Whether you speak to Alexa, Siri or any of the myriad of other voice search tools available, using our voices to find information or complete tasks is the new normal. While voice search provides plenty of convenience for users, website owners need to be aware of the developments in the industry so that they can keep up.
After all, the way we might type in a request is often very different to how we may say it.
So whether you’re new to voice search or want to stay ahead of the game, here is where the future of voice search is heading.
Voice Search Statistics
- One third of American consumers own a smart speaker – Statista
- The use of voice search assistants will triple to 8 billion in 2023 – Juniper Research
- Transactions driven by voice search is set to reach $164 billion by 2025 – Statista
- Voice search answers 93.7% of search queries on average – Demand Sage
- 71% of users prefer to enter queries through voice search rather than typing – Oberlo
What Do People Use Voice Search For?
- Based on research carried out by Demand Sage across U.S households, the top categories for voice search include:
Weather (75%) - Music (71%)
- News (64%)
- Entertainment (62%)
- Retail (54%)
- Food delivery and restaurants (52%)
- Healthcare and wellness (51%)
Other top topics for voice search include consumer packaged food, local services, booking reservations, fitness, fashion, travel and finance.
What Do Market Trends Suggest About The Future Of Voice Search?
More than one billion voice searches currently take place every month. With voice search on our phones, laptops and smart devices, the ability to search with our voices is ever-expanding.
In 2017, Demand Sage reports there were 79.9 million users of voice search, compared with 125.2 million in 2023. Year on year, the number of users continue to grow.
What website owners and content creators should take from this, is that the need to factor in voice searches remains as relevant as ever. This is especially the case given technology makes it possible to conduct a voice search anytime, anywhere.
For instance, we can pause what we’re streaming to ask Siri what the weather is doing, or even give us restaurant recommendations nearby.
Making Your Website & Content Geared Towards Voice Search
According to the Digital Marketing Institute, voice search means users are increasingly using words such as ‘I, me and my’.
Known as semantic search, Google must consider the meaning of voice search queries in a different way compared with lexical search whereby search engines look for literal matches of the phrases typed in.
While up to now people mostly use voice search for weather updates or even asking their home assistants to turn the lights on, research suggests that voice search will start to overtake other types of searches including those with commercial intent.
In response, websites need to be geared towards semantic search trends rather than just literal phrases. Websites should be routinely updated and tested to ensure they are not just SEO friendly, but also voice search friendly.
Imaginaire – Future Proof Your Website With Our Website Design & Management
Want to capture more search traffic from voice search?
Imaginaire is a digital marketing agency based in Nottingham. We provide a host of services to market your business including website design and management.
Updating your website along with website management can help ensure your website never misses a trick, especially as technology continues to adapt over time.
For any help or advice on making your website voice search friendly, drop us a message or give us a call on 0115 697 1541.
Contact the Imaginaire team to get SEO advice and solutions for your business