Are the Search Engines “Hearing” Your Content?
“Okay Google”, “Hi Alexa”, “Hello Siri”, the list goes on. In the age of voice-based search programs like Siri, Alexa, Google Assistant, and more, users expect to find information faster, better, easier. For search marketers, meeting that expectation has become more challenging than ever! Audiences are talking to search engines, but do search engines hear your content? No, they don’t. They still need to read it and then communicate it to searchers by voice. So, how has the internet landscape changed for or against this new form of communication, and what does this mean for SEO ranking keywords?
For many years, SEO has focused on catering to generalized search terms. For example, in the age of search bar-based questions, asking Google or Bing about “CEO apple” should return the correct information on the current CEO of Apple. But with the recent advent of vocally-based search features in homes and on mobile devices, it’s not that simple anymore. How is SEO content changing to fit the industry need? What are some of the best ways to equip your website content to cater to these new types of queries?
Keyword Usage for Vocal SEO
Most SEO copywriting is based around the idea of keyword density and quality for the subject that is being written about. These pieces of content include the keywords that show up most often through search engines. To use the same search query example above, a strong SEO page for “CEO Apple” would include phrases like “CEO Apple,” “Apple CEO,” and so on. However, in the age of voice searching, the SEO copywriting formula becomes both simpler and more complex than it has been in the past.
Studies show that articles written for typed questions are often phrased differently than articles based in verbal questions. Many SEO copywriters find it challenging to work the shortened forms of questions into articles in order to rank for desired keywords. Voice searches have slowly begun to change the way that people ask questions. Studies of the various voice-recognition platforms show that the average individual searches for information based around how they would naturally talk. Instead of using the usual shortened questions we see through Google search, for example, the vocal search programs are being spoken to as if they were another human being. This brings up a concern: how does this change in speech patterns influence content marketing and SEO copywriting for voice search?
What Does this Mean for SEO Ranking Keywords?
Vocal search may be one of the best things to happen to SEO content writing in a long time. Research done on the way individuals ask their devices questions shows that the standard two or three-word question format has been replaced with more natural phrases, such as the who, what, when, where, why, and how method of gathering information. This means that your digital content that is voice search conscious should focus on more natural phrasings for their articles. By including both SEO content that caters towards traditional keyword searches, as well as more parsed-out questions (for example, “Who is the CEO of Apple?”), content writing and publishing for the web can be tailored to allow your online assets to rank higher in search results.
Here are some useful tips on writing for voice search:
- One of the key ways to make sure that your website ranks well for voice searches is to see that the flow of your articles is consistent and natural.
- Since the SEO industry is seeing a return to more natural speech patterns, avoiding stilted or awkward phrasing is critical for higher ranking on the search results pages.
- Similarly, keeping the question that is being searched near the beginning of your articles is key to gaining traffic. With voice searches, people are not as willing to scroll through an entire page of information to gain an answer to their question. This is already proven with the decline of click-bait and click-through articles on social media sites.
- Keeping your information accurate and to the point can help you gain that voice search traffic.
- For more research-based question rankings, having an overabundance of question-based content is less important. In those situations, individuals will be looking for more detailed answers to their questions. This kind of SEO copywriting should depend more heavily on reliable sources and accurate information to ensure that your visitors will continue to use your website.
- It is important to keep in mind that many of the vocal searches are being done through smartphones and tablets. Therefore, having a good mobile site design is also essential to maintain the quality and quantity of your website traffic.
While SEO copywriting is fast evolving due to the latest technological advances, the methods and ways of writing content for voice searches are much more natural than in days past. This positive change will allow for a more seamless integration of keywords into your online content. Hence, you can spend less time fretting over the phrasing of questions and more time creating quality content that caters to your customers’ needs while also working towards achieving your SEO goals.
To get copywriting help for your content marketing campaigns, call: 1.888.MINT(6468).003.
Contact us to explore how we can make SEO copywriting and content marketing easier for you.