Enhancing Voice Search with Natural Language

As voice assistants like Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri become increasingly common, marketers will proactively need to optimize their content for voice search to remain discoverable in 2023 and beyond. This specifically requires utilizing natural language that mirrors how real people speak versus traditional text optimized for keywords.

Right now, most online content gets optimized primarily for text-based keywords entered into search engines. However, voice queries differ substantially in syntax, terminology and phrasing versus typed searches. For instance, people directly may ask “What time does the mall close today?” verbally instead of searching for specific keywords and filters.

To connect with these voice queries, marketers must write and structure content using natural language that emulates how users ask questions out loud. Some recommendations include:

Consider alternate phrasing –

Brainstorm multiple ways different types of people might ask similar questions using varied vocabulary.

Use contractions –

“What’s” and “there’s” sound more conversational than “what is” for a natural voice.

Incorporate colloquialisms –

Phrases like “real quick” or “get the job done” reflect everyday speech better than formal alternatives.

Avoid jargon –

Leave out industry-specific terms that may not translate when spoken.

Optimize page titles and headings –

Make these concise, question-based summaries of the content’s main focus.

Utilize a conversational tone –

Write as you would speak, using a friendly, approachable style.

For example, a page about business hours could have a title like “What time does ACME Company close?” The content could begin:

“ACME Company’s regular office hours run from 9 am to 6 pm, Monday through Friday. We’re open later on Thursdays till 8 pm to better serve customers after work. On weekends and holidays, our offices remain closed.”

This natural language focuses more on answering the question of business hours versus targeting specific keywords, aiming to better match how a user might ask that question out loud.

Overall, optimizing for voice with natural language writing entails crafting content that mirrors everyday speech by utilizing contractions, questions and phrasing people commonly use in conversation. While more informal, this emulates the syntax of real voice queries better, potentially improving relevancy for the growing percentage of searches now occurring via voice assistants.