Empower the digital assistants of technology to help broadcast your message through voice search

Technology has evolved at an astounding pace over the past three decades; the jump from a tenuous and time-consuming dial-up connection on a desktop computer to 5G, hands-free, voice-activated access to all of the information of the world anywhere you go barely seems possible. But the future is here, and we are living in it.

Although digital innovation has solved many of life’s little problems, it’s also presented some new challenges as we adapt to higher speeds, new devices, and upgraded options; particularly when it comes to bridging the gap between traditional marketing and modern technology.

Optimizing your marketing messages for voice search is a key component to broadcasting your brand as voice-recognition technology continues to evolve.

Can you hear me now?

Digital assistants such as Siri, Google Assistant, and Alexa are beloved by consumers due to the ease they bring to getting answers and taking actions without lifting a finger. But many marketers are struggling to understand how to land on the radar of these unseen narrators.

• 50 percent of searches will be voice searches by 2020, according to data from ComScore.
• 30 percent of web-browsing will be screen-free, according to Gartner.
• 72 percent of voice-activated speaker owners claim to use the device as part of their daily routine, according to Google.

The rising popularity of smart speakers, televisions, and digital assistants lends credence to the idea that conversations with AI bots are likely to become a routine part of everyday life. What does this mean for marketing?

Meeting your potential customers where they’re at requires innovation. The following tips and tricks on creating content that’s compatible with voice-activated search can help make sure your marketing messages are heard loud and clear regardless of the medium.

1. Reconsider keywords

Artificial intelligence and voice searches rely on actual speech patterns to understand communication. In text-based SEO content, ideal keywords are short fragments that someone may type into a search bar as quickly as possible, but these don’t represent the way people speak. Voice searches often consist of longer phrases with specific wording.

Start creating content with longtail keywords using conversational language. Consider the kind of information that potential consumers might search for and create blog posts or FAQ pages that answer those queries clearly with quality content indexed with the kind of phrase-based questions that get shouted at Siri.

2. Focus on local and mobile search

Voice searches often target local information, such as, “What restaurant delivers near me?” It’s important that your website and business information is updated and optimized to cover locally relevant searches. Make sure your hours of operation, location, and offerings are accurate and detailed. For instance, if you operate an Italian restaurant, include, “Best lasagna in (your town)” and any possible variations that a potential patron might seek out.

Also, make sure your website is mobile-friendly. With so many searches happening from mobile devices and user experience being a core concern for search sites, mobile-friendly sites fare better not only in voice-search results but also traditional text-based results.

3. Be SEO savvy

Text-based SEO tactics are far from obsolete, regardless of what the “voice search will be everything” alarmists may claim. The majority of voice search results are whatever is highlighted in Google’s featured snippet, so creating high-ranking content is still key to being noticed.

Google tries to make searches faster by summarizing a top result when it returns search queries in order to offer a quick answer to a question. Make an effort to be the author of that featured snippet; it may push you to the top when it comes to voice search results, too.

Here’s how to create content that has a chance to be a featured snippet:

• Understand and address your audience’s intent.
• Research relevant keywords and create matching content.
• Offer high-quality content that provides accurate information.
• Use easy-to-follow formatting and clearly stated definitions or answers.
• Learn and use best practices for search engine optimization.

The best practices for creating content that performs well for voice search is good marketing advice in general in our increasingly mobile world: Think of how people speak, what they need, how they’ll search for it, and how you can support their interests and efforts. Organize your marketing strategy to address those factors first — Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant will notice your efforts and become your allies.

Respond Fast provides this solution by presenting customers with codes through direct mail, radio, television, and other offline mediums that will take them directly to your offer. In doing so, your customers will be confident they’re receiving precisely what they’re looking for instantly. Contact us for more information on what our Voice Activated Call to Action technology can do for your brand.