As smart speakers and voice assistants grow, optimising for voice search becomes increasingly important.
Voice search is changing how people find local services. When someone says 'Hey Google, find me a plumber near me', Google pulls results from different sources than a typed search. Understanding how voice search works helps you position your business to capture these growing queries.
Voice searches are typically longer and more conversational than typed searches. Someone might type 'plumber Manchester' but say 'Who's the best plumber in Manchester that's open now?' Optimise your content for these natural language queries by including FAQ sections that answer questions in full sentences.
Google pulls most voice search answers from featured snippets - the boxed answers at the top of search results. Structure your content to win these snippets: ask a question as a heading, then provide a concise, direct answer in 1-2 sentences below it. Lists and step-by-step formats also perform well in snippets.
Make sure your Google Business Profile is fully optimised for voice search. Google Assistant heavily relies on GBP data for local queries. Ensure your opening hours, phone number, and services are accurate and up-to-date. The businesses that show up in voice search results are almost always those with complete, well-maintained Google Business Profiles.