Western countries said that they use digital voice assistants several times a day.
This is likely to have an impact on voice search capabilities in several ways, such as:
- With more voice data, voice assistants will be able to analyze natural speech patterns and improve their understanding of search queries. There have been complaints about inaccuracies, but we are already seeing improvements as a result of more data and acceptance.
- For more personalized and contextual voice search, voice assistants will learn the tone, words, and phrases used in a person’s dictation. The results of your search will be more personalized.
- People may be encouraged to use more conversational long-form queries in voice search rather than just short commands as they become more comfortable speaking longer content.
- In GSC or other tools, we can find long queries. And that can indicate what a website needs to respond to.
People will expect their voice assistants to understand the context and intent behind queries based on previous conversations, which will raise expectations of results. If they get stuck, it can undermine their confidence. Trust is easily lost, and results become more personal.
The importance of voice search optimisation for SEO
With voice search optimization, you can reach more people than with text search optimization alone. The number of people using digital voice assistants is expected to continue to grow, according to research from Statista.
Many people use them for everyday tasks like alarm clocks and music playback. But people also use digital assistants for information retrieval.
You need to implement tactics that will improve your overall SEO to increase your chances of ranking for voice search queries. For example, prioritizing website loading speed, targeting voice search keywords in your content, and ensuring your website works well on mobile devices.
Voice search optimisation benefits
The improvement of your online presence for voice search is an extension of the benefits of traditional SEO. To help you achieve your business objectives.
More specifically, optimizing for voice search can help to achieve the following:
- Increase the number of times you appear in the results of voice searches. Increased brand awareness, especially at a local level, when your content is shared by voice assistants
- Build trust with those you want to engage: The provision of helpful and valuable information via voice search helps to position your business as an authoritative and trustworthy one.
- Improve the experience of the user: Improving technical SEO elements—leading to a better user experience—is part of making changes to optimize voice search.
Let’s take a look at how to optimize for voice search now that we know more about voice search optimization.
How voice search differs from typical SEO
However, as opposed to the usual SEO strategies, there is a significant difference in how you should approach voice search optimization. SEO has never favoured short and vague keywords. The specificity that comes from short, two- or three-word searches is valuable, but longer keywords work better with voice searches.
The most effective method for voice search is to target “long-tail” keywords, or keywords that contain more than three individual words and have very low competition and search volume.
Having said that, I would recommend that you do your best to tailor the content to reflect the tone of the conversation and to anticipate the questions that customers might ask aloud. Two basic methods should be in place for the optimization of your brand assets for voice search.
Build Web Pages That Answer FAQs
FAQ pages are a useful business tool, but their formatting is critical for voice search. According to Search Engine Journal, the five Ws (who, what, when, what, why) are the most common first words for voice search questions. Such questions require urgent and immediate answers.
For example, “Who are the best digital marketing firms in Dubai?” or “Does the ABA Agency specialize in social media management?” might be asked by a CEO who has just been informed of a situation requiring digital media marketing and management while driving.
Create an FAQ page and start each question with one of the above adverbs to best answer these queries and optimize your brand’s relationship with voice search. There should also be a general question in the headline of the web page.
When creating the page content, try to answer the questions posed in your selected longtail keywords in a conversational tone at the very beginning of your copy. If you can also keep your answers short and to the point, even better. If not, you can use the remaining pages to elaborate but remember to keep the first answer short.
An FAQ page that is rich in information attracts Google’s ranking algorithm, but maintaining concise answers is ideal for voice search.
Integrate SEO with traditional marketing strategies.
While a voice search marketing campaign can be effective, it’s far more valuable to incorporate SEO into every marketing strategy, especially press releases and landing page copy.
When writing press releases, think beyond the catchy headline and include relevant keywords naturally. Anticipate the questions your audience might ask about the information in the release and weave those terms into the narrative.
For landing pages, optimize the copy with the strategic keywords that a customer may ask their voice assistant and ensure a seamless user experience with easy-to-navigate content. Remember, it’s not just about being visible; it’s also about being relevant.
Finally, stay updated on industry and cultural trends to dictate keywords relevant to the content. By merging SEO strategies into all PR efforts, your brand can capture greater content engagement in a vast digital landscape.
Voice search has already profoundly impacted the consumer journey, and the importance of incorporating voice search and SEO strategies within digital content marketing will only continue to grow. Keep content conversational and concise; one day, Alexa and Siri may quote your website.
