The Impact of Voice Search on SEO: What You Need to Know

Voice search is transforming how people interact with search engines, presenting both challenges and opportunities for SEO. At w3 Nerds, we can help your business stay ahead of the curve by understanding these critical shifts.

The Conversational Shift: Voice Searching Changes How People Search for Things

Unlike typed searches, voice searches are longer and more conversational. When doing a voice search, it’s much more common to pose questions using natural language, just like you’d ask someone sitting next to you. Instead of saying “chocolate cake recipe”, you’re more likely to ask “Hey Google, what’s the best homemade chocolate cake recipe?” This subtle shift requires a shift in keyword research, which focuses more on natural language phrases.

Searching on the Go: Voice Searching Changes Where You Search

Voice search is so convenient and this convenience means it’s being used in more places than ever before. "Near me now" searches have exploded, as people seek instant solutions while on the move. This emphasizes the importance of local SEO strategies for your business if you’re looking to capture immediate, location-based queries.

The Rise of Answer Engines: Voice Searching Changes How You Get Your Search Results

Google is evolving into an "answer engine," as opposed to a search engine. This is because Google directly provides answers and information through featured snippets and knowledge graphs, without ever even directing you to an actual site. This means your content needs to deliver concise, direct answers to user questions. For w3 Nerds, optimizing for featured snippets becomes crucial to gain visibility in voice search results. By adapting your content to directly answer questions, w3 Nerds can help you dominate the voice search landscape.