"Voice search" is still relatively at the beginning of its road, but the technology is developing fast and voice "assistants" are improving impressively. Accordingly, the volume of voice search use is clearly growing, and the gaps between it and traditional, text-based search are narrowing. According to reports, this year voice searches on mobile devices and on the various "assistants" are expected to reach about 50% of all searches. More numbers: by the end of the year the number of voice "assistants" (including smartphones, tablets, smart speakers, etc.) is expected to reach 8.4 billion devices; 40% of adults use voice searches on a daily basis, with young people aged 18-34 being the most common users; nearly 60% of voice search users look for local businesses and 56% of users make purchases through voice assistants.
Even if these figures are not "to the millimeter", the trend is clear and the point is obvious: In order for more visitors to reach your WordPress site and to improve its ranking in search engines, and also to strengthen the brand and customer trust (not to mention the critical help this gives people with visual impairments and fine motor limitations) – it is highly advisable to hurry and make sure it is also friendly to voice searches.
The way there goes through several stations, and in this short blog we will touch briefly on 3 of them.
Using fluent, natural language
There is a marked difference between the way we write text and the way we speak. When we search for something by voice, it is usually done in a more "natural", spontaneous, less formal and standard way. If, for example, the kitchen faucet is leaking, there is a good chance the voice search will be phrased like: "how do I fix a leaking faucet in the kitchen" or "I urgently need someone who fixes leaks in apartments from the Petah Tikva area for today". And if we are now on the street looking for a place to "sit" and eat: "where is the nearest kosher restaurant that is open now". We would not want the main texts on our site to look like that, so an effective solution would be, for example, allocating Questions and answers (FAQ) section in which "conversational", direct and simple language is used. A plumber who wants the case above (the leaking faucet) to reach him will consider including questions and answers on his site in the following style:
Q: How do you fix a leaking faucet?
A: To fix a leaking faucet, you first need to check whether the problem is a gasket or another part… I suggest using my simple guide or inviting me for a visit.
Q: How quickly can you come to deal with a leak?
A: If you live in the center, it usually takes me an hour to get there. If you live farther away, I can usually arrive within three hours of the call.
Q: How much does it cost to fix a leaking faucet?
A: Depends on the type of problem, but usually a simple fix starts at around ₪200.
Q: How do you know when a faucet needs to be replaced and when it is enough to repair it?
A: If it is a recurring problem, there is a chance the faucet will need to be replaced. In any case, I will check and give you my opinion.
Adding "Structured Data" to your site
After the plumber, let's continue with him: he has set aside a questions-and-answers area on his site, and it is worth making sure that search engines understand the content and display it in a detailed and clear way. This is where "structured data" comes in, a format whose use is based on a standard called Schema.org and which provides a set of fixed templates and labels (for example: FAQ page FAQPage; product page Product; Structured data for a local business LocalBusiness). These are in fact dedicated pieces of code, a kind of labels – tags, that are added and signal to search engines what appears on the various pages. Voice searches rely on "data structures," which allow search engines to understand the content and retrieve quick, accurate answers to the questions asked. In WordPress, as in WordPress, there is a plugin for every purpose, and you can easily add data structures to your site with plugins such as Yoast SEO, Rank Math and Schema Pro, which let you do so without knowing how to code.
Improved mobile optimization
Google prioritizes sites that load quickly on mobile, especially in voice searches. Improving a site's loading speed depends on various factors, some of which we have touched on in other blogs, and leading hosting companies, including Kinsta, uPress, and WP Engine, provide various tools for this. Image compression, site code optimization, and the use of a CDN are simple, basic actions that are called for, alongside, of course, quality responsive design that will ensure a browsing and usage experience suited to every device.
Check it yourself
Whether you used these directions or chose other paths, check for yourselves whether you succeeded. Search using Google Assistant or, say, Siri for voice searches related to your site's content, and see whether it indeed appears in the voice search results.
Good luck.
