The Importance of Optimizing Websites for Voice Search
With the popularity of Siri and Alexa among today’s generation, online merchants should be astute enough to realize the importance of optimizing their websites for voice search. More and more people are now using voice commands to search the Internet, thus a website optimized for voice recognition stands a better chance of being found online by a prospective client.
Voice Search makes a Website More Searchable
According to many surveys, more than 54 percent of Internet users worldwide are doing so from smartphones and tablets. And this number is expected to further grow as more and more people embrace the mobile lifestyle. This only underlines the need to engage users who access the Internet using their mobile devices.
Here’s another important stat that website owners should know— about 3 out of 4 adults in the US used a smartphone in 2017. It should be pointed that this stat does not even take into consideration children aged 18 years and below who use smartphones. As more and more people spend time using handheld devices, the less people are also looking at other traditional communication channels like television.
Websites that are voice-ready will not only be easy to find by many Internet users. These websites will also benefit from enhanced interaction by their visitors, resulting to more potential sales in the process.
Other Benefits of Voice Search
Aside from helping a website become more ‘searchable,’ there are other benefits of optimizing a website for voice search. For one, the website can become more accessible to people especially those with physical disabilities and hence can’t use the mouse or keyboard. It also benefits people who have chronic conditions like repetitive stress injuries and can’t use the mouse or keyboard.
Websites which are optimized for voice search will also become more accessible to people who prefer speaking than typing. Multi-tasking people, for example, will find a voice search-optimized website better than a site that’s not ready for voice search.
