Voice search is one of those things that crept up on us without us noticing. Siri, Alexa, Google Assistant – and now whatever the next new toy is – mean that consumers have become used to asking their devices to do things. They’re also not slowing down. Some estimates predict that in 2025, about 50% of all searches will be voice-activated. This seems hard to believe if you think back five years, but these changes are happening.
If you want your website to keep up with this, you really need to understand how voice search works. And we’re not saying “throw everything out and start again,” but if you want to appear in those spoken search results while someone is cooking or commuting or doing anything else, then it’s time to get your head around it.
This is what we will cover – a clear explanation of how to tweak your content so it’s ready for voice queries and is actually useful for voice search users.
What Is Voice Search Optimisation?
Voice search optimisation is simply the practice of adjusting your content and SEO strategy to increase the likelihood that your website will be present in search results for voice searches. Now, that sounds fairly heavy on jargon but stick with us – the concept is fairly simple.
We tend to ask voice assistants questions in a natural, conversational way. If voice assistants are becoming more integrated into our day-to-day lives, then it’s important for businesses to adjust how they present information to align with that.
What is Voice Search and How Does It Work?
Voice search might not be all that new a concept these days, but the way it works can sometimes still seem like magic. Instead of typing in a query into a search box, you just speak to your phone, or your smart speaker, or even your smartwatch. You pose a question out loud and seconds later your device gives you an answer it pulled from somewhere on the web.
If you’re an iPhone user who’s ever spoken “Hey Siri…”, or the owner of a Google Home and have said “Okay Google…”, then you already know the process. You say something. The virtual assistant hears you, processes what you meant, then it searches for the most relevant information and hands it back to you. It’s simple at a high level, but under the hood a surprising number of things have to happen.
Voice search is built on top of three fundamental technologies:
- Speech recognition, which transcribes your speech into text.
- Natural Language Processing (NLP) —basically the part that understands what you meant, not just what you said.
- Search algorithms, which dig through the web and serve up the answers that best match your question.
Knowing a little bit about how each of these works makes it much easier to understand how to build content that’s “voice-friendly” — that is, the type of content that people are served when they ask their devices questions out loud.
How Is Voice Search Different from Text Search?
The main distinctions between Voice Search and Text Search exist in their operational characteristics. Voice search operates differently from traditional text search through multiple distinct features.
Voice searches tend not to act like typed queries. In fact, if you stop and think about it for a second, that makes a lot of sense.
We tend to type like robots, but we speak like people. When you type a query into Google, your brain breaks down your thought process into a few words: “coffee shop Cape Town.” But when you speak, your brain falls into natural speech patterns. You drift into full sentences, colloquial phrasing, and the way you’d normally ask a flesh-and-blood person for help.
So rather than typing those three staccato words, you’re more likely to say something like:
“What’s the best coffee shop near me in Cape Town?”
It’s longer, more conversational, and honestly, just the way people speak when they’re not trying to think of keywords.
The move from short keywords to natural language is one of the key differences between voice and text searches. As a content creator, it’s definitely something to be aware of. The way people are speaking to their devices is slowly changing. They’re not talking to them like they’re machines anymore. They’re talking to them like they’re companions that can help answer their questions.
Question format Queries
Voice search is more like an actual dialogue. It’s closer to real-life conversations with a human being. People rarely type a keyword, they just ask questions:
“When does the store close?” “Where’s a vegan restaurant near me?” and so on. I see this especially with Cape Town searches in general — when people need to know an answer about restaurant opening hours, find directions or anything you would normally ask another human to give you. It’s easy and intuitive.
Local Intent
The second point I would like to make is local intent. Voice searches are usually for local information — “Hey Google, what’s the closest petrol station?” They need to get a single direct answer.
The last thing they want is a list of articles. People are using voice search to find nearby shops, services, restaurants and everything that helps them to determine their next destination.
Device-specific search behavior
Voice searches are less common on desktop or laptop devices. The majority of voice searches come from smart phones, smart speakers, home assistants and even wearable devices. This sets the expectation of instant results and users are not prepared to wait for the search results to load. The context of the search is very different as well. With a voice search, a person is usually asking for something they need right there, right now. It has to be fast.
Speed and Convenience
Speed is the key — if someone is driving or cooking or just has their hands full, they can’t stop to type. That’s where voice search comes in. Voice searches are a solution for these in-between moments, when browsing or looking for the right keyword is impossible. Textual search is more of a slower, more purposeful activity — when you have the time to sit down and browse properly.
Voice Search Optimisation Step-By-Step
Target Long-Tail Keywords
Voice searches are typically more conversational and less abbreviated than text queries. That means people are actually speaking in full phrases, often with those unfinished thoughts or slightly longer questions also know as long tail keywords.
Solution: That also means content that matches that cadence will appear more frequently in those voice results. Question-based phrasing or those longer, more conversational long-tail keywords we already know are great starting points.
