August 1, 2022
As an increasing number of consumers are searching via voice-activated tools (think Alexa and Siri) which means marketers need to think outside of the box when creating new content.
In fact, 1 in 4 American homes now has a smart speaker of some kind. The time is NOW to start thinking about how this affects the way we consume content.
To succeed in a voice-driven future, marketers must learn how to optimize content for questions and create cross-channel strategies.
According to a recent survey, 48% of consumers are using voice for “general web searches” and 91% of brands are investing in voice technology. To activate this feature, consumers are using smartphones or smart speakers to request a Google search.
Google then retrieves the result, and the tech parrots it back. Voice search can also offer to send a link with the answer, directly in text. Consider all of this when creating new content.
Voice search is used for everything, including:
Local search queries are three times more likely to be voice searches than text. Consider location in your next marketing campaign.
Always create voice search content with an answer to a question. Frame your campaigns in a way people might speak when performing a voice search.
Remember that when people are using voice commands, they typically speak in complete sentences. This differs from when people are typing, where thoughts can be short and fragmented.
So, how do you optimize for voice search questions?
Consider these tips:
There are certain tools online that can help a brand automatically generate popular questions so marketers can, in turn, create content that corresponds. It makes question research easy by generating the most popular niche questions that can be expanded into relevant content ideas.
It is also critical that voice search is enabled on your own branded site. Otherwise, you’re dead in the water when people are finally interested enough to visit.
Voice-activated interactions are favored by busy individuals, on the go, or people trying to get a quick answer. No one has time to search an entire page for answers. Instead, people toggle through various sites to meet the demand for immediate knowledge.
That’s why voice search exists.
The secret to keeping up is to optimize for micro-moments. Use keywords in your <h2> and <h3> headings to draw eyes directly to the meat of the content. Then follow up with concise and direct answers.
Content that is structured this way is much more likely to be featured as a response to a voice search query on Google.
Voice technology consumers have scattered buyer journeys. They might start using the web via voice then switch to mobile to purchase, but become distracted by social media.
This means, marketers who can provide consistent, cross-platform communications will continue to keep these types of consumers engaged. It’s the idea of being everywhere, all at once.
Don’t know how to get started? One good idea is to use responsive design tools. That way your message doesn’t get marred via the viewing screen.
Here are a few more ideas to ensure a consistent, cross-channel experience for users:
Run a report on which devices, operating systems, and screen resolutions are being used to view your content. Companies like Finteza provide a service for it. This can help a brand test and adjust the site usability across popular platforms.
Analyze your site and study visitors to boost conversions and page views. Consider a tool that uses AI (artificial intelligence) to deliver personalized recommendations for content based on user behavior and interests. This keeps people more engaged and thus, they spend more time clicking and scrolling through.
There are many social tools where you can use remarketing strategies to re-engage an audience that has left your site. Facebook Ads is a great way to remind people of your brand and why they should miss you.
Voice-activated interactions open the floodgates for cross-channel marketing strategies. It bridges the gap between social media and SEO, as well as online and offline marketing.
To find an audience that’s always moving around the web, you must take on a collaborative approach. Allow the entire team to contribute to updates and consider opening multiple brand-owned social pages.
The more artificial intelligence and machine learning is developed, the more complex voice-activated systems you’ll see. Smart marketers are preparing for this technological learning curve now.
Don’t be caught the last in line to take advantage of voice-controlled user demand. It’s an efficient and fast way to relay all your marketing messages in a simple command!
Share this article
