Voice Search Trends: Is Your Business Ready?
When Google launched its iPhone voice search app in 2008, it was far from perfect. Over the years, voice-activated technology has become much more accurate and human-like. Statistics show that Google's English recognition accuracy is now over 95%.
People want an instant solution when they are looking for something online. While typing in the search bar is fast, it's even faster to just talk on your device and get the same results. On average, a person can type about 40 words per minute and speak about 150 words per minute.
To try voice search, you can activate the Assistant on your phone (eg Siri, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa). Or try going online: click the microphone icon to the right of the Google search bar, to the left of the magnifying glass. After making the request, you will be asked to "Speak Now" and see the results. This has made voice search optimization a critical part of every business marketing strategy.
What voice search means to your business
If you are a small business owner, we recommend that you think about how to optimize your website for voice search. Many users are already using it to find what they are looking for, and according to reports, 50% of searches will be done this way by 2022.
Here's how it works for your business:
Think phrases, not keywords. When we type something into the search bar, we tend to keep it short, like the fruit servings in the Canadian Food Guide. However, when we talk to the device, we use a conversational tone, so it's more like "How many servings of fruit does the Canadian Food Guide recommend each day?"
Before optimizing your site, do some extensive research on keywords that someone can use to find your product or service.
Stay local. Mobile voice search is three times more likely to be location-based. Use the location of your keywords in your website content and make sure you update your Google My Business page. If you have an award or prize, add it – consumers often search for the “best” product or service in the area.