Why should I invest in a voice search optimisation strategy?
Having a strategy to optimise for Voice Search is critical for your business. As more people use search devices, you must invest in this strategy to reach them. With over 55% of people using voice search to find nearby businesses, this is especially true if you operate locally. Here are just a few statistics that show the importance of voice search SEO optimisation for your website.
Revenue generated by voice search exceeds $2 billion
Voice search boosts sales. People are using these to shop, to find where to shop, to find where to eat.
You’re missing out on revenue if you’re not optimising for voice search. With an investment in voice search optimisation, you can have more leads find your business.
Every month, there are more than 1 billion voice searches
People use voice-activated devices to find information, buy products and more. With more than 1 billion voice searches taking place every month, you need to have a voice search optimisation strategy in place so that you can reach the people who are searching on these devices.
Brands that adopt voice search will increase their digital commerce revenue by 30% by 2025.
Voice search holds great potential for your business.
With an investment in voice search optimisation, you can have an impact on the bottom line of your business. Search engine optimisation (SEO) is a strategy that takes time, so it’s best to invest in it now so that you can reap the benefits in the future.
Voice search is expected to grow to 50% of all searches.
As a medium for obtaining information, voice search will continue to grow and become more popular. There will be more voice searches as more people get voice search devices.
You need to invest in voice search optimization if you want to reach these people.
Voice search optimisation: how to optimize for voice search
Are you ready for voice search optimisation? Here are four tips to help you optimise for voice search. Get started now!
Optimisation for conversational search
Asking a question using Voice Search is different from asking a standard question. People speak differently than they type, so you need to consider this when optimising your website. For example, somebody could enter “how to make fried chicken” on a desktop, but in a voice search he’d say “How do I make fried chicken?”. It’s subtle, but these searches differ because Voice Search is talking.
Users talk to their devices. They ask questions as if they were asking a family member or friend. In addition, some of the verbal requests are more directional than the written requests. So someone might type in “recipes for fried chicken”, but when they search on a voice search device, they’d say: “Show me recipes for fried chicken”. This means that voice searchers are telling the device what they want to be searched for.
You need to optimise for conversational queries if you want to know how to optimise for voice searches. Have a brainstorming session about different questions your audience might have about the topics on your pages. For example, if people were to do a verbal search for how to make a roast chicken, they might ask:
- How to make fried chicken?
- How do you cook fried chicken?
- What do I need to do for a roast chicken?
These are all related queries that you’ll want to consider and optimise for when searching.
Optimisation of your local presence
Did you know? Over 55% of people use voice search to find local businesses. Start by building your local presence if you want to know how to optimise voice search. Your Google Business Profile listing, which appears when users perform local searches, is the most important component.
First of all, you have to have claimed your business listing. Next, you’ll fill in all the information about your company. To make sure you’re giving us the right information, you’ll be asked to verify your name, address and phone number.
Apart from this information, you’ll want to do the following:
- Update your working hours
- Add photos to your business listing
- Add a short blurb about what you’re doing
- Having a complete list of services will help users get the information they need when they discover your business via a voice search.
- Claim your local listing. This will help your business appear in more local voice searches, driving traffic to your location.
- Besides claiming your local listing, you’ll also want to incorporate local keywords.
For example, keywords such as “fried chicken restaurant in Dubai” and “fried chicken in DXB” are locally relevant keywords that can help to drive more leads to your business.
Focus on direct answers.
Start by answering queries directly if you want to get the most out of your voice search optimisation strategy. Did you know that 50% of searches are a result of featured snippets? The featured snippet will be displayed in a box at the very top of the search results.
Do you know what the Featured Snippets do for you? They answer questions about your business directly. Featured Snippets are designed to provide the user with an answer as quickly as possible.
So you need to give direct answers to questions to get this coveted position. Suppose someone searches verbally for “What is a fried chicken batter made of? Which example do you think is more likely to appear as the featured snippet?
You’re right if you answered example A. Example A directly answers the user’s query and provides the required information.
However, instead of giving a direct answer, example B takes too long to explain every little detail. By providing accurate answers, you’ll increase your chances of appearing at the top of search results. This allows Google to read your listing to relevant searchers.
Follow the best practices of SEO.
