With the rise of virtual assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant more and more people are using voice search to find answers to their queries. As a result, optimizing your website for voice search is now more important than ever.
Before we dive into the strategies for optimizing your WordPress site for voice search, it is important to understand how voice search works. Unlike traditional search, where users type in their query, voice search involves users speaking their query out loud. This means that voice search queries tend to be longer and more conversational compared to traditional search queries.
To optimize your WordPress site for voice search, you need to understand the types of queries that people are likely to use when conducting voice searches. Some common voice search queries include:
Questions: "What's the weather like today?"
Conversational queries: "Can you recommend a good Italian restaurant nearby?"
Long-tail keywords: "What are the best vegan restaurants in Los Angeles?"
Because voice search queries tend to be longer and more conversational than traditional search queries, this means that optimizing your WordPress blog for voice search requires a different approach to keyword research. Instead of focusing on short-tail keywords, which are one or two words in length, you should focus on long-tail keywords, which are three or more words in length.
Long-tail keywords are more specific and targeted than short-tail keywords. They are also more conversational and natural-sounding, which makes them a better fit for voice search queries. To find long-tail keywords for your website, use tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest or Ahrefs.
Because voice search queries are conversational in nature, your content should also be conversational. This means using natural language in your content and writing in a way that mimics how people talk. Avoid using technical jargon and complicated sentences that are difficult to understand.
When writing content for your site, put yourself in the shoes of your audience and think about the questions they are likely to ask. Then, write your content in a way that provides clear and concise answers to those questions. This will help you rank higher in voice search results and provide a better user experience for your audience.
Schema markup is a type of code that you can add to your website to help search engines understand the content on your site. Adding schema markup to your website can help improve your chances of ranking in voice search results.
One way to use schema markup for voice search optimization is to add a FAQ section to your website. This section should include frequently asked questions and answers related to your niche. By adding schema markup to your FAQ section, you can make it easier for search engines to understand the content on your site and provide more relevant answers to voice search queries.
Voice search queries are often location-based. For example, someone might ask their virtual assistant, "What's the best pizza place near me?" This means that optimizing your content for local search is essential for voice search optimization.
To optimize your WordPress site for local search, make sure your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent across all online directories and platforms. This includes your website, Google My Business, Yelp and other directories. You should also optimize your content for local search by including keywords and phrases related to your location. This will help your website rank higher in local search results and improve your chances of appearing in voice search results for local queries.
Voice search queries are often conducted on mobile devices, which means that having a mobile-friendly website is essential for voice search optimization. A mobile-friendly website is one that is easy to use on a mobile device, with a responsive design that adjusts to fit the screen size.
To make your site mobile-friendly, use a responsive design that adjusts to fit the screen size of the device. You should also optimize your images for mobile devices by compressing them and using a lazy loading technique that only loads images when they are needed.
Optimizing your WordPress website for voice search is essential for reaching your target audience in the digital age. By focusing on long-tail keywords, using natural language in your content, using schema markup, optimizing for local search and making your website mobile-friendly, you can improve your chances of ranking in voice search results and attracting more organic traffic to your website. If you need help optimizing your WordPress blog for voice search, consider working with a professional digital agency like Hierographx to develop a customized strategy that meets your unique needs and goals.