Local Search Optimization
Local businesses in particular need to keep in mind that voice search is an even bigger factor than they might think. Why? A ton of people use voice searches when they’re looking for something nearby. A café or hardware store they can walk to, or a plumber who can come over today.
Solution: Google My Business needs to be fully filled out and up-to-date with no missing hours or out-of-date phone numbers. Similarly, make sure your website and NAP info (name, address, phone number) all match across the board. One little typo and Google will have trouble connecting it all. Bonus points for including that location-based language people use when voice searching, like “near me” or “in [City Name].”
Answer Questions in Your Content
It should practically go without saying that your content should directly answer the questions people are asking. FAQ pages, dedicated Q&A sections, and those short, concise explainer snippets can all be really effective.
Solution: Create an FAQ page or other content element specifically designed to answer the quick questions your audience actually asks. Keep it clear and to-the-point — like, if you’re giving someone directions and they’re sprinting away. The simpler the language, the more likely you are to appear in a voice search.
Optimize for Mobile
OK, let’s be honest. The vast majority of voice searches take place on a phone. People are asking questions on the go. Your site has to look smooth on a mobile device. It has to load quickly and be easy to navigate via taps. It shouldn’t give people the finger that means they have to pinch and zoom to read a sentence.
Solution: Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test is an easy way to quickly see if you’re in decent shape. It will give you a pretty accurate assessment of how your site stacks up when it comes to mobile readiness. And usually, in my experience, the biggest problem areas are the easy ones to solve. Image compression, minimizing file bloat, and enabling caching are often all it takes to get things moving faster.
Optimize for Featured Snippets
Featured snippets are those little boxes at the top of search results. They are, effectively, what’s read out by virtual assistants when a voice search hits a SERP. Securing a featured snippet slot is often down to luck. But you can improve your chances with a bit of effort.
Solution: The main thing to remember is that direct answers are key. Lists and bullets. And, where appropriate, a small table. The simpler it is for the search engine to extract a direct answer from your page, the more likely it is that they will include your content when they read out a search. Keep it snappy, direct, and to the point. Concise paragraphs that explain things and answer questions but don’t waffle.
Use Structured Data Markup (Schema Markup)
Structured data markup is one of those elements that is all but invisible to the majority of users. However, it can play an important role in making search engines better understand your site and its content. This, in turn, can help you to nudge closer to inclusion in voice search results.
Solution: Schema.org markup is generally the way to go. Using the correct schema for the content — a FAQPage or HowTo if you have Q&As or an instructional post, for example, or LocalBusiness if you’re a bricks and mortar — allows the search engine to quickly understand the nature of the content. The clearer the context you can provide, the better.
Optimise for site speed
The Voice-Activated User Is Probably Looking For An Immediate Answer. The thing about Voice Users is that they generally want the answer, right this instant. They’re likely walking, driving, or multitasking in some other way and just need a quick answer. They aren’t sitting at the computer watching the cursor blink as the page loads. Slow load times punish your Voice SEO results in two ways, both user frustration and in the eyes of Google.
Solution: Make sure your site’s speed is tip-top. Start with running your site through Google PageSpeed Insights, which will let you know where the trouble areas are. Optimising resources and images, minifying JavaScript, and ensuring you have solid caching can usually address any problems.
Pay attention to user intent
Intent is key in Voice SEO – and understanding the intent behind a query is the only way to write content that actually answers the person’s question. With Voice, consider that someone might be in the car, a shopping centre, or the kitchen as they ask the question. Each of these locations changes the nature of the search.
Solution: Tools like Google Search Console can provide an insight into the types of queries your users are entering, including some of the longer voice search style queries. Use that information to guide your content – are they seeking a quick fact or number, looking for directions, or researching a purchase? That will lead to different answers.
Create a natural conversational tone
Voice search (and the results) naturally have a conversational tone about them, even if it’s a little weird talking to your phone like that. It appears that with Voice results, a conversational tone gives more clear-cut signals to Google.
Solution: Write more conversationally. Use clear and direct language that’s closer to real speech. Avoid using overly technical terms where possible. Answer the question in the way a person would answer it aloud: brief, succinct and to the point.
Why should you invest in voice search? (The money conversation.)
Let’s get one thing straight – Optimising your business for voice search doesn’t come cheap. It will take some time, some tools, and some patience. But — and this is the part that a lot of people tend to underestimate — the monetary returns have the potential to be significant. The stats speak for themselves.
We have already established that voice assistants have firmly entrenched themselves as a regular feature in people’s everyday lives. There is a new product launch, a new feature, a new set of user habits every year. And it is explosive growth.
To put things into perspective: In 2020 there were 4.2 billion voice-enabled devices worldwide. By 2024, that number increased to an estimated 8.4 billion. And if the current trajectory continues, there could be 12 billion by 2026. That is more devices than people, which is quite a bizarre statistic to digest. But it does paint a vivid picture of how quickly voice-assisted artificial intelligence tools have saturated the market, both at home and for business. Some of the growth is also thanks to enterprises deploying voice tools internally for more complex and business-critical work.
