Understanding Voice Search

The world of marketing continues to advance and expand with each passing year. From paid social to retargeting ads, marketers have a wealth of tools at their disposal to generate new leads for their business. The digital age we currently find ourselves in presents brand-new opportunities to marketers. With the ever-increasing popularity of smartphones, voice search has become a useful tool for many.

Since Apple introduced Siri in 2011, voice search has soared in popularity. Even before then, people have been using voice-activated devices to help with their daily life. However, after Siri’s introduction, people have commonly used voice-activated technologies, or voice assistants, to aid them in their online searches.

While voice search is still a relatively new technology, it can prove useful for marketers and businesses. With more and more people relying on voice assistants every day, the need to get a head start on voice search is now.

ARYU Advertising prides itself on staying ahead of the curve when it comes to digital advertising. We keep our ear to the ground, looking for new ways to help businesses thrive in an everchanging world.

Voice search is continuously expanding and will continue to impact the way we live. ARYU Advertising knows AI and machine learning and can grow your business by harnessing the power of voice search.

What is Voice Search?

As of 2020, there are roughly 3.5 billion smartphone users worldwide, which means countless individuals use or have access to a voice assistant. Since so many people have access to voice-activated technology, why wouldn’t businesses take advantage of voice search?

Voice search is a form of search marketing that is powered by voice-activated devices (voice assistants). Instead of text, this technology relies on speech to search the internet. While these assistants initially helped you with simple tasks on your phone, they have drastically evolved over the years. Their capabilities have improved.

In the past, voice assistants struggled to understand the questions you would ask them, often responding with gibberish. However, in the years since, they have improved dramatically.

Now, voice assistants can do so much for you. From starting your car to adjusting the temperature in your home, this technology continues to improve the lives of users. But how does this technology translate to voice search?

As voice assistants have evolved over the years, they have moved on from just taking orders and answering questions. They are also creating a profile of who you are, what your interests and habits are, and so much more. These are all things that are crucial to marketing.

How Voice Search Works

Unlike text-based searches, voice search combines voice recognition technology with search engine keywords. Instead of typing out your question or command, you only have to speak it to your voice assistant and let it do the work.

The device will listen to what you say, decipher it, ask one or more search engines, then read back the answer to you. People use voice search to check the weather, look for the nearest coffee shop, and so much more. This form of online searching continues to grow in popularity. Experts predict that by 2021, there will be 7.5 billion active digital assistants.

Voice searches are often conversational and long, meaning these queries are longer than the ones you would type into Google. These searches contain question phrases instead of long-tail keywords. It simplifies the search process by making it easier to put a query into a search engine.

After all, the average person can only type roughly 40 words per minute, while they can speak more than 150 words per minute. That means they can ask a question much faster by speaking aloud.

The technology used to decipher your speech has also improved drastically. In 2013, Google’s speech recognition software had a word error rate of 23%. By 2017, that rate fell to 4.9% with hopes of improving even further. That means that your voice searches are more accurate than ever.

Benefits of Voice Search

As we have already touched on, there are plenty of benefits that come with using voice search. We have briefly touched on a few, but let’s take a look at some of the other voice search benefits:

• • Quick Responses: Typically, those using voice searches have a clear intent when asking, especially when it comes to local searches. Fortunately, voice assistants respond with answers almost instantly.
  • Perform Tasks Faster: Much like quick responses, users can complete tasks much faster using voice search. People can ask a question aloud much quicker than they can type one. Users can complete the entire process of asking a question and getting an answer faster using voice than on other devices.
  • Many Searches Are for Local Businesses: As we briefly mentioned, many voice searches are for local businesses. Google has discovered that searches for “near me” have grown exponentially over the years. Many of these searches are done on mobile while people are on the go. Countless people use voice search on their phones.
  • Multitasking: Talking to a virtual assistant gives you more flexibility to multitask. If you have a question that needs answering, but your hands are busy, you can ask your digital assistant.

Optimizing for Voice

Since voice search is still relatively young, not many businesses have taken advantage of this tool. Plenty of businesses do not know where to start to optimize their business for voice search, which is why ARYU Advertising has compiled a shortlist of useful tips to help you get started:

• • • List Your Business on Google: As mentioned earlier, consumers often use voice search for local businesses. Clearly and accurately describe who you are, where you are, what services and products you offer, and your contact information. Do not forget the right business category. Doing so will help voice assistants find your business easier.
    • Optimize Your Website:Web design is crucial for voice search. Your site must be mobile-friendly, so these devices can find your site better. Just like for SERP (search engine results pages), page speed matters. Users expect quick results. A recent analysis shows that voice searches load 52% faster than regular pages.
    • Conduct Keyword Research: People talk and type much differently. You should optimize your website for long-tail, local-based searches. “Answer the Public” is an excellent tool to help you discover what questions people may ask related to your target keywords. Type in a keyword, and the website will bring up frequently asked questions.

Voice search continues to increase in popularity, as more and more voice assistants are active. People are discovering that voice assistants are useful tools that improve their lives. Businesses around the world should take advantage of this golden opportunity to generate new leads.

ARYU Advertising understands the importance of utilizing new technologies, which is why we are here to harness the power of voice search to help your business grow.