Google Voice Search in 2024: How to Optimize Website SEO Content

Studies reveal that over 50% of global searches are conducted through voice search. This marks a epochal change in how we interact with technology.

According to Statista.com, voice searches will reach 8.4 billion by 2024!

And mind you, this shift is not just a phenomenon in terms of convenience, but represents a radical transformation in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategies.

Imagine speaking a question to the wind and receiving an almost instant answer. This isn’t science fiction, but the reality we live in today.

After all, on Jeff Bullas‘s blog, one of the world’s greatest marketing experts, this was already widely discussed in 2018.

What is Google Voice Search and what has changed in 2024? Discover the latest updates

Google Voice Search, or Google voice search, is a feature that allows users to search the internet using their voice instead of typing.

This technology, based on voice recognition, allows users to query Google in a natural and conversational way, making searching faster and more intuitive, especially when on the move or with hands occupied.

In 2024, Google Voice Search has continued to evolve, presenting several significant updates:

1. Voice recognition technology has become even more accurate and fast, with improved understanding of accents, dialects, and linguistic variations.
2. The use of artificial intelligence has made Google Voice Search more intuitive, allowing the assistant to learn from previous interactions and provide more personalized and contextualized responses.
3. Google has improved its ability to interpret the context of questions, allowing users to ask follow-up questions without having to repeat the entire context.
4. New measures have been implemented to ensure user privacy and security, including greater transparency and control over the use of voice data.
5. With the “increase in” voice search usage, websites must optimize their content for this type of query, adapting SEO strategies to be more effective.

What are the differences between traditional search and voice search

Here are some of the main differences:

• The most obvious difference is in how searches are performed. In traditional search, users type their queries into a search engine. In voice search, however, requests are made verbally, using voice recognition-enabled devices.
• In voice search, people tend to use more natural and conversational language. Voice queries are often formulated as complete questions, while in traditional search, people tend to use keywords or short, direct phrases.
• Voice queries tend to be longer and more detailed compared to written ones, due to the more conversational nature of spoken language.
• In voice search, search intentions are clearer thanks to the use of natural language. This can help search engines provide more relevant and specific results.
• Voice search is often associated with the use of smartphones and smart devices, such as smart speakers, while traditional search is frequently performed on computers or laptops.
• In voice search, a single result or direct answer to the question is often provided, while in traditional search, users receive a list of results to choose from.
• Voice search is generally faster and can be more convenient when the user’s hands are occupied or while driving.

These differences have important implications for SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and for how companies and content creators should approach optimization for voice search compared to traditional search.

The 10 Basic Principles of Content Optimization for Voice Search

Optimizing content for voice search requires a slightly different approach compared to traditional SEO optimization. Here are some basic principles to keep in mind:

1. Since voice search is often formulated in a conversational manner, it’s important to write content that uses natural and colloquial language. This helps to better respond to users’ voice queries.
2. Voice searches often include direct questions. Optimize your content by including and answering these common questions. Tools like Answer the Public help identify what questions users are asking in your reference sector.
3. Provide clear and direct information, especially in the opening paragraphs of an article or web page.
4. Voice queries are longer and more specific than written ones. Use long-tail keywords that reflect the conversational way people speak and ask questions.
5. Use headings, subheadings, and bullet points to structure your content so it’s easily scannable. This helps search engines understand and extract relevant information from your pages.
6. Many voice searches are local in nature, such as “where is the nearest Japanese restaurant?” Make sure your website is optimized for local SEO, including city names, addresses, and relevant information.
7. Since most voice searches happen via mobile devices, ensure your site is fully optimized for mobile, with fast loading times and a responsive design.
8. Use schema markup to help search engines understand the context of your content and ensure it’s used to answer specific questions in voice searches.
9. Consider the context in which voice searches originate. For example, people might be looking for directions, restaurant suggestions, or information about local events.
10. As with any SEO strategy, it’s crucial to monitor the performance of your site and adapt your strategy based on results. Use tools like Google Analytics 4 to understand how users interact with your content and make changes accordingly.

Remember that the goal is to optimize content and make it as accessible and useful as possible for users performing voice searches.

How to Choose the Right Keywords for Google Voice Search

Here are some tips for identifying the most effective keywords for voice search:

• Voice searches tend to be formulated as if the “user were talking to another” person. Therefore, it’s important to consider phrases and questions that users naturally use in conversation. Test yourself and think about how you would ask a friend for information and answers to your questions!
• Many voice searches are questions. Identify the most common ones in your industry and use them as keywords. Tools like Answer the Public can help you discover which questions users ask most frequently.
• Voice searches tend to be more specific and detailed compared to text searches. Therefore, long-tail keywords, which are longer and more specific phrases, are particularly important for voice search.
• Many users use voice search to find local information, such as directions and store opening hours. Make sure to include relevant local terms if your business has a local component.
• If you have access to analytical data, examine the voice queries that drive traffic to your site. This can give you insights into the keywords actually used by users.
• Once you have identified the appropriate keywords, ensure that your content reflects them. For example, if a common keyword is a question, your content should provide a clear and direct answer.
• Tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, Ahrefs, and others help you identify relevant keywords and understand their search volume and difficulty.
• Pay attention to customer questions and feedback, both online (e.g., on social media or forums) and offline (e.g., in-store or during events). You’ll gain valuable insights into the keywords to use.

