The widespread adoption of voice search technology is now one of the most significant developments in the digital world today. For users, it is a convenience at its best. But for businesses, this means coming up with strategies to stay relevant with the latest trends, according to one SEO reseller.

The rise of digital assistants is changing the way people do things. Today, you can literally ask a question to a smartphone and receive a human-like response – instantly. Think about anything, whether you want it to wake you up at 5:00 AM, or give you directions to the nearest gas station or even for the weather projections, and its but a tip of the iceberg. This is what millions of users are doing each day with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Microsoft’s Cortana, Apple HomePod, and Samsung’s Bixby. It is safe to say that the voice search is here to stay. And if all aspects are held constant, then these assistants will soon be at the center stage of our normal lives.

If you aren’t convinced by this yet, maybe these statistics will serve as an eye-opener for you.

According to Gartner, voice searches will account for 30% of online browsing session by 2020.

A report by ADI Consumer Electronics reveals that more than 50% of all voice assistants’ owners use it at least once every day, with more than 20% depending on it for online shopping.

A 2015 survey by Mindmeld on 1,800 adult smartphone users in the US found that there has been a rise on voice search and voice assistant usage, with 60% stating that they have been using these tools in the last 12 months.

The latest research shows that 72% of smart device users use voice assistants as a faster, smarter, and more convenient way of searching something online, texting, shopping, and playing music.

Considering the uptake of smart devices, we can’t stop but wonder how voice search could be the new SEO game-changer. So, to gain some insights on the same, we talked to one SEO reseller and here is what we found out.

Understanding Google voice search

Google voice search is an alternative function that enables you to search or navigate the internet using Google through voice or spoken commands rather than typing. The technology is growing at a rapid rate and is going to revolutionize the digital marketing prospect sooner than later. Google voice search is not slowing down any time soon – in fact, no one knows how far it will go with regards to its influence in the online marketing arena. But still, one thing is clear; it has made online searches faster, accurate, and fun.

The role of voice-search in SEO strategies

One thing that explains the rapid growth of voice searches is Google’s 2013 ‘Hummingbird’ update that led to a shift in natural language processing. Today, users don’t have to modify their verbal communication while commanding the assistant because its algorithm understands user intent and query context and reads the snippets that include concise and precise answers. At the moment, the Google assistant supports around 60 languages and enhances voice search optimization.

Besides, the assistants depend on featured snippets that offer straightforward answers that are easy to read. Meaning, SEO experts may need to think about developing vast snippets to gain an edge in the voice search competition and also better engage with their prospects.

Despite the uptake of voice search, personal data breach and invasion of privacy are still top concerns for many digital assistant users. In fact, most users still prefer traditional systems for credit card purchases rather than depending on these assistants alone. So, even though the digital assistant has proven to be effective when it comes to entertaining, telling jokes and responding to simple requests, it’s still early days to predict whether voice search optimization will take over SEO strategies in the coming years.

Is it time for voice search optimization

The simple answer is, yes. If you optimize your site for voice search, then you are likely to be a step ahead of your peers. You don’t have to wait until everyone is doing it to join the bandwagon. Now is the right time to optimize your website as well as marketing strategies for voice search, as it gives you enough wiggle room without having to worry about losing your existing searchers.

The difference between voice and text-based search

Although both of them perform almost the same function, a majority of voice search users query the assistant as though they were talking to a person that’s listening to them. This makes the voice searches more direct and accurate.

According to the SEO reseller, optimizing your site could be forward-thinking and the best way to stay ahead of the curve.