The user adoption trend also shows no sign of abating. Estimates peg the global voice search adoption rate to be at around 20.5% of the world’s population by 2025. Epic. And as previously mentioned, while the South African trend more or less mirrors the global trend, there are local nuances and user behaviour deviations that also need to be examined more closely.
A significant recurring theme with all this data: voice searches exhibit a tendency for having local intent, approximately three times more than text searches. If a user has a device in their hand and they type, “Where is the nearest…?”, you want your business to be front and centre in that result. For any business with a South African or local customer base, not optimising for voice search is not only playing with fire, it is almost certainly leaving money on the table.
Voice search is no longer a far-off technology of the future. By 2025, it is going to be a virtual necessity for marketers, with two key changes to note: first, voice searches are anticipated to reach about 75% for local searches. Second, voice commerce will reportedly contribute to an average of $80 billion in annual revenue. The combination of these two voice-related changes is kind of screaming “pay attention to us,” if you are a business with a digital storefront of any sort.
Who’s using voice search to do it? The 18–34 demographic leads the pack, with approximately 77% of those using voice search with their mobile devices. Don’t worry. It’s not a surprise. As it turns out, though, it’s the adoption by older generations that caught my attention (if you can call it that). I’m still in the 18–34 cohort, so I had been paying attention to all the younger folks flocking to their voice-enabled mobile devices in droves, and maybe thinking a little smugly about the comparatively lower numbers among my parents’ generation. Alas. How wrong I was to assume. It turns out more than 50% of users over 55 are now using voice search weekly. I, for one, am excited to have my folks along for the ride.
Consumers when asked said that around 71% prefer voice search to typing out their query in the search bar. This kind of tracks with the general trend of using what feels the fastest, the easiest, the most frictionless when it comes to researching and comparing your content against others.
Mobile makes up a large share of this activity. Approximately 27% of the world’s internet users use voice assistants on their phones and tablets. Voice-activated devices in smart homes are also becoming a larger presence. They’re becoming, well, smarter? With the smart home at large, about 36% of smart speaker owners in the US already use a voice assistant to complete a shopping task at least weekly. Now, South Africa doesn’t always follow US trends perfectly, but you would be remiss to expect any less user behavior here as well.
Voice search could reportedly constitute as much as 76% of all searches by 2025. Now, I don’t know about you, but that sounds about halfway between “highly likely” and “should probably pay attention.”
As part of that same local search behavior, approximately 58% of consumers use voice search to discover local business. This trend is noteworthy for any company in South Africa, or, really, any company looking to attract a local customer. Remember, it’s very possible that your next customer is a voice search away.
In terms of voice shopping specifically, the global voice shopping industry is expected to reach approximately $186.28 billion by 2030. That’s not a fad. That’s not some passing phase. It’s pretty much mainstream at this point.
The larger point in each of these statistics is that voice search is growing, it is being used in a variety of ways and in a variety of contexts, and, ultimately, South African companies need to be thinking about how to play ball with this.
The adoption rate may be high, but even more so will be the stakes for companies that do not adapt. So, if you need a more data-driven breakdown of a local (province, city, etc.) audience in South Africa, just let me know and I can dig up some stats targeted more specifically for that locale.
Voice Search FAQ
What is the difference between voice search and text search?
Voice searches are more likely to be longer and more conversational. Think of how someone would actually say something versus the terse, keyword-driven input you’re more likely to get via typed queries. And since voice searches often reflect natural speech patterns, users tend to ask more specific questions, sometimes with an implied local intent (“Where’s the closest place that’s open right now?”).
How can I optimise my content for voice search?
Start by considering long-tail phrases the way a person might actually say them. It also helps to use question-based language to structure your content around topics and questions people actually ask. If your site is slow or hard to use on mobile, voice search users will likely never find you. One more thing – Structured data also helps, as it provides search engines with more information on what your content is about, which appears to have some benefit for voice search.
Is local SEO important for voice search?
Yes, in a big way. Searches for local information make up a big percentage of voice queries. For that reason, having complete, accurate business information in your listings and on your website is not just useful for local SEO — it’s practically a requirement.
Can structured data assist with voice search optimisation?
It can — to a degree. Structured data (aka Schema markup) provides search engines with additional context (basically like adding little notes throughout your page that explain what a certain thing actually is). There’s no guarantee that implementing Schema is going to push you into voice results overnight, but it does help make your content clearer and easier for search engines to read and understand. And who’s against being clear?
Conclusion
Right now, thinking of voice search as optional is… a risky move. If staying visible in search still matters to you, you’ll want to be creating content that reads naturally, answers people’s actual questions, and matches up with their local intent. Mobile experience also plays a role here — slow sites trip a lot of people up, so make sure you’re not dragging your feet in that regard. The sooner you can get these ducks in a row, the less last-minute scrambling you’ll be doing when voice search continues to pick up steam.
