The latest SEO trend is optimizing your website for voice search. This trend is the natural result of a definite change in the way users perform internet searches. As digital assistants become more conversational and skilled in natural language, they are replacing search bars and typing.
As we will demonstrate in this article, voice search is a strong and continuous trend, not a passing fad. Consumers demand simpler, faster and more effective tools to solve their problems and satisfy their needs. Digital assistants are the future: smart devices that allow people to perform screenless and hands-free internet searches and even operate various smart devices.
Digital Assistants Help People Manage Their Busy Schedule
There is no question about it, modern life is busy and on the rush. People need to balance various tasks, sometimes at the same time. Soon, they discovered that they can rely on smart devices equipped with digital assistants as personal secretaries.
And the statistics show that these devices have an increasingly growing role in people’s lives. At the present:
- US $20.7 million is the value of the global smart speaker market for Q1 of 2019;
- 26.1 million smart speakers were delivered to customers during Q2 of 2019;
- 25% of searches on Android devices are voice searches;
- 58% of smart speakers use them to create and manage shopping lists;
- 62% of people who used voice search made a purchase through the smart device.
The numbers above hint at something very useful for marketers and business owners: a lot of people rely on voice search and digital assistants to manage their shopping. This is the most convenient way for them to deal with the various personal and professional job tasks that fill their daily schedule.
Next, we will share some valuable insights on the relationship between voice search and shopping.
Voice Search and Shopping – a Perfect Match
Surveys and market researches performed by various specialised companies have reached the same conclusion: more and more people from all over the world use voice search to find products or services and complete a purchase.
Here are the most relevant voice search trends and statistics related to shopping:
- 20% of voice purchases are for groceries;
- 20% of consumers performed at least one voice purchase through digital assistants;
- 28% of consumers will contact a business after performing a voice search;
- 50% of global purchases will be made through voice commands in 2020;
- US $40 billion will be the value of global voice purchases in 2020.
And this is not all. As digital assistants become smarter and more conversational, people will rely on them even more.
Voice Search Marketing: Consumers Are Open for More
As statistical data show, digital assistants have become key player during the product research and consideration phase. For example:
- 20% of consumers use digital assistants to find ratings and reviews;
- 51% of them use voice search to research products;
- 48% of smart device owners would like to receive personalised tips and offers from brands via digital assistants;
- 51% of people find a restaurant using voice search.
Therefore, now is the moment to start optimising your digital strategy for voice search. Digital assistants are entering into the mass adoption stage and being voice search friendly will become the norm.
Smart Devices Are Becoming Polyglot and Part of Everyday Life
In truth, smart devices like Amazon Echo and Google Home will become a regular presence in your clients’ homes. And language is no longer a barrier – for instance, Google Assistant supports 13 languages and Amazon Alexa understands 7 languages.
As for the presence of voice search devices in people’s homes:
- 25% of people keep their smart speakers in their bedroom;
- 22% of users keep it in the kitchen;
- 72% of owners routinely perform various voice searches through smart speakers;
- 65% of digital assistant owners would not go back to typed searches;
- 45% of owners of smart speakers plan to buy a second unit.
The conclusions are simple: digital assistants embedded in smart devices will become an everyday presence in people’s homes. And these devices will make voice searches the norm for everything: from looking for information to finding a local business. Thus, the successful SEO and marketing strategies of tomorrow must be voice search friendly.