Tech develops so fast that we can barely adapt to it. One of the latest and most solid trends is localized voice search. You can see it everywhere.
People are using smartphones more often now to do their searches, not to mention home assistants.
Users are looking for a way to make their info search process as effortless as possible.
And doing it by voice in a conversational way is just what’s needed.
So, what’s up with voice search, and why should you localize it to improve your brand’s visibility and revenue? We’ll cover all the info in this article.
Source:https://www.thedigitalimpressions.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Hello-I-m-listening.png
Why Regular and Localized Voice Search Matter
According to Statista, by 2024, the number of voice assistants in households may reach as much as 8.4% billion.
Furthermore, a Search Engine Journal study showed that 58% of voice search users utilize the technology to look for local business information.
So, the importance of voice search and SEO approaches connected to it shouldn’t be underestimated, both for searchers and for businesses.
Voice search technology is exceptionally convenient because in many, if not most cases, it’s easier to give commands or perform searches using speech rather than typing.
Another reason why this tech is important is that younger generations are more tech-savvy and use it to make their lives easier.
Localized voice search allows people from different areas and countries to use their speech, with all the peculiarities, to find information and control their household.
This is an improvement of the idea of voice search in general, allowing more people to utilize it.
Regular Search vs. Voice Search: What’s the Difference?
Let’s examine the difference between the two queries:
- “grocery store near me”
- “What’s the closest local grocery store?”
See the difference?
The first query has fewer words, no grammar or full questions, just the keywords.
The second one is a regular voice search query. It’s more conversational and sounds like a full question. It can be a long-tail keyword or contain one.
When it comes to keyword recommendations, the approach is different. Long-tails look like real speech, so you’ll have to optimize the page accordingly, looking for the most relevant queries.
Digital tools like SE Ranking’s Keyword Suggestion Tool will make the task easier since it stores such keywords and will help you find suitable ones in terms of search volume, competitiveness, and other metrics.
While you should write down ideas of your own, checking them with a tool to see if people use them and how much they do it is crucial for finding a perfect match.
It’s your decision whether or not to optimize for voice search, but given the statistics we’ve presented above, you can miss out on a lot of visits, leads, and customers if you only optimize for traditional search.
This also applies to adjusting your customer experience when learning what is voice chat and utilizing it, as well as the website’s inner voice search and other related technologies.
Of course, just throwing in a couple of long-tails won’t do the job.
How to Optimize Content for Voice Search
Here, we have several recommendations on how to optimize your content for voice search:
- Make it easy to read.
Making the content readable and scannable isn’t that difficult. Use shorter sentences, don’t stack up 10 sentences in one paragraph (4-5 is perfectly fine), use sub-headers to divide the content. - Use conversational language.
Leave the formal speech and difficult terms for academics. Add more conversational elements to the text, like an occasional question, or an easy long-tail keyword. Write like a regular person would speak. - Localize content.
Use local keywords. If you sell shoes in NYC, make sure the name of the city (or even more precise location) is in the keyword. Also, keep the working hours and other peculiarities of your local business in mind. - Create FAQ pages.
The questions people ask in voice search may be special questions – Who, What, When, Where, Why, or How. Make sure these questions are somewhere on your website along with precise and clear answers.
Correct Localization Is Key
Now, we finally get to translate for voice search. This can be tricky since you’ll have to localize or re-localize the content.
While optimization for easy translation should be a priority if you’re looking for your content to be rendered in different dialects and languages, long-tail keywords may be difficult to translate directly.
Therefore, local cultural knowledge and new keyword research are musts.
Many aspects have to be kept in mind when rendering the text. First of all, remember that it is basically a voice to translate text. Also, don’t forget about localization.
After all, it’s important to make the text seem whole and easy to read.
This leads to the only appropriate decision – hiring a professional translator or translators, depending on the needs of the company.
Linguistic and cultural knowledge will help them adapt and re-optimize your text.
Consider Your Translators as Ambassadors
Use your translators’ potential to the fullest. These people can not only properly optimize and localize your content, but also provide information about:
- The different phrases people use locally (slang, regional phrases, and keywords)
- How you can present your products and services properly in the location of interest.
So, it’s only fair to consider your translators as ambassadors of the brand.
Summary
Technology develops and improves rapidly. While some businesses are missing out on voice search optimization and content localization, others are incorporating AR and VR tech.
Hiring professional translators can bring your business multiple benefits, especially if you’re looking for expansion.
Voice search optimization isn’t all that difficult if you have the right information and the right people. So, don’t waste your time diving deeper into the topic, move closer to success!
Start by updating the keywords list you’re optimizing for. Include more long-tail keywords that are more conversational and will show your content to voice search users browsing the Internet every day.
Write in an easy-to-understand language and answer questions concisely to attract more views of your page from voice search results.
