Strategies for Performing Well with Voice-Activated Queries
Did you know that a recent study found that almost half of all internet users across the country turn to Siri, Alexa, or some other voice-activated search platform at least once a month to look for something online? As voice-recognition technology gets more precise and sophisticated, more and more web visitors are gravitating to the convenience of voice-activated search. Accordingly, when you optimize your online content, you need to assess what you’re doing to ensure that you perform well for voice-activated searches.
The Differences Between Text-Based SEO and Voice-Based SEO
To understand the different strategies involved in text-based vs. voice-based optimization, you have to think about how those searches are structured. Because people speak faster than they type, so voice-based searches tend to be longer. A person entering a text-based search on a desktop computer may type in “Baltimore Maryland foot doctor,” whereas the same person, conducting a vocal search on a smartphone, may ask “Where can I find a foot doctor near me?”
In addition, voice-activated searches tend to be more conversational, whereas text-based searches are more likely to appear as a string of words that relate to the search topic.
What Can You Do to Maximize Your Voice Search Optimization?
Though voice-activated search is relatively new, there are a number of strategies that can help you perform better for verbal queries:
- Make your content conversational—Think about how people talk, not how they read or write. Stay away from jargon or technical discussions of medical issues, and use terms that folks commonly use when talking with each other.
- Use a question-and-answer format—Vocal searches more often include full questions. If your content matches the question, or comes close, you’re more likely to perform better.
- Try to appear in a Google snippet—Snippets are those short entries that appear above the organic results on a Google search results page. They are typically in the question-and-answer format.
- Understand that most voice-activated search is local—A person conducting a voice-activated search is often looking for something they want to find right then or a place to go to immediately. With a medical practice, they want to know where you’re located and how easy it is to get to your office. Make certain your Google Business Profile is complete and up-to-date.
- Take steps to make your web presence mobile-friendly—Virtually every voice-activated search is on some type of mobile device. You want your website to load quickly on a mobile device and have navigation that is easy to follow.
Contact InjuredCare to Maximize Voice Search Engine Optimization
At InjuredCare.com, we have decades of proven experience developing and implementing effective online marketing strategies. To learn more about how we can improve the digital marketing for your medical practice, contact us online or call our offices today at 866-952-7045.
