3 Reasons Why You Need To Be Ready For Voice Search Technology

03/03/2018 | Share:

According to Google, 20% of searches on the Google Chrome mobile app are now voice activated. In this blog we look at the growing trend of voice search technology and why your ecommerce business needs to be prepared.

The rise of the smart speaker

In 2017, sales of smart speakers more than tripled due to the increasing popularity of Google Home and Amazon Echo.

By having no screen, smart speakers are totally reliant on voice commands in order to fulfil requests. As a result, they are shifting the way consumers search the internet. Even when a potential customer is using a mobile device, the use of voice technology is becoming hard to ignore for ecommerce businesses.

You don’t have to sound like the Queen anymore

Only a couple of years ago, if you performed a voice search with a regional accent the results were mixed, to say the least. For example, if you asked in a Yorkshire accent “What’s the weather like in Keighley?”, the answer was “Here are some results about Keith Lee”.

Today voice and accent recognition is much more sophisticated. As a result, consumers with a regional accent are understood. Of course, the technology can still cause some frustrations when consumers are on the move for example, but as the technology becomes more intuitive about what the consumer may actually be searching for, the voice search capabilities will continue to expand.

The way consumers search is changing

The rising popularity of voice search does not mean you need to overhaul your entire website. Subtle changes to your content will help you get ready for the continued rise in voice tech’s popularity.

Remember, unlike typed keyword searches, voice search uses conversational language. Meaning long tail keyword phrases will become really important. So start to think about how consumers will search for your ecommerce business when using a natural and conversational tone of voice.

For example, if you run an online pet store and a consumer searches for “cat radiator bed”, using the traditional search method the potential customer would type into the Google search box “cat radiator bed”. However, with voice search, the consumer may ask “show me the best cat radiator beds”. So a good way for you to incorporate this long tail keyword phrase into your ecommerce site would be to write a blog on “the best cat radiator beds”.

So there you have it, by preparing your ecommerce business for the increasing rise in voice search, you will drive more leads to your ecommerce site and set yourself apart from your competitors.