How do I optimize my website for voice search?

How do I optimize my website for voice search?

In a world where people shout questions at their phones, voice search isn’t just something your parents do during a movie to check if Reese Witherspoon has kids, its real, its here and its happening all the time—it’s changing how users interact with websites. Whether it’s asking Alexa to find a Starbucks or using Siri to check the weather, or looking for a businesses Google Business Profile, voice searches are quick, direct, and becoming far more conversational as ai voice recognition software gets better. That means websites have to adapt or risk losing a whole segment of potential traffic, because people’s thumbs are getting tired. We began optimizing our clients websites for voice search when the technology first saw its major rise during the Pandemic. 

The Reality: Optimizing for voice search isn’t about reinventing your website, no rebuilds or remakes or redesigns – its none of those things. It’s about fine-tuning it to align with how real people ask questions out loud. If you’re aiming to capture those voice search results, here’s what you need to focus on.

1. Write Like People Talk: Use Natural, Conversational Language

Voice searches sound different from what people type into a search bar. Instead of typing “best pizza DETROIT,” someone using voice search might say, “Where can I find the best pizza in Detroit?” It’s more casual, complete, and conversational.

To optimize for this, your content needs to reflect how people actually talk. I for one don’t use a bunch of slang in my everyday speech. Regardless of what Social Media generational battles will have you think, even the Gen-Z and Alphas’ don’t spout complete nonsense all the time. 

• Write conversationally. If your content reads like it’s written for a textbook, it’s time to loosen up – avoid using crappy AI generators.  Write in a way you’d speak to a friend. That’s how people ask questions when they use voice search.
• Use contractions like “I’m,” “it’s,” or “they’re” to mimic speech.
• Don’t stuff in keywords. Instead, think about phrasing naturally: “How do I clean leather boots?” sounds far more natural than “leather boots cleaning method.”
• The issue with using AI to generate content is that it always wants to sound like the smartest person in the room, its incredibly polished, uses certain buzzwords, and in general it can be detected rather easily. 

Takeaway: The more natural your writing sounds, the better your content will align with spoken queries.

2. Focus on Long-Tail Keywords and Question-Based Queries For Voice Search

Voice search queries are longer and more specific. Instead of short, broad keywords, they’re often full questions or detailed phrases.

• Identify long-tail keywords: These are longer phrases that people are likely to say out loud. Tools like Google’s “People Also Ask,” AnswerThePublic, or even common customer FAQs can help you find these.
• Answer questions directly: Voice assistants are looking for the most relevant and straightforward answers. If someone asks, “What’s the best way to grow tomatoes in winter?”, your content should answer that question clearly in a dedicated section.
• Use headers with questions: Include commonly asked questions in your headings (H2 or H3). For example:H2: How Do I Grow Tomatoes Indoors in Winter? Follow that with a simple, clear answer. Search engines will see this and may pull your content for featured snippets or voice results.

Takeaway: Think about the exact phrases people use when asking questions and incorporate them into your content.

3. Give Clear, Concise Answers (40-60 Words)

When it comes to voice search, clarity wins. Voice assistants aim to provide answers fast, often in under 10 seconds. If your content has long-winded paragraphs before getting to the point, it’s likely to be skipped.

• Be direct: Start your answer with the most relevant information. If someone asks, “How do I reset my Wi-Fi router?” don’t bury the steps under silly unnecessary backstory.
• Don’t waste time: So many do this and its frankly annoying, and designed for regular SEO. You can use AEO, GEO and SEO optimized content on your site in the same article without being crazy – be natural, be real. At the top of this article is the AEO optimized answer – the entire article is structured for GEO, and of course every element of SEO is present – everything can feel natural if you put some effort into it.
• Keep answers short: Around 40-60 words is the sweet spot for voice search responses. Think of it like answering a friend’s quick question—say what they need to know, then expand later if necessary.
• Add value afterward: Once you’ve provided a direct answer, it’s fine to expand with context or deeper detail for those who want to read more.

Example:

What is a domain name and why do I need one?

A: A domain name is your website’s unique address on the internet (e.g., www.example.com). You need one so users can access your site, and it helps establish your brand’s credibility.

4. Use FAQs and Schema Markup to Structure Content

Search engines rely on structure to determine which content best answers a user’s query. If your site’s content is chaotic or poorly organized, voice search tools won’t see it as the best option.

• Create an FAQ section: Adding a dedicated FAQ page or embedding FAQs into blog posts makes it easy to target question-based queries. Each question should have its own clear, concise answer.
• Use schema markup: Structured data (like FAQ schema) tells search engines that your content is formatted for quick answers. It increases your chances of being pulled into rich snippets or spoken responses by voice assistants.
• Break content into clear sections: Use headings, bullet points, and short paragraphs so search engines can quickly parse your content.

Example of FAQ Schema

Takeaway: Organize your content with FAQs and schema markup to help search engines identify and prioritize it.

Final Thoughts

Optimizing for voice search doesn’t mean throwing everything out and starting over. It’s about understanding how people naturally ask questions and adjusting your content so search engines can serve up your answers.

Start small. Add FAQs to your site, write in a conversational tone, and focus on providing clear, direct answers to common questions. If you keep the user’s intent and spoken habits in mind, you’ll be well on your way to capturing voice search traffic.

The bottom line: If your content feels natural to read, answers questions quickly, and is easy for search engines to understand, you’re doing it right.

Author’s Note: All this marketing stuff is only getting more complicated. AEO (Answer Engine Optimization), SEO (Search Engine Optimization), GEO (Generative AI Engine Optimization) all mean something and they all have their important parts. Yellow Pages, Billboards and TV Ads on judge time on local channels are done, they are a thing of the past. You’ve probably been doing SEO for a while, and its probably helped. But ultimately you must understand how to navigate marketing today. As everything, it gets more convoluted and complicated as time goes by, as technology gets better. 50 years ago a car had an engine, some basic switches for windows and locks, and seats (if it was really fancy). We put gas into the car and pumped the pedal to prime it, then we drove – now we can start our cars from across the world, let it drive itself, and speak to it, and it can speak back. Everything will always get more complicated as new technologies and understanding of information occurs – the point here is that you need to be constantly adapting, ask questions, think comprehensively.