Julian Narchet Explains The Rise Of Voice Search And Its Impact On Digital Marketing
Updated: Feb 21, 2024
The way that people search the internet is changing rapidly. As marketing professional Julian Narchet explains, half of all internet searches during 2022 were done via voice search. That number is expected to grow in the coming years as voice technology improves and consumers purchase and use more voice-connected smart devices. Because of this, companies must adapt to the changing way people are searching if they still want to rank highly in search results. Below, Julian Narchet touches on the benefits of optimizing for voice search and provides tips on how businesses can target voice search users effectively.
Adjust Content
On the surface, you may not think the rise in voice searches would have a significant impact on SEO, but in fact, it does. That’s because of the way that people typically search with their voice versus how they do so when they type it in.
When people type in search results, they typically will use shorter phrases. An example would be “pizza places New York City.” Google then caters the search results around that search phrase.
With voice, though, people use longer-tail phrases and even complete sentences that are much more specific. Expanding on the example above, a voice search might be, “Where’s the best pizza place near me?”
When Google caters search results to this prompt, it will be using the new words used in the search phrase – which in this case are “best” and “near me,” which indicates location. Now, your search results are much more personalized to your current location.
To that point, companies need to adjust the content on their web pages to reflect the most common voice searches for their business so they can appear near the top of the list.
Rank No.1
Much of SEO in recent years has been focused on appearing on page 1 of Google search results. So, if your business appeared on this first page, you could celebrate it as a win – even if you were further down on the page.
With voice search, it’s even more important to rank No1. That’s because of the way search results are presented with voice search. In the example above of “best pizza places near me,” a voice search assistant may provide you with the top choice. Or they may provide you with a short list of two or three establishments.
This emphasizes the importance of ranking near the top of results for the most common voice search phrases related to your business.
Build Out Mobile
Julian Narchet says voice search also emphasizes the importance of building your mobile presence. A large majority of all voice searches occur on a mobile device, which means the search results will appear on a mobile device.
If your website isn’t properly optimized for mobile devices, you will miss out on a huge opportunity. For one, consumers are not going to be impressed if they find your site via search results and then are taken to a dated webpage.
Second, it’s possible you will drop down in Google rankings simply because your site isn’t mobile-optimized. Knowing not only how the terms are being searched for but how consumers are searching for them will help you create a solid mobile presence.
About Julian Narchet
Julian Narchet is a marketing and mass communications professional, and a Communications Manager at the University of Miami. He has extensive experience in customer service, market research, academic research, research administration, social media, public relations, and event management. He is passionate about making a difference in the lives of others through cooperation with non-profits and healthcare organizations.