Many people think it doesn’t matter how your website works or what kind of experience it delivers because users can’t see it. However, the reality is that voice search devices use search results to provide answers to users. You need to optimise to appear at the top of the results because voice search devices pull answers from the top of the results.
You’re unlikely to appear in voice searches if you’re not optimised for SEO. Follow these SEO best practices. They will help you rank higher in search results:
Include keywords on your page.
Choose relevant keywords and build them into your website if you want to appear in relevant searches. To get in front of more relevant leads, you’ll want to focus on long-tail keywords that contain three or more words. You can use a tool such as KeywordsFX, Semrush, or Ahrefs to help you find the keywords that are relevant to your campaign.
Optimise for mobile devices.
Many of the voice search programmes are available on mobile devices or make use of mobile apps to direct you to the website that best matches your query. Make sure your website has a responsive design. This allows your website to adapt to whatever device someone is using. Responsive design provides users with a mobile version of your site, making it easier for them to browse your website.
Speed-up of your website
Voice searchers don’t want to wait for information when they want to learn more about your business. Make sure your website loads fast enough. Use a tool like Google PageSpeed Insights to learn how to improve your site’s load time. You can always invest in page speed services if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the tool.
Younger users (Generation Alpha)
Younger users are more likely to use voice to find the answers they need. It is their means of internet navigation and interaction with technology. This is due to the growing number of smart devices in everyday life and the ease and speed with which voice commands can be used.
For quick access to information – homework help, random facts or quick answers in everyday conversations – they also often use voice search.
For both instant gratification and efficiency, they expect an immediate response. It can also be an interactive learning tool and can help with student engagement and support outside of the classroom.
Voice assistants can also be used for interactive games, storytelling and other forms of entertainment. Other uses are:
- Daily life.
- Getting to know each other.
- Create personalised experiences. For example, playlists or games based on previous activities.
- With voice search, any user can multitask – find information or perform tasks without interrupting what they are doing. Snap even has a bot you can have a conversation with.
As a natural and efficient way to access everything from education to entertainment to daily life management, younger users are embracing voice search and voice-enabled technologies. It’s the next step in Digital Native. You don’t even need to have a keyboard or a screen.
As they embrace and innovate with new technologies, they are changing the way content is delivered, leading to a future where voice becomes even more integrated into the digital experience.
User behaviour change.
This all helps to make interacting with each other more natural. Extended conversations between users and voice assistants/voice search are now possible thanks to improvements in natural language processing.
Search engines need to adapt to interpret and deliver results for more nuanced questions as language shifts to more conversational tones and complex queries.
This natural feel fosters regular use. And we need to be able to create content and optimise it for those outcomes.
Voice search offers convenience. Especially when people are on the move and need hands-free functionality.
Talking is faster than typing, which is useful when users need quick answers or multitasking. However, whether in public spaces or the workplace, typing will remain relevant.
People may prefer to type to have privacy or to avoid disturbance to others. In areas where speaking aloud is not ideal, typing remains more discreet and should be used.
Impact of voice search optimization.
In my opinion, voice search will be a game changer in the SEO landscape.
Keywords are becoming more conversational, and I’m seeing longer long-tail keywords – full sentences – appearing in our reported results. For example, local search answers, FAQ-style results or other articles.
Voice search has also improved accessibility for people with visual impairments or other disabilities. It makes it easier for them to access information.
Future of voice search optimization.
With ongoing advances in AI and technology expected to make voice search even more intuitive and integrated into our daily lives, the future of voice search looks promising.
The industry will continue to evolve and adapt to the changing landscape of digital interaction and connectivity as voice search becomes more embedded in consumer behaviour.
Artificial Intelligence will continue to drive innovation in search technology. It will lead to deeper integration into daily lives and tasks, and a more personalised experience. It is a redefinition of the limits of what voice control systems can do.
As voice search grows, marketers must create effective content for their businesses or clients. However, it’s difficult to know if what’s being done is working because it’s hard to track results. People will use voice search for a quick answer and visit a website when they want more information than a quick answer or generated summary provides.
Despite how voice search seems to be changing the internet, what makes good sites and information, at least as I see it, hasn’t changed that much. The way we have access to it has, but the way we have a good user experience hasn’t.
Good optimisation for voice search is good SEO. The rules of best practice remain in place. People searching for information want quick access to accurate and reliable information that answers their questions.
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