In case you missed it, we’re in the middle of the “Voice Search Revolution.” Voice search is quickly becoming the go-to method of search, thanks to voice-enabled digital assistants like Siri and Alexa. It’s convenient, it’s faster than typing, and it’s ideal for on-the-go mobile usage. If your brand isn’t considering voice search when building out your digital marketing strategy, you’re leaving an opportunity—and money—on the table.
How Important Is Voice Search?
As search engines have grown, so, too, has the dependence on them. People are searching for things every second. They’re looking for directions, answers to simple questions, recipes, sports scores, local weather data, and more. But they’re not just sitting at a computer typing these questions out. Instead, they’re using voice search to their advantage. Don’t believe us? Consider these stats:
- By the end of 2020, it’s believed that 50% of all searches will be voice searches.
- In 2018, it was found that approximately 58% of consumers have found local businesses using voice search.
- 62% of people who regularly use smart speakers are likely to make a purchase.
- 72% of people who own voice-activated speakers say their devices are used as a part of their daily routine.
- 20% of all Google mobile queries are actually performed via voice searches.
As technology becomes more ingrained in our daily routines, the chances that voice searches become more commonplace is bound to rise. Which means that brands currently not investing in voice search optimization could eventually see a negative impact on their SEO strategies and even PPC campaigns.
How Will Voice Search Affect PPC Campaigns?
Before you can optimize your PPC campaigns for voice search, it’s important to understand exactly how this shift is affecting PPC specifically. The better you understand the change in the landscape, the better prepared you’ll be. So if you run your brand’s paid campaigns, remember the following:
- Place an emphasis on hyperlocal searches: When you hear hyperlocal, think “near me.” Local businesses are benefiting the most from the boom in voice search because consumers want to know when a business is open, where they can get directions, and even if there are sales going on.
- You need to be thinking mobile-first: Sure, voice searches can occur on multiple devices. But it’s primarily used on mobile. Google even rolled out a mobile-first index back in 2018 to push the best results designed for mobile to the top of SERPs.
- Stick to conversational, question-oriented keywords: Voice searches don’t look like your typical PPC keywords. Instead, they’re more conversational and often start with a question-oriented keyword, such as “What restaurants are open for happy hour?”
Start Optimizing Paid Campaigns for Voice Search
Now that you know the value of optimizing your PPC campaign for voice search, it’s time to get started. Take advantage of these four simple steps to get your brand found in more voice searches.
Review Current Search Queries
Use search query reports to see the specific terms people have searched to see your ad. Check for terms that indicate the ad was triggered by a voice search (e.g., “Where do I…?” or “Hey Siri…”). When you see that your ads are being triggered by voice searches, you can segment out those terms into their own campaigns and tailor ad copy accordingly.
Do Your Research
Because voice searches are conversational and often center around question-answer intent, be sure to research user intent keywords and question-centric phrases as you build out your keyword lists for voice search campaigns. It’s also good to think about how these terms indicate search intent. For example, where and when terms imply the searcher is closer to the conversion stage, while who or what searches are more along the lines of initial research.
Tailor Your Ad Copy
Copy optimized for voice search should be optimized to answering the query posed by the searcher. So you should be cognizant of how you’re writing copy. You’ve done the research and you have the information you need on the best keywords to optimize around. It’s time to put that into action. Keep copy short and sweet, and focus on answering the questions you found in your keyword research.
Utilize Call Extensions
The final thing you need to take care of when optimizing your PPC campaigns for voice search is to make sure you’re using call extensions. These extensions make it so that searchers can call your business directly from voice search results, rather than having a voice search respond with “Would you like to look up their number?”—or worse “I can’t seem to do that.” It seems like a small, unimportant step, but it can make a big difference.
Looking for help optimizing your current paid advertising strategy? Hurrdat provides Paid Search Marketing services to help your brand find the right keywords to target, manage your campaign, and more. Contact us today!
