With brands locked in a constant bidding war for real estate in the consumer’s mind, it’s no secret that the modern retailer’s goal is to be front and center throughout the customer journey. While there are traditionally many ways to be the king or queen of page one in the search engine game, an emerging trend is disrupting the way that brands will engage with their audience—and you need to be on top of it to stay ahead of the competition.
If you have ever asked Siri for the weather or Google Assistant for the “nearest pizza restaurant”, it wouldn’t be too difficult to see why voice search has rapidly positioned itself as a key differentiator in the marketer’s toolbox. With virtual assistants pre-packaged within the newest mobile phones and smart devices becoming a household norm, users are turning to the technology as a quick and easy way to gather information. Surveys have shown that over half of voice search users in the US are doing voice searches for product information (53%), local businesses (58%), and information on local businesses (52%). This number is only expected to grow with predictions that 50% of all searches will be done with voice by 2020. Factors that influence this include improved accuracy for voice queries, as well as current and future smart device sales.
But why is this all important? Aligning keywords with customer intent has always been a focus for SEO and content strategy. Throwing voice search into the mix creates the necessity for a new layer of understanding; now we must also consider the conversational approach that users take when vocalizing their queries. Now that using your voice limits the interaction with a screen, users will most likely be presented with only one result, as opposed to a set of options to maintain a conversational flow. This makes it even more critical to ensure that your relevant content is set up to have you as the one and only face of the query.
Our team at DAC has identified the pillars of success in voice search, which involve localization, optimization, user generated content, media, and content curation. On Thursday, April 19, DAC’s Product Director Kyle Harris will be discussing the latest trends in voice search and how to stay relevant in an exclusive webinar. Sign up today to be part of the discussion.
If these pillars are applied thoughtfully, odds are that when users ask for the best business in town, you’ll be there front and center.
Justin Teng is DAC’s Sales Support Specialist and is based out of Toronto. To learn more about the latest voice shopping trends, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
