The growth of smart technology has made the internet very accommodative and easy to find content. Visually impaired people who previously had to be assisted when searching stuff online can now do it by using voice and visual search technology. The illiterates and people who cannot find the right keywords for their searches can now take pictures of the items they need online and then use those pictures as their search query. In a nutshell, this new development has made searches more efficient, precise, effortless, fast, and fun. That makes voice and visual search optimization an invaluable tool for any web admin who is serious about getting huge online traffic organically. The million dollar question now is: Which strategies should you adopt in order to succeed in voice and visual search in 2019?
1. Using conversational tones for all your content
Most of the voice searches are conversational in the sense that searchers input questions that they would otherwise ask their friends casually. A searcher would, for example, ask Google “how much will it cost me to travel through Asia on a shoestring budget for six days and which foods should I try while there? Such a question is not only casual but also compounded from several search questions. The searcher expects the search engine to find a website that explains how big a shoestring budget is in Asia, how expensive shelter and bus/train fares are, and which Asian foods suits him/her depending on his/her location. This trend is continuously pacing up as around 20% percent of mobile queries are voice searches, according to Google. Also, technology has enabled us to have devices which provide features that ease up our life. Let’s explore these products:
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- Google Home
Google Home is a digital assistant created with the mere purpose of staying at home and not be portable like many other devices such as phones or tablets. Its unique design is specifically tailored for voice search, enabling you to access multiple channels of media or perform multiple task only with the command of your voice. Some of the possibilities that this device enables you to do while hearing your voice are are: listen to music, news, radio, control TVs and speakers, plan you day e.g. access calendar, weather, reminders, ask for traffic and flights, sports updates, control your smart home devices like thermostats, plugs lights and many many more.
- Amazon Echo/Alexa
Amazon Echo is a similar device like the Google Home which provides the almost same functionalities. With only the command of your voice, you are able to perform multiple tasks such as play music, surf the web, arrange a meeting and to lists, check the weather reports and other things that can come to your mind. All you have to do is activate it by saying the activation word (either “Alexa,” “Echo,” “Amazon,” or “Computer”) and the device will be up and running.
- Siri/iPhone
Siri is a voice-interface integrated in the Apple devices which was created for providing voice related queries. If you are looking for a business service, let’s say you look for an electrician via Siri, it will process the request plus it will take into consideration the area in which you are located even if you do not mention it. Afterward, it searches in the Google database and will give you the information that you are searching for.
2. Narrow down your content to answer precise questions
Because searching through voice is easier than typing long keywords on search engines, people are able to narrow down their searches to the tiniest detail. Traditionally, a searcher would search for “best mountain bikes” and then scroll through the catalog for their bike of choice. With voice, however, the searcher will ask Google for “A fat tire mountain bike in Seattle with an aluminum frame, 10 gears, and which costs under $1000”. If you operate a bike shop in Seattle, therefore, you must ensure that your content is precise about bike costs, location, and bike features. That said, based on BrightLocal statistics, 46% of adults use voice search to find a local business once per day. That’s a sure way of ranking on voice searches.
3. Leverage local SEO
The intention of most voice searches is to find local services. Queries such as “which are the best restaurant in Chicago?” or “where can I find cheap accommodation in Hawaii?”. You must, therefore, list your business in local directories and follow that up with strong local SEO strategies in order to make your business visible to voice searches; In Australia, list your local business in SavvySME.
4. Use spot-on alt text for your visual content
Google’s visual algorithms will only know what your image is about by reading its alt text. Ensure that the text you use has all the relevant keywords so as to give Google the idea that your images match those that searchers upload. Another viable option for you is to cleverly integrate images into your text content so that the keywords that you use within the text can also attract visual searchers within your niche. Google has in the past admitted that before displaying an image on search results, it considers the relevance of the text accompanying the image. When posting an image of a shoe, for example, ensure that the alt text captures its price, make, color, and size because those are the keywords that will shape most search queries.
5. Use high-quality videos and imagery
Even with a small budget, you can edit your images and videos to make them Google-friendly. The last thing the search engine wants to show its searchers is an unclear image or a poorly edited video. While at it, avoid displaying images that don’t belong to you on your website. Google’s visual algorithms can easily tell that the images aren’t yours and as beautiful and clear as they could be, they won’t make it to the top search results. Originality is a key to your visual search success.
6. Maintain healthy SEO practices
Voice and visual searches are similar to text keyword searches in terms of the quality of the search. “You cannot create poor content or use black hat SEO tactics and then expect to rank in either voice or visual searches. Make it a habit of using the right SEO tactics and then using visual content as an added feature” say SEO experts in Tactica.
As you prepare to optimize your website for voice and visual searches, pay closer attention to the six tips we have discussed. It will also be wise of you to outsource to Europe reputable SEO experts to assist you with this optimization. Europe is populated with highly trained and knowledgeable SEO experts who can assist companies from around the world with all SEO related tasks. They have the advantage of a good internet connection and they have no linguistic problems, meaning you can communicate with them without any difficulties.
