Siri and Alexa are changing SEO – but maybe not in the way you think. SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is the process of making changes to website design or content in order to rank higher on search engines such as Google, Bing, or Yahoo.
SEO is constantly evolving due to practice changes of both the major search engines and web designers and marketers who take advantage of them. While traditionally people how to type out their search queries, nowadays voice searches and AI intelligence such as Siri and Alexa are changing SEO by changing how people ask questions online.
Here’s how these popular AI assistant are changing SEO:
Asking Full Questions
These days, people tend to search for things in a search engine in the form of keywords or incomplete phrases. For example, if you were looking for a pho restaurant in Austin, you may just type “pho Austin.” However, people speak differently than they type. Someone may feel silly telling their phone to “pho Austin,” so they ask full questions like “Hey Siri, where is the nearest pho restaurant?” Due to this, key phrases may become longer and based on full questions instead of individual words.
Steeper Competition
More people are accessing smartphones these days, and many of these devices have voice-controlled apps and programs. Alexa provides verified answers to search requests, and the voice search technology used by Google will feature answers from only their top search engine results. This makes it more important to rank high (or top) in specific searches rather than just being on the front page or two, even for broader topics that are harder to rank with.
Navigational Mobile Searches
Many voice searches are navigational in nature, and they are closely intertwined with mobile searches. Any business that has a strong presence on Google is able to benefit the most from shifting toward voice searches because of the integration of Google Maps.
For example, someone who teaches music and has a strong local presence will have the advantage is someone searches for a music teacher who is located near them via voice search. This benefits websites that are optimized in both navigation and location search.
Technology such as Siri and Alexa will continue to change how people search for things on the internet, and SEO strategies will need to be constantly adjusted with each technological advancement. This means that taking the time to invest in a strong SEO strategy will no doubt be key in ensuring that only the best results are possible for both yourself and/or your business.
Thank you for visiting Eye See You Now’s blog, an Austin SEO company. If you need help getting your business viewed online, contact us for a free consultation for your website, social media, and online advertising needs.
Photo credit Sebastian Scholz.
