How Will Artificial Intelligence and Voice Search Affect SEO Marketing?

Voice Search and Intelligent Personal Assistants (IPAs) enable users to speak out their query in natural language instead of typing keywords in a search engine. Search engines return a direct answer instead of a list of links (as happens in text queries). By providing relevant answers and helpful links quickly, voice search queries enhance user experience. No wonder, this conversational method of searching is becoming increasingly popular.

By 2020, its predicted 50% of all searches on Google will be voice-based. A 2015 MindMeld survey found 40% of its respondents saying they have started using voice-activated personal assistants (Siri for Apple, Cortana for Microsoft).

Since the trend is fast catching up, Google’s algorithm for ranking pages has also undergone a drastic change, and marketers need to adapt fast to remain relevant.

Let us outline some smart SEO strategies that’ll help your website:

1. Semantic context will be more important than ever

You are most probably tempted to brush it off as old news. But wait, there’s a twist. Data shows voice search queries are typically longer than text queries.

Text query example: hotel Long Island
Voice query: What are the best hotels in Long Island?

They are going to become more descriptive, personal and specific in future.

By researching millions of voice queries and contrasting them with text queries, it was found: there’s no concrete trend in query word count; character count has increased; question words dominate voice queries, and future queries will longer and complex.

SEO Hacks for Semantic Context

Use LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing) keywords in your content, ads and creatives. Search engines will be more thorough in indexing your content because they will now understand the searcher’s actual intent through her descriptive voice query. So, keyword stuffing will get you nowhere.

Use free LSI keyword generators such as LSIgraph. Then use these keywords strategically and sensibly in your web pages.

2. Work on Local SEO

A survey by Meditative Spotlight shows that 89% of searchers look for local businesses weekly and 58% on a daily basis. This presents a huge opportunity for businesses with local presence to rank higher.

We have an illustration to help you understand. A searcher wants to know what he can do around New Jersey area. Here’s what she types vis-a-vis her  voice query:

Text query: New Jersey attractions

The search results will list pictures and links to attractions in the vicinity.

Voice search query: What are all the things I can do in New Jersey area?

If you implement local SEO for your web pages, you can not only list out activities in the area, you can bundle up information about other amenities you’re offering- hotels, tours, dining, shopping, and so on.

SEO Hacks for Local SEO

-Include local landmarks in your content. Use both short tail and long tail variations

-Add neighborhood places as suffixes wherever possible.

-Keep an eye on local SEO in all your ads and landing pages.

-Give additional information in schema markup and microdata such as lowest prices, business hours, directions to the store, sales/offers) This underutilized tactic can boost your CTR.

3. Get Inside the Searcher’s Head

To structure content so that it answers voice queries efficiently, search engine optimization needs to anticipate the questions searchers are likely to ask. Now, you don’t need to look in a crystal ball for that! If you tailor targeted content, you have good chances of landing higher up on the knowledge graph (Google’s search mechanism).

SEO hacks for Getting Inside the Searcher’s Head

• Use tools like FAQFox to get a lowdown on questions, relevant to your niche, searchers are asking all over the internet. Add these questions as such in your content.
• Disqus conversations and forums are also great to uncover frequently-asked questions.
• Understand user’s intent; are they shopping or browsing, and market accordingly. If you’re getting more local queries that reflect shopping mindset, bid for those words in

4. Adwords

Include the filler words in voice queries into your content.

What’s the average cost of Nike shoes?

Where can I find Nike shoes under $300?

When is a sale on Nike shoes likely?

5. Use Phonetic SEO

If your brand name is non-English, an acronym (ESPN) or a creative variation of a dictionary name (Creatick), chances are that users will mispronounce it or IPAs will misinterpret it.

SEO Hack for Phonetic SEO

Identify the common mispronunciations of your brand name and then try bidding for these keywords!

So, get going with these new rules. Remember, voice search and IPAs are still new and Google is also traversing a learning curve, just as you are! If you want your business to be voice search ready, contact us or give Results Driven Marketing a call at 215-393-8700 for a free consultation.

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