1. Use Natural, Conversational Language
When people speak to voice assistants, they typically use longer, more natural phrases, as if speaking to another person. Therefore, your content should be optimised for these long-tail keywords and conversational phrases.
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Target question-based queries: Think about questions users might ask when searching for your services. For example, if you own a bakery, optimise for phrases like “Where can I find the best chocolate cake near me?” or “What are the best gluten-free bakeries in [your location]?”
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Use structured data and FAQ pages that answer common questions directly. This helps voice assistants retrieve quick answers.
2. Focus on Local SEO
Voice searches often have local intent. People tend to ask their voice assistants for information about nearby services, stores, or restaurants. Optimising your website for local SEO will help you show up when users are searching with phrases like “near me,” “close by,” or “in [city].”
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Claim and optimise your Google My Business listing to appear in local voice search results.
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Ensure your NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) information is consistent across all platforms and directories.
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Add your location to your title tags, meta descriptions, and content where applicable.
3. Optimise for Featured Snippets
Voice assistants often pull answers from Featured Snippets—those concise answers that appear at the top of search results in a box. These snippets are often read aloud by voice assistants.
To optimise for featured snippets, focus on content that directly answers questions and is easy to read. Featured snippets typically pull from paragraphs, lists, and tables.
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Format your content to directly answer common questions in short, clear paragraphs (aim for around 40-50 words).
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Use bullet points or numbered lists when answering questions.
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Use headings and subheadings (H1, H2) to make it easier for search engines to identify the most relevant content.
4. Speed Up Your Website
One thing voice search users hate is waiting. Voice search tends to prioritise fast-loading websites that provide quick answers to queries. Google has confirmed that page speed is a ranking factor, and in voice search, it’s even more critical.
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Test your website’s speed using tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTMetrix.
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Compress images, minimise code, and leverage browser caching to reduce loading times.
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Aim for under 3 seconds for loading times, especially on mobile.
5. Ensure Mobile-Friendliness
Since voice search is most commonly used on mobile devices, mobile optimisation is critical. Google also prioritises mobile-friendly websites in its ranking algorithm. If your website isn’t responsive or doesn’t display well on mobile, it may be overlooked by both voice assistants and users.
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Make sure your website is mobile-responsive, meaning it adapts to different screen sizes.
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Optimise for touch navigation, so users can easily interact with your site on their smartphones.
6. Use Schema Markup to Provide Context
Schema markup is a form of structured data that helps search engines better understand your content. By adding Schema.org markup to your website, you can provide context to search engines, making it easier for them to pull the right information for voice search results.
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Implement Local Business Schema to help Google understand your business’s location, hours, and services.
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Use FAQ schema to provide quick answers to common questions.
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Ensure that your markup is up-to-date and error-free by using tools like Google’s Structured Data Testing Tool.
7. Improve Your Content’s Readability
Voice search prioritises content that’s easy to read and digest. Short, clear sentences work best when content is read aloud by voice assistants. If your content is too complex or hard to follow, voice assistants may not pick it up.
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Break content into short paragraphs with clear headings and subheadings.
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Avoid jargon or overly complicated language. Instead, write in a conversational tone.
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Use tools like Hemingway Editor or Grammarly to improve readability.
