What Is Google Voice Search? And How to Optimize for It

Google Voice Search makes searching online easier and more accessible. It also offers businesses new ways to connect with customers through hands-free technology.

Read on to learn how to use voice search to improve SEO. And increase your online reach.

What Is Google Voice Search and How Does It Work?

Google Voice Search (also called Search by Voice) is a virtual search assistant that lets you use Google Search by speaking rather than typing your query. 

You can use Google Voice Search on the Google website or app by clicking on the microphone icon in the search field.

You can also access it through Google Assistant on Android smartphones and Google smart speakers.

On these devices, you wake the feature by saying, “Hey Google” or “OK, Google.”

As soon as the device hears your prompt, the Google Assistant will pop up and ask, “Hi, how can I help?”

Then, it will deliver results (sometimes spoken) based on what you search for.

For example, this is what the Google Assistant feature looks like on an Android phone. Along with search results for “How do I cook an egg.”

But how does Google Voice Search work?

When you say a command or question, Google uses natural language processing (NLP) and speech recognition to read and interpret your request as a human would.

That means Google can understand search intent and deliver the most relevant results in the same way it does when you type a query.

Generally, Google will turn to organic content and return similar—or identical—results for the query.

For some queries, though, Voice Search will pick the most relevant result and read it back to you. Giving you a truly hands-free experience.

Why Is Google Voice Search Important for SEO?

Optimizing your webpages for Google Voice Search makes your content more accessible to people who prefer speaking over typing.

Around 6 in 10 consumers use their voice to look up products and services. And get answers to common questions. Plus, nearly half of consumers in the U.S. use voice assistants to search for local services.

How to Optimize for Google Voice Search

1. Make a List of Conversational Keywords

Conversational keywords are generally long-tail keywords people use in everyday conversation.

For example, someone using Google by voice search to find hair dye would probably say, “Where can I buy hair dye?” And not, “Buy hair dye.”

Optimize your website for voice search by finding these types of keywords.

An easy way to do this is to focus on relevant “who,” “what,” “when,” “where,” “why,” and “how” questions.

Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool can help you find these keywords.

Type in a seed keyword related to your business. And enter your domain URL to get personalized, AI-powered results.

Then, click “Search.”

The Keyword Magic tool will generate a complete list of related terms.

Since we want only conversational terms, select the “Questions” filter to get a list of keywords phrased as questions.

You’ll also see the following important metrics:

• Search intent: The purpose of the search
• Search volume: The estimated average number of searches a keyword gets per month
• Search trends: Interest in the keyword in the last 12 months
• Keyword Difficulty (KD): How hard it is to rank well for the keyword
• Personal Keyword Difficulty (PKD): How hard it is to rank well for your website, specifically

Use these metrics to help you choose keywords for your brand.

A general rule of thumb is to target keywords with at least 100 searches per month. And aren’t too difficult to rank for (i.e., with a KD or PKD less than 50%).

Go through the list of keywords and select keywords you can create relevant content for.

2. Write Conversationally and Clearly

Google Voice Search may read results aloud, so it’s important to write conversationally.

In a Webmaster Central Hangout, Google’s John Mueller suggests marketers make sure their content is “written in a way that can be read aloud.”

In other words, when optimizing for voice search, write the way people speak.

To do that, use simple sentences, ask engaging questions, and provide clear answers. Also try to avoid jargon, when possible. And prioritize active voice over passive voice.

One way to check for all those things is with Semrush’s SEO Writing Assistant.

The tool checks your content for tone and readability. And tells you which sentences are too formal, contain jargon, or both.

Open the tool and click “+ Analyze new text.”

To the right of the text editor, click “Set a new goal” and enter at least two keywords. When you’re done, hit “Get recommendations.”

As you write, the tool will grade the content according to readability and tone of voice.

In addition to grading new content, SEO Writing Assistant can analyze published content on your website. Which allows you to optimize old content easily.

3. Adopt a Mobile-First Approach

Most voice searches happen on mobile devices, so you may struggle to improve your Google Voice Search SEO unless your website is also optimized for mobile.

Optimizing your website for mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones includes:

• Installing a responsive website template, which adjusts the webpage’s appearance to the user’s device (or hiring a web developer to build a responsive website)
• Avoiding long paragraphs that make it difficult to skim the page on smaller screens
• Improving your site’s page load speed

These tips will improve your mobile SEO and ensure voice search users have a good experience when visiting your site.

To find mobile SEO issues that are currently impacting your site, go to Semrush’s Site Audit tool. And set up a project.

Then, open the report and go to the “Issues” tab. In the “Category” filter, select “Mobile SEO” to see a complete list of issues on this device.

Each issue includes a brief explanation of why and how to fix it. So you can improve your site’s mobile optimization ASAP.

4. Create an FAQ Page or Section

An FAQ page or page section lets you answer questions people might ask using Google Voice Search.

