1. SCHEMA MARKUP

Search engines scour your site’s metadata in an attempt to rank it accurately. The tags used in a site’s metadata are known as schema markup and can help improve its search engine standing. Consider the terms an individual may use when searching for your site and add relevant tags into your schema markup. It’s important to consider the subtle differences between phrases commonly used in voice searches and the ones in more traditional text-based ones.

If you can identify the terms most frequently used in voice searches, adding them to your schema markup will boost your website’s optimization. Metadata centered specifically around voice searches is a crucial and often-overlooked aspect of web development, but it can have a dramatic impact on the discoverability of your site.

2. MOBILE USE

Mobile and voice optimization are two sides of the same coin. Neither can be considered complete without attention and time being dedicated to the other, as most voice searches are made using mobile devices. Therefore, optimizing your site for use on a mobile device will also help to improve its optimization for voice searches.

The quality of your mobile site has a major influence on its search engine optimization. The site needs to work seamlessly on mobile. It should load quickly, the content should be instantly accessible, and the layout should be formatted efficiently for mobile devices. If your mobile site is poorly designed, your voice search optimization will suffer.

3. QUERIES

The types of searches made via voice functions differ subtly yet significantly from other searches. People using voice search are mostly asking simple questions that require brief and objective answers. Tailor your content to this style of voice-specific query to improve your VSO. Consider the subject matter of your site, and the intention of your average user, to determine what sort of questions may be asked.

Compile a list of likely questions and endeavour to provide easily digestible answers throughout your site. FAQ pages and educational blog posts are especially well suited for voice search optimization as they provide answers to common questions in neatly organized snippets.

4. TEXT

Aside from the search engine-friendly FAQs, the rest of your site’s copy can further improve your VSO. The text on every page should be created to appeal to voice searches. Using more casual language is one way of doing this as it complements the vernacular most frequently used in voice searches. Review the most common searches made in your industry and analyze the language used. Once you know how your user-base frames their queries, you can adapt the text of your website appropriately.

Copy that is at odds with how the user-base actually talks will be ranked less highly than one that matches your visitors’ most commonly-used vocabulary. For instance, if most searches contain a lot of specific technical terms, it would be most appropriate to take a more academic tone in your copy. However, if most voice searches are more casual and flippant in nature, it should be reflected in your website content.

5. HTTPS

Search engines always prioritize secure websites over others. In fact, there are browsers that penalize insecure sites by warning incoming visitors that the site they are trying to navigate to is not secure. It doesn’t matter how the user searches for your content if you don’t have a firm grip on your site’s security. The simplest way to improve security is to switch from HTTP to HTTPS so that all information passing through the site is encrypted. HTTPS sites displayed by these browsers have a green padlock by the URL that instantly informs your visitors of the additional recommended security layer.

Voice search is a rapidly growing method of finding content. Not paying attention to VSO is no longer an option – if you neglect voice search optimization, you will be quickly surpassed by your more savvy competitors. The tactics used to improve voice search optimization are easy to apply to any site and will have a dramatic effect. The evolution of the digital landscape shows no sign of slowing down, so businesses have no choice but to adapt or risk becoming obsolete. Optimizing your site content for voice search is the latest, and perhaps the easiest, way of staying ahead of the curve.