Voice search optimization is rapidly evolving, and to understand the major shifts expected between 2022 and 2024, we’ve gathered insights from leading marketing experts. From personalizing AI to embracing it for conversational voice search, explore the four pivotal strategies shared by a Digital Marketing Manager and a Marketing Director on crafting content for the future of voice search.
Personalize AI for User Preferences
Between 2022 and 2024, the way we created content for voice search optimization drastically changed as we moved toward personalized AI interactions. As users made more specific requests, we focused on personalizing content to align with user behavior and preferences.
As a tech CEO, I observed that personalization became pivotal in providing relevant and specific content to our users. Essentially, the human-like interactions with voice assistants meant we created content that not only answered a query but enhanced the user experience.
Abid Salahi, Co-founder and CEO, FinlyWealth
Adopt Conversational Content Strategies
A conversational approach is a priority today. By 2022, we were still trying to figure out how to design our content for voice searches. They were becoming more common as people started using digital assistants such as Siri and Alexa.
Initially, we optimized content with keywords similar to traditional searches. However, by 2024, it was evident that people don’t speak like they type. Voice searches are more natural and often in question form. Hence, our strategy shifted towards more natural, conversational phrases and long-tail keywords matching human speech.
For example, instead of optimizing for “best Italian restaurant,” we shifted to phrases like ‘What’s the best Italian restaurant near me?’ We also ensured that our content answered specific questions directly and briefly since voice searchers usually want quick solutions they can act upon instantly.
Moreover, FAQs are prioritized in our content, ensuring each question and answer pair matches the normal conversation flow.
Fahad Khan, Digital Marketing Manager, Ubuy Nigeria
Integrate Multimedia for Enhanced SEO
I’ve noticed that between 2020 and 2024, the integration of multimedia, like images and videos, in SEO content writing has become much more critical for improving search rankings and user engagement. Search engines have become better at indexing and understanding multimedia content, which means high-quality images and videos can boost a page’s SEO performance.
Adding descriptive alt text to images and transcribing videos not only enhances accessibility but also helps search engines understand and rank this content. Multimedia elements also keep visitors on the page longer, reducing bounce rates and signaling to search engines that the content is valuable. This shift emphasizes the need for multimedia to be optimized just as thoroughly as written content for better SEO results.
Embrace AI for Conversational Voice Search
The major shift? It’s AI. We’re now in the “Age of Assistance,” where people use multiple devices to get tasks done or find information. By the end of 2024, it’s expected that there will be 8.4 billion digital voice assistants in use.
Everyday phrases like “Hey, Siri,” “Alexa,” and “OK, Google” have become commonplace. People are moving away from typing disjointed, robotic sentences into search engines and are instead speaking to their devices as they would to a friend. This makes search more conversational, and marketers need to focus on more than just keywords.
AI-driven search engines like Microsoft’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and Google’s Search Generative Experience are enhancing voice search. AI uses Natural Language Processing (NLP) to comprehend complex queries and conversations, making it a natural fit for voice search.
Voice assistants equipped with AI are gaining more “personality” and can learn a person’s tone of voice and speech patterns, allowing for more personalized voice search results. This could lead to longer, more interactive conversations through voice search, moving beyond simple commands or brief questions.
Patrick Beltran, Marketing Director, Ardoz Digital
