seo blog

Voice Search and the Implications on SEO

We cannot deny that mobile phones are now completely ubiquitous in our lives. The fact that nearly everyone and anyone has a mobile device is something that we have adapted to. Not only this, but as the way we use our mobiles has changed over past years, SEO practices have adapted to this way of living too. However, as technologies move forward, do we need to be doing more to make sure our SEO strategy is in line with the new ways people are searching?

The likes of the Google Home or Amazons Alexa are gaining an enormous presence in not only UK homes, but across the world too. Gone are the days when you needed to pick up you mobile to search for something, in just a few simple words you can find the answer to pretty much anything. With these technologies making further advancements too, online shopping has never been simpler with you now be able to ask your Amazon Alexa to order things for you. While this might seem convenient, and we’re not disputing it isn’t, what does this mean for the future of SEO? With users now just having to use their voice to search the Internet, how do these AI technologies decide which answers to give, and how can we optimise for this new way of searching?

While no official announcement has been made that Google is moving away from mobile first indexing, the rebranding of their research blog to the ‘AI Blog’ and the changes made to Google recipes that now means you need to provide Google Assistant friendly information, we can certainly expect to see a change on the horizon. Over 5,000 devices are compatible with the Google Assistant, meaning millions of people can now use this new way of search that, chances are, none of us have optimised for yet or indeed even figured out how to do it.

One thing is clear, with Google’s recipe structured data tool being updated specifically for voice search, it seems evident that structured data has a significant part to play in what results are being given to those people audibly asking for them, rather than searching on a mobile or even laptop. Being proactive with your structured data helps Google understand what your web page is about and although not officially confirmed, it may likely help it appear as a result to voice searches. You should also be looking at how exactly your information is formatted, if your site contains a lot of incompatible content e.g. tables and lists of links, you miss losing out on valuable voice search visits.

While the future of voice search and its implications for SEO isn’t entirely clear, it’s something to bare in mind for the future as we may need to start updating our SEO strategies sooner than we think.

If you think that your site is optimised completely think again – things are always changing and with technologies being developed and added to constantly, SEO is always changing with it. We at The Studio 4 are at the forefront of new advancements in technologies and can answer any questions you may have on this exciting and ever-changing topic.

For more information on how voice activated searches can have an impact on your Google rankings, contact us at The Studio 4 by visiting: https://www.thestudio4.co.uk/services/online-marketing

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