What the rise in voice searches means for your website

Google recently revealed that one-in-five search requests are spoken rather than typed.

These figures are on the rise, too, with some experts predicting that half of all searches in 2020 will be spoken.

Artificial intelligence has evolved its understanding of human speech. It is now capable of interpreting questions and demands and has a fantastic ability to respond correctly.

Added to the mix is the proliferation of smart watches and home devices such as Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home.

So what does this mean for your business and your website?

A user might type “hammers” with their fingers but speak “where can I buy a hammer?” into a device.

Knowing this, it’s important to tailor SEO in two key ways:

Answer questions on your site As well as considering the keywords relevant to your service or product, consider the language a potential customer might use when looking for you. What questions might they ask? Build these questions into your SEO. Better still, consider writing blog posts that use common questions as a headline. Use your geography If customers demand things nearby, it makes sense to ensure your location is clear. Make your address visible, and ensure you’re properly listed on services such as Google Maps. A search engine can’t recommend you as a local company if it doesn’t know where you are. [email protected]