Ways to Utilize Voice Search for Service Businesses
Embrace Conversational Content Tone
One of the most important ways to adapt your SEO strategies for voice search is to focus on using natural and conversational language in your website content. When people conduct voice searches, they speak naturally and conversationally.
For example, instead of saying “We provide plumbing services,” say “We can fix your leaky faucet.” Using a more natural tone in your content is still optimized for traditional search but is also optimized for those speaking to their mobile or smart home device.
Jessica Baker, SEO Consultant and Writer, Boundless Bakers
Leverage Social Media for Voice SEO
Service-based businesses can adapt their SEO strategies for voice search by leveraging social media platforms. Actively engaging with the target audience, sharing valuable content, and encouraging user-generated reviews and testimonials can improve online visibility and increase the likelihood of appearing in voice search results.
For example, a plumbing service company can create engaging video content on Facebook, showcasing DIY plumbing tips and tricks, and encouraging viewers to share their experiences in the comments. This interaction establishes credibility and increases the chances of appearing in voice search results when users inquire about plumbing problems.
Ben Lau, Founder, Featured SEO Company
Shift Focus to AI Content Strategies
Voice search was once considered the future of search, but it has experienced a nearly complete decline because of AI. With the emergence of technologies like ChatGPT and Bard AI, the influence of voice search has dwindled significantly.
I recommend that service-based businesses pivot their content strategies to align with AI features. It’s clear that AI is the future, and adapting to its capabilities should be a priority for staying relevant in the growing landscape.
Fahar Ps, SEO Practitioner, Syed Fahar
Craft Content for Search Queries
Search analysis and understanding what people are typing into Google are crucial for crafting effective SEO strategies. By crafting content that directly addresses these search queries, businesses can effectively engage with their audience and establish themselves as thought leaders in their respective industries.
Consider question words like who, what, when, where, why, and how when formulating your search queries. These words can help you uncover a broader range of topics and perspectives.
Using Google’s search suggestions feature directly is an effective method. By typing in partial search terms and observing the auto-suggested topics, you can gain valuable insights into the questions and concerns people actively seek answers to. The “People Also Ask” section provides a treasure trove of related search queries, revealing the broader context of users’ search intent.
Steve Bouboulus, Director of Marketing, SEO Strategist, and SEO Content Strategist, The Branding Agency
List in All Relevant Directories
One thing to do is to make sure that your information is in all local and service-based directories. Voice search platforms use citation information as one of their biggest factors for choosing a specific provider—that’s why, when those voice search spam callers pitch to you, they always say that you’re not listed in the various directories.
Isaac Hammelburger, Founder, Search Pros
Optimize for Long-Tail Keywords
Optimizing your content for long-tail keywords/phrases is essential. Conducting a comprehensive SEO audit is crucial as it helps identify the most pertinent keywords, catering not only to conventional searches but also optimized for voice searches. One major distinction lies in the length of keywords used for traditional versus voice searches.
Optimizing your content for local searches is important. People use voice searches to swiftly access answers to questions that directly impact them, often involving locating nearby stores, restaurants, or specific products for convenient access.
Therefore, brands must investigate the locations of these searches and the specific local identifiers being sought after. By doing so, brands can optimize their impact by tailoring content to align with local search interests and preferences.
Magnus Strandberg, SEO Specialist, SEO Consultant
Create Content for Featured Snippets
There is one synergy between the current Google search and voice search that can be utilized for voice search optimization. When we search using voice, our keywords will include “what,” “why,” “how,” “can,” “where,” etc., and in the same way, people type “too” in Google search. As a business, one should create a database of all such keywords using tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, etc., because the chances are high that your user will voice search them.
Now, the challenge will be to rank for them. Today, if you search the above terms, you will see a section at the top that answers the query, and that’s called a featured snippet. Google pulls content from one webpage that answers the query clearly and in easy-to-understand language.
The key here is to optimize/create content that’s very easy to understand and structured properly, such as searching “How to book an Uber cab” which should be answered in steps or in a brief paragraph that answers the exact query.
Shashank Singh, Sr. Product Manager (Ex-Head SEO)
Target Voice Search Queries
Instead of targeting a keyword like “content writing services,” we can optimize for longer, conversational queries such as “What are the best content writing services near me?” or “Find content writers with expertise in SEO.” This approach aligns with how people ask questions when using voice assistants like Siri or Alexa.
We provide concise and informative answers to these voice search queries within our content. This helps search engines understand that our content directly addresses the user’s question, increasing the chances of appearing in voice search results.
By adapting our SEO strategy in this way, Content Whale can better position itself to capture traffic from voice search users seeking our content writing services.
I think we should be optimizing for long-tail conversational keywords. Voice search queries tend to be more natural and conversational in tone, so we should focus on keywords and phrases that people are likely to use when speaking rather than typing.
Bhavik Sarkhedi, Growth Head and CMO, Content Whale
Enhance Business Listings for Voice
In our marketing agency, we have many service-based clients, and we recommend optimizing their business listings for voice search. For instance, to ensure they show up in voice searches like “find a plumber near me” or “book a haircut appointment in [city name],” we help them claim and optimize their Google My Business profiles. This includes filling out every detail, making sure their business categories are accurate, and incorporating keywords into their business descriptions. We also recommend regularly asking for and responding to customer reviews on these platforms. Not only does this demonstrate to customers that they value their feedback, but it also sends positive signals to search engines.
Tristan Harris, Demand Generation Senior Marketing Manager, Thrive Digital Marketing Agency
Embed Local Information in Voice Search Semantic Markups
Voice search users frequently perform local search queries, such as “near me” or “in [City Name].” As such, service-based businesses should prioritize structuring their content to answer geographically-related voice search questions properly.
One way to achieve this is by embedding local information in voice search semantic markups, or schema markups, effectively on their websites. This structured data helps search engines understand the content better, including the geographic context. For instance, a plumbing service could include markups identifying their service areas, hours, and emergency services.
Moreover, service-based businesses can leverage Google My Business to fill in crucial details like operating hours, address, contact information, and services provided. This strategy can help increase chances of showing up in voice search results when users perform local searches, asking for “[type of service] near me” or “[type of service] in [City Name].” The end goal is to help voice search algorithms recognize the business as a local and relevant result.
Riva Parejo, Digital Marketer & Founder, RivaVivi
