Do you know how consumers are able to find your business on their phones? Chances are that they are utilizing the voice search tool that many smartphones come with. It is estimated that there are around 1 billion voice searches every month, and it is highly likely that they are locally focused. This means that residents of the Carbondale, IL area who utilize voice search will more likely be able to find your business over others.
What is Voice Search?
In case you have never tried this tool before, voice searches happen when you speak to your computer or smartphone and the device will search your desired topic or business. An example of this would be if you are driving home and really want a cup of coffee. You would hold up your phone and say “Hey Siri, where can I get coffee?” Your phone will then utilize what you have said and pull up the nearest locations that sell coffee.
Why Should Your Business Utilize Voice Search?
The use of this tool is increasingly growing in popularity, especially with Gen Z, which is the next big target audience. This is because it is easier to use voice searching as you do not have to type it all out. Besides that when using tools such as Amazon Echo or Google Home, it provides you with one answer instead of having you search through several options.
Consumers who use voice searching normally are using their phones, however, they can also be using their laptops, tablets, and PCs as well. This means that pretty much any device that we use can use voice in order to help you find what you need.
How to Optimize for Voice?
The most important thing to note about using voice and local search is that in order for your business to appear in the results, the search engine will need to think that your business is a good match for this search inquiry. Several things that search engines such as good look for in order to determine compatibility include:
- Relevance
This is where you need to make sure that your voice searching is properly optimized. This is where filling out the Google My Business profile for your business comes in handy. That is because giving the search engines the proper information on your business allows them to see how relevant your business is to this particular search.
- Distance
Your business will have a higher chance of appearing high in local searches if you are physically located near the searcher. This is why it is crucial for you to include information such as name, address, and phone number on the search engine’s business tools. Google My Business has a profile that you can create for your business which allows you to put your business’s information here.
- Prominence
The prominence of your business has to do with how well-known your business is. Think of this as the number of reviews that you have as well as overall star ratings, inbound links, and the number of directory listings.
It is always important for your local business to keep up with the trends in marketing, and that includes search trends. This is why our team at Hometown Marketing Group is here to assist you with all of your voice and local search needs!
