Optimizing for Voice Search – Your Chase for Featured Answers

We have been discussing forecasts of mobile devices overtaking desktop computers since the commencement of the last year, and we are not shocked that the predictions have fulfilled spectacularly. The contributions of Dag Kittlaus of the Apple Siri project and those bright engineers at Google have made searching by voice the common thing to do. We are under no impact that voice search remains the way it was. There have been tectonic shifts in the process people are using their voice in performing the entire process easier.

So, what does that mean regarding Local SEO or SEO at large? Remember that searchers practicing their voice will not be economical with words, in videos posted by enchanted Siri users on YouTube, we have observed some users say a lot before preparing their query served. The way Siri manages long tailed keywords is nothing less than a blow of brilliance on the part of the founders. Long tailed keywords have to be managed with precision, and the difficulty for Local SEO is to strike the right balance among long tailed keywords for voice search users and shorter ones that traditional searchers use.

What Changes after Voice?

The algorithm does not modify a bit. The same mobile search algorithms are applied after the words spoken by the searcher has been incorporated into written words and run through as if it originated from a mobile browser. Now, we must perceive here that spoken words could be put to words long before voice search appeared. The agent of transformation is the machine which ‘understands.’ At this point, the machine is not yet fully refined and comes up with several interpretations of the same query. This changes things a bit.

Local SEO now need to optimize for a group of possible outcomes preferably of a single one. Voice interpreting procedures being used currently are yet to be improved to reach the refinement of the human brain and Apple appears to be making improvements. Meanwhile, Local SEO can do a few things.

• Optimize for the principal keyword with varying iterations
• Creating more content with the equivalent intent but with synonyms of the main keyword
• Attend more to social graphs because Siri utilizes these to find beneficial results
• Use review sites to continue positive reviews
• Add local business organizations to the reviews and on the local business website
• Reward well functioning long tailed keywords and change the structure of those that are falling behind

Here are Some Ways we can Make our Website Ready for Voice-Searches:

• Create content with a natural voice flowing English/spoken English. Avoid using formal language. Think the same way consumers will be speaking when they do searches. By this, you will be able to get your message across in a conversational manner.
• FAQ strategy works best if you plan to create content for voice search optimization. Answer questions such as “Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?” Address answers to these questions on the not just website, but use the blog and social media posts also.
• Long tail keywords are ideal for optimization: Long-tail keywords as well as keyword phrases in question form. Make them sound natural. Don’t try to force fit a keyword phrase in your content.

Moving Away from Keywords

The importance of keywords in SEO has declined over the years. Google has been decreasing the significance of keyword focused search queries, due to low-quality keyword-spammed content on the web. When users use any search engine, they want to be shown relevant websites that contain actual information about what they’re observing not some random thrown together page with keywords spammed all over the place.

These days, voice search is making the requirement for quality content all the more essential. Importance must be placed on sentence, and question-based searches rather than keyword focused.

The Technology Behind This:

For the time being, you don’t possess to concern about implementing any markup codes for voice search rankings. While there are some technologies associated with the creation of voice search, current SEO practices are enough to maintain high rankings. You won’t have to adjust your web design too much – at least for now. Just include voice search in your overall strategy.