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We need to accept the fact that we can no longer laugh at those who insist on getting the weather forecast from their phones.
According to a report by Hitwise, close to 60% of all searches are conducted by voice. Voice search has arrived and is here to stay. What does this mean to you?
The Rise of Voice Search
Google reports that 20% of its searches are voice searches. With more than 1.2 trillion Google search requests a year, that’s quite a few people!
Siri, Apple’s artificial intelligence bot, was the first voice search tool for many. Siri was developed originally as a separate app before it was acquired by Apple in 2011 and made available as part of the iPhone 4s. Samsung quickly followed suit and released its voice search services. Fans are still waiting for the major launch of the improved Bixby Voice service sometime this year.
Voice search is not just for our phones. This year, we’ve seen the rise of home technology, such as Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home, which heavily rely on voice search. Have you thought about how voice search will affect your marketing strategy or that of your business? Let’s explore!!
Local Marketing
This is a fun fact. Three times as many mobile voice searches are local than text searches. You can ask Siri to find a petrol station near me or find a restaurant in Port Melbourne. You’ll miss out on a lot of business if you don’t optimise your voice search strategy if you’re bricks and mortar.
3 Tips for Optimising Your Local Marketing for Voice Search
Landmarks
You may have a store near a sports stadium, a popular shopping centre, or just on/off a busy street. These locations should be a major factor in your keyword strategies so that they can prompt the search engines to bring up your website. You could, for example, ask your phone. Hey Bixby! Where can I get Sushi near Bourke St Mall? When you think about your physical presence, consider landmarks that people are familiar with and first come to mind.
Key Benefits
What makes you different from another burger joint 200 meters away? The tastiest hamburgers in the entire world, made with free-range and fresh produce! “Well, we can’t taste-test on our phones yet, so how can you convey your superiority through writing? Long-tail keywords are the answer. We’ll look at some ways to search for a Burger Store in Brunswick.
- ‘Burger Store Brunswick’ (basic).
- Free parking at Burger Store Brunswick
- Vegan options at Brunswick Burger Store
- Cheap takeaway burger Brunswick
- Brunswick’s best vegan burgers
We are aware that there are many burger shops in the vicinity so that we will narrow down our search. Compile a list of the most likely searches that your customers will make on their phones. Make a list with the adjectives. Some common adjectives are closest, best, cheapest, and most popular. Some people may be looking for specific benefits, such as pet-friendly restaurants, free parking, and the ability to bring their own alcohol or vegan/vegetarian options. Create a keyword strategy that goes beyond “Best Burgers in Brunswick” using your benefits.
Natural Language
Copywriters can fall into the trap of using catchphrases and extravagant words to try to do too much. This may work in certain contexts, but it could also hurt their SEO score.
Voice searchers aren’t likely to use complex sentences or words in their questions. I won’t ask Siri to “Hey Siri find me a boutique hamburger shop that only serves grass-fed beef raised on the green pastures in Tasmania”. This sounds good to someone who reads it, but Google will not find any value in this.
Search Engine Land offers a way to incorporate natural language into your website without removing all the sexiness. Create a FAQ page, and write down the questions that you would imagine someone asking on their phone using the same language. When I am hungry, my brain cannot produce the long and extravagant sentences that would be necessary to express this feeling.
Prepare Yourself!
You will benefit from better preparedness when voice search robots take over and replace all keyboards. This week, set aside a few hours to examine your keyword strategy by using the tips listed above.
Do you want to prepare your team for the new marketing strategies that will be popular in 2020? Contact us today to learn more about our training program!
