Typing is a thing of the past. More and more search queries are being spoken into cell phones – while driving, cooking, or on the go. Voice search is fundamentally different from typed search.
People who type are lazy: “Hairdresser Berlin.” People who speak use whole sentences: “Where is the nearest hairdresser that is still open?”
What does this mean for your marketing?
1. Optimize for W questions
Your website should provide answers to typical W questions (who, where, when, how much?). Integrate these questions directly into your texts or FAQs.
2. “Near me” is the key
Voice assistants rely heavily on the user’s location. In order to be displayed “nearby,” your Google business profile must be perfectly maintained and your website must send clear local signals (address in the footer, Google Map embedded).
3. Speak “naturally”
Say goodbye to pure keyword deserts. Write your texts as you would speak to a customer. AIs analyze semantic relationships (“natural language processing”). If your text sounds natural, it is more likely to be read aloud as a response.
4. Speed is crucial for voice search
Voice assistants don’t wait. If your website takes 5 seconds to load, the assistant will abort and move on to the next result. Mobile loading time is a direct ranking factor for voice search.
The practical test
Take your cell phone and ask Siri or Google Assistant about your own service in your city. Who gets mentioned? If it’s not you, we have work to do.
