Research shows over 4 billion people worldwide use smart speakers and voice assistants, a number predicted to keep rising. As a leading digital marketing agency in New Zealand, Zib Digital explores how this will affect businesses in 2024 and beyond. Voice search is no longer a novelty, it’s a necessity, businesses that don’t adapt their SEO strategies to accommodate voice search risk being left behind.
As an established SEO agency, Zib Digital shares some key insights and statistics for business:
According to BrightLocal, 46% of daily voice search users are searching for local businesses. NZ SEO specialists at Zib suggest optimising clients’ websites for local SEO is crucial to increase visibility in voice searches and differentiate themselves from other local and national competitors.
With the constant change in SEO algorithms, conversational language and authoritative tone is becoming a key factor for search success. Therefore, voice searches tend to be phrased in longer, more specific queries. In order to optimise content for these long-tail keywords Zib Digital’s SEO and content teams focus on natural language and understanding user intent.
Research shows voice assistants often source answers from featured snippets, the top results displayed on a search engine results page (SERP). With this in mind, it is important for businesses to consider concise copy and content for featured snippets, this can significantly improve a business’s chances of being heard in a voice search.
To stay ahead of the curve, businesses need to adapt their digital marketing strategies to accommodate voice search. Here are some actionable tips from Zib Digital:
- Focus on user intent. Understand the questions customers are asking and provide the answers they seek.
- Embrace local SEO. Claim and optimise a Google My Business listing and encourage positive customer reviews.
- Create high-quality, conversationally-optimised content. Move beyond keyword stuffing and prioritise creating relevant, readable content that uses natural language and directly addresses the questions users might ask.
- Experiment with voice search advertising. Explore advertising opportunities offered by voice assistants themselves and utilise location targeting options in your PPC campaigns.
“The impact of voice search on SEO and digital marketing should not be overlooked,” says CEO Chris Knights. “Businesses that don’t adapt, risk losing out on valuable customers. At Zib Digital, we’re committed to helping our clients stay ahead of the game and capitalise on this exciting opportunity.”
For more information visit Zib Digital.
