Over the past decade, the physical world is on the verge of turning into a voice-activated interface. The voice powered with artificial intelligence and embedded technology is now holding the front seat in the internet-driven ecosystem.
Even though it’s been some time since this technology was incorporated, the voice search has created a lot of buzz in the last couple of years. Like any other technological advancement, even this quicker way to enter the search query took some time to gain the trust of the internet users. However, with time the human-computer interaction gained popularity and will continue to build the momentum. So, the first question that may arise is what exactly is the next generation search.
What is Voice Search?
Voice search is the latest development in the tech-savvy environment that includes the Google’s Voice Search, Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa. With the help of this advanced technology, people can search the web results by simply asking questions to their devices.
According to Google, 50 to 60% of the web searches are done from handheld devices. In addition to this, the report even says that 20% of these searches are being done through voice search. While the search option took some time to find it’s place in the market, according to Forbes 2017 will be the year of Voice Searches. Having said this, it become very clear that ignoring this simple aspect can cost the eCommerce traders some conversions.
Effect of Voice Search on eCommerce Market
Almost half the traffic on the eCommerce sites come from the mobiles and tablet devices. This trend has seen a continual increase since 2014. Here are some of the effects that the next generation searches are expected to have on the eCommerce businesses.
- Since the mobile devices are getting equipped with time, voice search system is more than just a trend and is here to stay. Even the well-known eCommerce platforms like Prestashop are offering the opportunity to the store owner to upgrade their businesses from desktop to mobile. Prestashop Mobile App Builder with voice search option is one such example.
- The online companies mainly offer local businesses. Hence, this particular technology is inevitable for them. Moreover, these companies need to update their contents and include the local reference as well as the questions that are more likely to have the search volume.
- The companies that are looking to rank on the first page of the Google SERP should provide the solution to queries of the people instead of providing information.
- The online companies should be the adviser and not just sellers. As per a report, people use their cell phones seeking for advice. Their queries include ‘Which insurance plan should I opt for?’ and other such questions. Hence, the companies need to help in making the purchase decision of their customers.
Search Voice and SEO Optimization
Having discussed the various effect that the search option is expected to have on the eCommerce businesses, it is important to optimization aspects. SEO and online trading go hand-in-hand. Hence, the spoken search will definitely make some changes in the basic fundamentals of the SEO. Here are some of the optimization aspects that requires consideration.
- As mentioned above, the contents that are there on your website needs to be relevant to what the users are looking for. The key is to make it easy for the search engine and the end-user to identify the reason why the content was created. Closely matched search terms in URLs will enhance the relevancy of the search results.
- The H1 and H2 tags should include the questions that are being asked by the mobile users. Along with this, enable two-way communication by including chat support in your mobile application.
- The SEO should focus on local reference and the location-based services. The introduction of local reference will surely boost the revenue ultimately.
- Not just the websites, even the contents and images or videos included in the site should be mobile responsive.
- The whole idea of voice searchers is to provide fastest route to the result that the customers are looking for. So, minimize clicks from landing page to purchase.
Wrap up
The next generation search is has a lot of ROI potential, but using it wisely is essential. Gear yourself up with the changes that you need to incorporate into your website. Stay in line with the market trend and be ready to face the increasing demand for instant access to information is a hassle-free way.
Author Bio: Ethan Roy, a technical content writer by Profession. With years of experience on various eCommerce platforms (Magento, PrestaShop, OpenCart, Shopify), he has a lot to share with the readers. Currently working as Technical Content Writer at Knowband.