With the rise of Alexa, Google Mini and, our old favourite, Siri it is clear that more and more internet users are now searching the web using just their voice. It has even been predicted that a massive 30% of all searches will be voice activated by just next year without the use of a keyboard or even a screen!

At first glance, this doesn’t seem like it has much of an impact on online business, however, it may be more important than initially thought. These voice-activated devices will trawl the internet and inform the user of the most popular pages listed on search engines containing the key words used by the speaker. This means that when searching the internet, the users no longer have the ability to scroll through pages 2, 3, 4 etc. of web pages and are instead subjected to the top results; so, if your content isn’t kept up to date or isn’t classed by Search Engines as “High Quality” you’re running the risk of not being seen (or heard).

So, how do you make your business’ voice heard?

It all comes down to good SEO practice. If you are updating your website on a regular basis, adding new pages and amending existing ones this will show Search Engines that you are active and that you are making a conscious effort to contribute to the online community. You should also ensure that your Meta Keywords and descriptions are both up-to-date and correct; these are essential as your user will literally be saying these words when searching for what they want.

Not only should you be showing the correct information, but you should really be aiming to have all your grammar and spelling checked and double-checked. We all know what it’s like trying to understand a robotic voice that can’t pronounce names and places correctly and having typos in the content will make that voice so much more unbearable. Your user will be much more likely to pay attention if what their Siri/Alexa/Google is saying actually makes sense.

But don’t just focus on your website. Search Engines love to see that you are invested in your online presence. You need to be updating your Social Media with good quality content on a regular basis. The more you post on Social Media, the more your brand is appearing online and, especially, on Search Engines. Once your online presence has been established and built up you will start appearing higher and higher in the Search Engine rankings and, in turn, having your brand appear in the voice searches used by your consumers.

But don’t just focus on your website. Search Engines love to see that you are invested in your online presence. You need to be updating your Social Media with good quality content on a regular basis. The more you post on Social Media, the more your brand is appearing online and, especially, on Search Engines. Once your online presence has been established and built up you will start appearing higher and higher in the Search Engine rankings and, in turn, having your brand appear in the voice searches used by your consumers.