You need to understand how your users speak and what they search for when using voice search, and then adapt your content accordingly.

Now let’s dive deeper and start really optimizing content for Google voice search!

10 actions you must take to optimize content for specific questions users ask Google

Here’s how you should proceed to optimize content and answer specific questions that users ask Google:

1. Start with in-depth research to identify the most frequent questions your target audience asks Google. You can use tools like Google Trends, or even examine forums and social media, to understand common questions in your industry.
2. For each question, understand well the “search intent. Ask yourself what exactly the” user wants to know and why they’re asking that question. This will help you provide more relevant and useful answers.
3. Structure your content so that it directly answers the identified questions. It’s helpful to use the question itself as a title or subtitle “within the” article, to highlight the direct correlation with the query.
4. Ensure that your answers are concise, direct, and easily understandable. Avoid rambling too much before getting to the point.
5. Structure the content so that it’s suitable to appear as featured snippets on Google. For example, you can use bullet points, tables, or a brief summary at the “beginning of the” article.
6. Use keywords related to the questions within your content, but do so naturally. This not only helps with SEO but also makes it easier for Google to recognize that your content answers a specific question.
7. Frequently asked questions can change over time. It’s important to update the content so it continues to effectively answer current questions.
8. If you have many questions related to your industry, consider creating a FAQ page (Frequently Asked Questions), where you provide brief and direct answers.
9. Since many searches are performed via mobile devices, your website must be optimized for mobile viewing to improve user experience.
10. Use analytics to monitor how your content performs in terms of ranking and organic traffic. Use this data to make improvements and change strategy if necessary!

You need to create content that not only effectively answers users’ questions but is also optimized for search engines, in order to increase visibility and traffic to your site.

Limitations and challenges of Google voice search

Google Voice Search isn’t all rosy. It definitely has room for improvement and aspects to enhance:

• Despite significant progress, Google Voice Search still has difficulty in fully understanding the context of certain questions, especially when they are implicit or require deep understanding.
• The variety of accents and dialects still presents a challenge for voice search. Even though Google has worked hard to improve in this area, voice search sometimes struggles to correctly interpret words pronounced by non-native speakers or those with strong accents.

• The collection and processing of voice data raise important issues regarding privacy and security.
• Voice search tends to provide a single answer, rather than a series of options, as in traditional search.
• Background noise and environmental interference can affect Google Voice Search’s ability to correctly recognize words, making it less reliable to use in noisy environments or outdoors.
• While Google Voice Search is effective for simple questions and direct commands, it may have difficulty with more complex interactions, or with requests that require a high degree of reasoning.

These limitations and challenges highlight the areas where Google’s voice search can still evolve and improve, to ensure greater accessibility, reliability, and usefulness for all users. We are certain that Big G won’t keep us waiting long and will surprise us, as always!

Discover how to activate Google voice search in 5 simple steps

To activate Google voice search, you can follow these steps:

1. Open the Google app on your device, which can be a phone, tablet, or computer.
2. Go to the app’s home screen and look for the microphone icon in the search bar.
3. Tap the microphone icon and activate the voice search functionality.
4. Give the app permission to access the microphone. If it’s your first time using voice search, you might need to give Google’s app permission to use your device’s microphone.
5. Say your search query. The app will recognize your voice and start the search based on what you said.

Make sure your device has an active internet connection and that the microphone is working properly.

If you encounter problems, check the privacy and microphone access settings in your device’s settings!

Voice search and Google Assistant are not the same. Be careful not to confuse them

It’s important to distinguish between Google voice search and Google Assistant, as, despite being closely related and both available for Android and iOS, they have different functions and purposes.

• Voice search is a specific feature of Google Home integrated into smart displays, which allows users to search the internet using their voice. It primarily focuses on searching for information online. The user asks a question, and Google provides the most relevant answer based on search results. It’s integrated into Google’s search engine and can be used on various devices, including smartphones, tablets, and computers.
• Google Assistant is a more advanced virtual assistant that includes voice search functionality but also offers many other features. In addition to answering questions, Google Assistant, which is activated by saying ‘Hey Google’, can set reminders, manage smart home devices, send messages, make calls, and much more.

In summary, while Google voice search focuses on answers and information based on users’ voice queries, Google Assistant is a more complex and versatile help system that facilitates interaction between the user and their devices, providing a wide range of services and functionalities.

If you want to know more and are looking for an SEO strategy that focuses on optimizing voice searches, contact us! You have a free consultation available with one of our SEO specialists.