“Alexa, what is voice engine optimization?”
Ask yourself, is your business prepared for a voice search revolution? It is coming your way like a humongous wave at the beach and there is nothing you can do about it except adapt, learn, and grow. In 2018 alone, over 56 million smart speakers were sold worldwide, which is truly a mind-blowing statistic. According to ComScore, 50% of all searches will be completed via voice by 2020, which means that there is still time to get ahead of the curve and make this new technology your BFF.
Before our knowledgeable team at Adapting Social dives in too deep, we know what you’re wondering, “What exactly is Voice Engine Optimization?” Well, we’d love to give you a rundown.
The Definition
We define Voice Engine Optimization, otherwise known as VEO as voice-based search engine optimization. VEO is the process of formulating content that will become the primary answer in voice searches on the internet. These searches could be completed with Siri, Google Assistant, Alexa, or Cortana. For those who are SEO experts, similarly to us, you know that SEO has a somewhat small window, but VEO has an even smaller window. Typically, responses on mobile will present the top 3 results, but for smart speakers, you will only get one. Given this fact, it is essential that you have a killer plan in place that will allow you to accomplish your goals as a small business owner. We understand that VEO may seem incredibly complex to master, but our experts are here to walk you through every single step.
Mastering Local VEO
Are you ready for this? When it comes to a local search, voice is 3 times more likely to be used than text. When you are on the go and cannot use your hands, having the ability to use your voice is so convenient. For those who drive a lot or work with their hands often, voice is an easy go-to, which adds to the urgency of creating a flawless strategy for maximizing VEO to benefit your business.
Do You Need a VEO Strategy?
“Alexa, where is the closest Chinese restaurant?”
“Siri, where can I buy a new phone charger?”
“Alexa, I need a plumber, the toilet is clogged!”
Do any of these phrases sound like they could be said by your target demographic? If so, yes, you definitely do need a VEO strategy.
Just the Tips
- Keep your listings clean – an estimated $10.3 Billion is lost every single year due to inaccurate listing information. Keep your business’ listings up-to-date and relevant so that if someone is searching via voice in your area, you come up first.
- Increase your website speed – Each month, 1 in 5 adults make a voice search, and that number only increases when it comes to those who are on the go. If your website cannot keep up with the speed of a consumer, then that individual is more than happy to move onto a website that works.
- Provide answers – When a user asks a specific question like, “Does Taco Bell serve vegan options?” Google will respond with a featured snippet that they believe will make the most sense to the person searching. With a well-optimized website, this answer will come directly from you. Google will actually detect a webpage to provide the best possible answer.
- Focus on long tail keywords – Voice search was created to function similarly to an actual conversation. According to our good friend, Google, 41% of people will use voice search as if they are talking to a good friend. A good friend who is a local, knowledgeable expert that always has your back.
- Test it out – The only way to truly know how voice search will impact your business is to test it. Channel your inner consumer and get to talking. See where you’re ranking and figure out how you can maximize results.
Businesses who implement a mighty VEO strategy before 2020 are going to be very ahead of the curve. The convenient factor? VEO doesn’t require much more than a standard SEO strategy. Our Adapting Social team is compiled of SEO and VEO experts who want nothing more than to #SaveSmallBusiness. We love what we do and our unwavering passion allows us to benefit business owners all across the globe. Don’t wait, 2020 will be here in the blink of an eye. Contact us today and check out our most recent blogs to learn more.
