Last week we looked at 3 SEO tips for optimizing your voice search, including HTTPS compatibility, building an authoritative domain, and your website speed (check it out here if you missed it!). This week we complete the list with 3 additional ways that will help you improve your voice search.
As I mentioned last week, voice search is going to ramp up quickly and this is the best time to get started. Let’s get right into it!
Tip #4: Include Frequently Asked Questions For Voice Search.
Start including short answers to frequently asked questions in your content.
Although there is a lot of debate as to whether a 1,000 word or 2,000 word post works better, we know that long-form content ends to perform better online.
And…
Including FAQ’s within the context of a much longer piece of content has added benefits for voice search!
For example, let’s look at this definition of “Voice Search Optimization”:
Question: What is “Voice Search Optimization”?
Answer: Voice search optimization is the optimization of your website for digital voice assistants, a new technology that lets people access online search engine results through voice commands.
Short, simple, and relevant (you may have noticed this in my first post on voice search).
Adding these types of frequently asked questions can help you tremendously! Think about it, people are generally asking their digital assistants short, basic questions like “Hey Alexa, where is the nearest shopping mall?”. Or, “Hey Alexa, where is the nearest auto shop?”.
Providing answers that follows this pattern helps Google find and relay answers to them! And best of all, this will help you get found by the digital assistants.
Tip #5: Use Natural Speech For Voice Search.
When writing content for your website, try to use as much natural-sounding speech and verbiage as possible.
Similar to the FAQs, think about how someone would ask Siri or Alexa a question.
For instance, people searching for a used bike shop wouldn’t say “Hey Alexa, used bike shop in Fort Lauderdale or Boca Raton please and kindly”.
They would probably say, “Alexa, where’s the nearest used bike shop in Fort Lauderdale?”
Or, when you’re comparing two points in writing, you might use the word “conversely”. But, you’re not going to say “Alexa, conversely, I would like to find an alternative bike shop” in conversation!
Simply put, avoid using fancy words and complex sentences that are not used in conversation in your content.
Tip #6: Optimize for Near ME For Voice Search.
Last but not least, don’t forget the rising power of the “near me” searches. Because our devices usually know where we are (assuming we are allowing them to), people are more and more frequently adding “near me” in their searches.
And… that is especially true with voice searches.
To take advantage of the near me searches and make sure your website has valid location information. Then, the next time someone asks Alexa a near me question, you can be in the running for the near me searches. 😉
Conclusion
Voice search is relatively new and there is still a lot to be learned about how to optimize your website so that it can be found and announced by the Siri’s and Alexa’s of the world.
But… that’s no excuse to not get started on what currently does work.
Start by making these 6 optimizations to your website and you’ll be way ahead of the curve when voice search really starts to rise in popularity.
If you missed last week’s tips, check out 6 Powerful SEO Tips For Voice Search Optimization: Part 1.
Liked these voice search optimization tips, or have any others?! Drop them in the comments below! 🙂