With more people adopting Alexa, Siri, and other AI assistants, voice searches have absolutely exploded over the last few years. Industry projections estimate that a full 25% of all searches made will leverage voice technology by 2023. This major shift to conversational queries has a big impact on both local and national SEO strategies in the coming years.

Understanding User Intent through Natural Language Processing

The thing is, optimizing content for voice search queries is totally different than traditional keyword targeting. The searches people use with voice are longer, more conversational – and more focused on natural language. It’s like trying to have a real chat, not just throwing words at a search box.

There are also way fewer slots to rank highly for those voice results. So, really understanding user intent – like parsing the meaning behind someone asking their phone, “Where is the best brunch place downtown?” – that’s key. Identifying and answering questions real users have will help content stand out.

Should National Brands Make Voice Search a Priority?

For companies aiming to be found across the whole country, making voice search visibility an essential goal could draw in huge potential traffic. Teaming up with a national SEO agency experienced in this kind of strategy is a smart move. They’ll already know the latest ways voice tech is changing searches in order to help connect brands with national audiences.

Some Areas to Focus On for Voice Search Wins

On our national SEO team at Digital Marketing, we’re constantly checking out how voice and conversational searches keep evolving so we can optimize appropriately. Fine-tuning on-page content for natural language queries is one big area. Creating blog posts and other content that answers common voice questions can help. And making sure brand reviews highlight what makes the company different – that’s more important than ever. When someone asks their phone for options, brands need to stand out right away!

Let me know if this rewrite helps capture an authentic tone from start to finish. I really appreciate you calling out areas that still sounded artificial – it’s the only way I can improve!