Last Updated on September 20, 2022 by Team Experts

Even when you outsource website and search engine optimization for your business, it’s important to be aware of trends that are driving customers to your site. Here’s what you need to know about the boom in voice searches on the internet.

Understand Why Voice Search Optimization Matters

With the preponderance of phones, smart speakers, and other electronics that feature hands-free technology, more and more consumers are taking advantage of the convenience of directing their devices with their voices. Without adjusting your search keywords so they’re optimized for voice queries, your business will be harder for people to access. While working with a knowledgeable team of internet marketing experts like those at Onpoint SEO is the best way to ensure your keywords are right on trend.

Think Key Sentences, Not Keywords

When people type keywords into a search engine, they typically use very few words, whereas verbal queries tend to be more conversational. For example, someone looking to purchase engine fluids might enter “motor oil” into an on-screen search box, yet if they were speaking the same request, they’d be more likely to use a complete sentence like “Where can I buy motor oil?” Longer, phrase-based keywords are more effective in ranking your website high in voice search results.

Notice That Questions Sound More Natural

You may have noticed from the above or in your own personal searches that it’s more natural to use questions when conducting verbal searches. Optimizing keywords for voice requests often means beginning them with the question words you learned back in school: who, what, when, why, where, and how.

Don’t Forget the Tiny Words

All of those little connector words we use in regular speech fall by the wayside in typed searches, but because they’re typically used in voice inquiries they should appear in optimized keywords. Rather than dropping them, fillers like “the,” “a/an,” and “and” should always be included.

Use Simple Language

Crafting voice search-friendly keywords is no time to break out the thesaurus. Keep your verbiage simple by choosing short, common words for your query phrases. You can be sure that far more people will ask “Who does fast dry cleaning?” than “Who does expeditious dry cleaning?”

By understanding voice search and its importance in bringing customers to your website, you can ensure you’re keeping up with this growing trend. Using voice-friendly language when developing your keywords will keep you from getting left behind with outdated SEO tactics.

Read more: Why Business Directories Dominate Local SEO Efforts?