Optimizing content writing for voice search
You can optimize your content writing for voice search by using shorter, relevant sentences. Stick to the point. Address the main issue immediately.
Google Assistant, Siri, Microsoft Cortana, Amazon Alexa, voice search is everywhere these days.
It is very important that your content writing is optimized for voice search.
With voice search, a user doesn’t have to be using a PC or a laptop or even a mobile phone.
For example, using Google Home or Amazon Echo, you can just speak into the device and search for the information you are looking for.
Voice search technology uses the basic search engine. For example, if you use Google Assistant to search for something on Google, the most relevant information is brought up according to the way it has been indexed and ranked by the Google algorithm.
It is not a different technology as far as the data goes. The same data is used, but now, it is found according to the expression spoken into the device.
This Forbes article says that voice search will dominate SEO in 2019, and whenever there is SEO, there is content writing. The article goes to the extent of saying that by 2020, 50% of the online searches will be made through voice search. There will be 67 million voice-assisted devices operational just in the US by 2019, according to Adweek. In his keynote in 2016, Sundar Pichai said that 20% of mobile queries were already voice searches.
Naturally, Google is paying more attention to voice search optimization.
Remember that Google wants to find only the best information for its users. If it cannot do so, there are many competing search technologies people can move onto.
So, naturally, it goes on improving its algorithm to find only the best results for text as well as voice searches.
The above-linked article further says that by January 2018, on an average there were 1 billion voice searches every month.
Shift towards voice search began to manifest many years ago. The Hummingbird update from Google began to focus on user intent and the contextual meaning of the keywords and search terms instead of exact words.
Here is a very nice description of how Google voice search works. It’s slightly old, but the concept is explained very nicely.
When you are speaking into your phone or any other device, you may not use the exact terms. When you are writing, you have the time to think and manipulate your words, and you do it even unconsciously, without making extra effort.
When you say things, you’re more spontaneous. The way you search becomes conversational.
Are you making your content voice-search ready? What does it even mean? Won’t your current content work?
Whether your existing content works or not is never guaranteed, even in the conventional search. Search engines keep on indexing and ranking newer content which is either better than your content or smarter at getting itself ranked higher.
All you can do is, do your best. Provide the best content you can.
Still, there are some things you can do to optimize your content writing for voice search. Here are a few things you can keep in mind:
Use conversational, longer search expressions when optimizing your content writing
People use longer, precise expressions when searching with their voice.
When you are searching by typing, you may search for “best content writer”, but when you speak into your phone, you may search for “find me the best content writer who can improve my SEO” or, “find me a content writer who regularly writes for web design companies”.
This is one thing.
Use conversational language. Avoid creating very complicated sentences. No matter how smart artificial intelligence gets, if you create very complex sentences containing multiple phrases and clauses, it may not be able to interpret what you’re trying to say, properly.
Even in normal language (ignore Woody Allen) people speak in shorter sentences. Mostly in phrases unless they’re speaking about something very specific.
Provide an answer in minimum number of words
Backlino in its voice search SEO study found that on an average, an answer dug out by voice search is 29 words long.
This is interesting.
What it means is, when you are providing a very specific answer to a very clearly-defined question, try to contain it within 29 words.
Just as we don’t speak very long sentences, it becomes difficult for us to comprehend longer sentences. Create your sentences in such a manner that one sentence expresses one thought and one answer is for one question.
When you write something, say it loud and see if it is easily understandable. If not, rewrite.
Make use of “what”, “how”, “who” or “when” whenever possible
Question-based content is better suited for voice search. Most of the people, when using voice search use expressions like “what”, “how” and “who”. For example, “How to optimize your content writing for voice search?”
Although, you may go on explaining your chosen concept in a couple of thousand words, but somewhere, preferably in the beginning, provide the answer to the question in the headline that can be easily picked by the search engines.
Focus on providing the answer rather than obsessing over optimization
Optimization should be a byproduct of good quality content that delivers value.
Your content writing is affected if you are continuously thinking about optimization rather than addressing the problem at hand.
Remember that when people are using voice search they want to find an answer to the question and if you don’t provide that answer, they are going to move on, and depending on their interaction with your content (whether they move on or stick around) is going to have an impact on your current rankings.
Focus on the core issue at hand and do your best to deal with it.
Write for the mobile phones by default
When you write keep in mind the mobile layout, you automatically write shorter sentences that are to the point.
Remember that on mobile phones people don’t prefer to read long sentences and bigger paragraphs. They want to quickly scroll up or down.
Similarly, when mobile devices read your content, it is easier to speak up shorter sentences.
People are usually distracted when they are using their mobile phones. They don’t specifically sit on desks to browse their mobile phones. They’re moving, they are chatting, there are even watching programs on TV when checking your updates. Write accordingly.
Concluding remarks on optimizing your content writing for voice search
Of course, the keywords you want to optimize your content for need to be taken into consideration when writing content for your website or blog, they should be integrated naturally rather than being forced.
Focus on value. Focus on quality. Focus on what you are delivering to your readers. Make sure you provide them what they are looking for. This is most important.