Who Is Using Voice Search? You may already be considering the benefits of voice search optimization, but who is your voice search audience, and whom can you expect to reach? It doesn't end with smartphones, either. Many people are using voice search through Amazon Echo, Google Home, and other AI-enabled smart speakers to search for the answers they need. Make sure that when Alexa scans your content to find the answer to a voice search query, a well-written, conversational answer is front and center. Here's what that looks like on a voice search SERP: The highest-ranking result for that query that has an actual answer to the query is likely to be the one—and probably the only one—Alexa selects to read back to the searcher. And voice search AIs like Siri and Alexa need to know where the business is so they can direct searchers to it. For content creators and SEO professionals, that means making plenty of location references in text content, integrating your site with Google Maps, and claiming and maintaining your Google My Business listings. Those are all important location factors for AIs that process voice search queries. As more people toss aside their keyboards in favor of asking Siri and Alexa their questions out loud, voice search becomes a bigger factor in accomplishing the end goal of SEO for businesses: gaining customers and clients.
It’s becoming more common every day to hear people talking to their phones—and not to people on the other end of the line. Voice search is a newer feature for many of us; for marketers, it’s also a useful tool that is changing the way we think about SEO.
If you’re not incorporating voice search optimization into your SEO practices, you might need to rethink that. By taking advantage of the opportunities now, you can give your SEO efforts the boost you need when you’re struggling to climb to the top of the search engine results pages (SERPs).
Who Is Using Voice Search?
You may already be considering the benefits of voice search optimization, but who is your voice search audience, and whom can you expect to reach? The vast majority of Americans now use smartphones, and many of them are taking advantage of artificial intelligence (AI) voice search capabilities.
You can expect, however, that many of these searchers are in the younger demographic. Around 92% of people age 18-29 own a smartphone. This audience is generally tech-savvy—they understand how to use these tools to their full potential.
It doesn’t end with smartphones, either. Many people are using voice search through Amazon Echo, Google Home, and other AI-enabled smart speakers to search for the answers they need.
Voice Search Changes Search Language
When reaching out to voice search users, they’re not just seeking answers in a unique way: They’re also asking their questions in new ways. Voice search is built to handle search queries differently.
AIs like Alexa and Siri are designed to understand conversational questions and phrases and respond in a human way. For example, if you’re thinking about meeting with a lawyer to discuss a potential lawsuit, you might conduct a traditional search by typing the type of attorney and your location—”personal injury lawyer Phoenix,” for example.
Those using voice search will translate that into a complete, grammatically correct question: “Google, where is a personal injury lawyer near me?” Some voice search programs, especially Siri, localize your results for you. Even if you don’t specify your location, you’ll likely see or hear the results nearest to you.
So when you’re planning your…
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