Based on the latest market research, 30% of all searches in 2020 will be done without a screen. Say what?!

What Is Voice Search?

Voice search essentially allows users to speak into a device as opposed to typing keywords into a search query to generate results. Apps like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant make this process eerily simple. In fact, there are studies that show “the next generation” to come online may never type an email. Instead, theory has it, they’ll use mobile devices and voice recognition to connect online for the first time. 

So what does this mean for your marketing efforts and is the real estate market ready for voice search? 

Try This
Ask Siri: "New home communities near me..." or "Home builders near me..."
Now ask Siri: "Starbucks near me..."

The results of those three queries are radically different. The reason why Starbucks results are much easier to interact with and displays much more accurate information is user intent. The AI models that feed the data to these platforms are all using 'frequency of search' as the prevailing metric of importance. Which makes sense—people ask for Starbucks a lot more than they do "home builders near me...". 

But is that the end of the story? Just because today nobody is using AI to search for new homes doesn't mean that they won't start tomorrow or next year. 

Just like virtually everything coming down the tech pipeline, there's tomorrow to consider. Since the U.S. version of AI is predicated on commerce and market influence, there's little doubt that at some point Google, Zillow (or insert any big tech firm here) won't start to incorporate AI and voice search into their tech stack to make it easier to get information to the real estate buyer. And don't forget about the SEO angle of voice search (and that's really the point of this article). 

My recommendation is to be the first in line when it comes to being optimized for the impending rise of voice search.

If you really want to stand out from the crowd for search engines, you should consider voice search optimization when developing content from the beginning. 

To do this, write regular blog posts focused on the questions clients ask most often. If you know how to use Google's Keyword Planner or a similar tool, then use them to find the search volume and competitiveness of these questions. Because people often phrase voice searches as questions, creating detailed, helpful responses to your clients' FAQs will make your answer more likely to be the featured search result (also called a snippet). 

Because voice search is more commonly used for local searches, make sure your company name, address, and phone number (NAP) appears in all major directories, and is consistent. At the minimum, you need a Google My Business profile. Make sure all sections are complete, and try to use as many features as possible, including chat and posts. Also, encourage clients to leave reviews and respond to every review, even positive ones.

Why is this important to voice SEO?

Google devices are currently the most commonly used for voice search, and the better you can show Google through your business listing that you're an active, web-savvy business, the more likely you are to be at the top of the search results. 

If you're extra ambitious, you should submit your business listing to the other voice search providers as well, including Amazon Alexa, Bixby, Cortana, and Siri. You may also consider adding your business listing to the major GPS mapping accelerators (i.e., Garmin, Waze, Audi, Ford). 

All of this ensures that when the technology can accurately deliver on a voice search request for "open houses near me...," your location is the first answer delivered. 

Questions or comments, email me at chip@builderdesigns.com.