FAQ content aligns with how people ask questions aloud and provides concise answers. Which can improve your likelihood of being featured in voice search results.

For example, this is what Revlon’s FAQ page looks like:

It includes multiple questions that people will likely use when searching with their voice. Like:

• “Can haircolor be applied to wet or dry hair?”
• “How many boxes of haircolor do I need?”
• “Can haircolor be used on bleached or highlighted hair?”

But what questions should you include in your FAQ page?

Find commonly asked questions by searching for a keyword you want to rank for. And looking through Google’s “People Also Ask” (PAA) box if it appears on the results page.

It looks like this:

Another way to find ideas for your FAQ section is using Semrush’s Topic Research tool.

Start by entering a topic into the search bar. Then click “Get content ideas.”

Then, go to “Mind Map” and scroll down to the “Questions” section on the right-hand side.

Click on the filters ”How,” “What,” “Is,” or “Why” to find specific question types.

Or click on a specific topic to get a list of questions related to that topic.

If you decide to create an FAQ page, group questions to make them easier to navigate. Use categories such as:

• Products
• Payments
• Ingredients
• Shipping and returns
• Privacy and security

Keep the answers concise but still provide enough details to be helpful.

This answer by Revlon is a good example to follow:

5. Optimize for Featured Snippets

A featured snippet is a SERP feature (i.e., a unique or enhanced search result) that briefly answers the user’s search query. They typically appear at the top of the SERP.

Like this:

Google often uses featured snippets to answer voice search queries. So optimizing your content for them increases your chances of ranking in voice search results.

To do that, first look for keywords with featured snippets using the Keyword Magic Tool.

Search for a keyword using the tool. And click on “Advanced filters” to open a drop-down menu.

Click on the menu under “SERP Features.” And select the checkbox beside “Featured snippet.” And click “Apply.”

Now, you have a list of keywords with featured snippets on the results page.

Now it’s time to optimize your content for the snippet by doing the following:

• Provide concise, direct answers to common questions
• Use question-based keywords in your header and throughout the section you want to rank for the snippet with
• Add tables or charts to your content, if relevant

Also, look at what type of featured snippet appears on the results page—a paragraph, a list, or a table. And consider formatting your content based on that.

6. Claim and Optimize Your Google Business Profile

When a user does a local search with their voice, Google can pull results from the local pack—a result that shows business listings.

Here’s an example of a local pack:

To rank for the local pack, you need to create a Google Business Profile (GBP).

If Google has already created an unverified listing for your business, you’ll need to claim it. Business owners can verify ownership by email, phone, postcard, or call.

Once you have management access, implement the following optimization tips:

• Enter your name, address, and phone number (NAP)
• Include only useful information about your products and services in the business description
• Upload photos of your products, your building, and your team
• Share updates on new products or services and special offers
• Showcase your products with the Product Editor
• Add local keywords to the business description
• Encourage customers to leave reviews and respond to them

Optimizing your GBP can help you rank better on SERPs. Which can also mean showing up more in voice search results.

When optimizing your GBP, also evaluate your presence in other local directories. Such as Yelp, Bing, or Facebook Business Pages.

Google uses these additional sources to confirm your business information is accurate. So, details must be consistent across every listing.

For easier GBP management, try Semrush’s GBP Optimization tool.

It lets you update your business information and automatically sends your updated information to other directories.

The tool also provides local search insights so you can track your visibility. And keep an eye on key actions such as site visits, messages, and direction requests.

Plus, you’ll get personalized recommendations to keep improving your local rankings. And potentially show up in more voice search results.

7. Use Schema Markup

Schema markup (also referred to as structured data) is a code that allows search engines to interpret your page content more effectively.

According to Google’s John Mueller, using structured data helps Google better understand what your page is about. So it can serve your content for relevant voice queries.

Examples of schema markup include author schema, recipe schema, and product schema. All of which label different parts of your page using code that search engines comprehend better.

To create schema markup, go to Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper.

First, select the data type. Paste your website URL and click “Start Tagging.”

Use your cursor to highlight relevant data on the webpage. Then, label it using the pop-up menu.

When you’re done labeling, click “CREATE HTML.”

For example, this is what local business schema structured data looks like:

Then, add the generated code to the <head> tag of the webpage HTML.

Check the validity of your structured data with Semrush’s Site Audit.

Run your website through the tool. Then click on “View details” within the “Markup” section in “Thematic Reports.”

You’ll get a report showing how many of your pages have schema markup and the type. And if you have invalid structured data.

Boost Your Voice Search Presence with Semrush

Most voice search queries are conversational.

To rank well for voice searches, you need to create conversational content that answers the questions your target audience are asking.

If you don’t know what those keywords are, check out the Semrush toolkit.

It includes the Keyword Magic Tool to help you find question keywords your audience searches for.

And the SEO Writing Assistant to check your content’s tone and readability. So you can make it as conversational as possible.