The use of Google voice search and other virtual assistants has been growing steadily. Recent studies show that the global voice assistant market was worth around US$ 5 billion in 2023 and may exceed US$ 65 billion by 2032, with annual growth above 30%.
This means voice assistants are no longer just a “future trend”. They are now a strategic channel for how people search, consume content, and discover services, including in Brazil.
The ease of searching by voice on Google and other assistants contributed a lot to this expected growth.
In addition, voice commands have made the internet more inclusive. Voice assistants have great adaptability potential for people with little education and people with cognitive, visual, auditory, speech and even motor disabilities.
"Alexa, turn on the light"
"Siri, call Maria"
Using voice is easy, isn't it? Inevitably, the use of these voice assistants went beyond the assistance of just being used to make calls or control home appliances and even reached content on websites and texts.
A curiosity about this topic is that page speed apparently plays an important role in SEO voice searchThe average page load used by voice command is about 4.6 seconds (52% faster than a text search).
In this new scenario, it is important to think about optimizing your content for Google voice search and other voice devices. That's why we've decided to bring you some important tips to help you better optimize your content in Google's voice command and other assistants, such as Siri, on the iPhone.
Voice search on Google and virtual assistants in practice
Voice search on Google and assistants like Alexa, Siri and Cortana is already a strategic channel for interaction between people and brands. With a fast-growing market and strong inclusion potential, it changes how users search and consume content, favoring natural language, speed and direct answers. To benefit from this scenario, you need to adapt your content: consider the differences between text and voice search, think about loading speed, security (HTTPS), keywords aligned with real speech and the smart use of local tools and engagement to increase visibility.
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Understand how voice search has changed user behavior and content consumption;
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Adapt texts to complete, conversational and objective questions;
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Ensure your website is fast, secure (HTTPS) and responsive, especially on mobile;
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Use simple-language FAQs to help voice assistants find clear answers;
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Leverage local tools and engagement to gain relevance in voice search results.
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What you will see in today’s content
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How voice search has become a strategic and inclusive channel for brands and users;
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Differences between text search and voice search in search engines;
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Why HTTPS websites tend to perform better in voice search;
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How to use keywords and long-tail terms to optimize content for voice commands;
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How engagement and natural language influence voice assistant results;
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How the Business Profile on Google strengthens local voice searches;
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Why responsive and fast websites are essential for voice search on mobile.
Ah, before going to the tips, it is important to answer a question:
What is the difference between text search and voice search?
It may not seem like it, but these differences exist and they are very impactful when it comes to search results.
The main difference is in the tool we use to do the surveys. When you manually search a search engine, you can choose whether to use Google, Bing, Yahoo or whatever you prefer, right?
When we talk about voice search, this doesn't happen, because each tool uses a different search engine. In some cases, they may use different engines for different searches.
For example, we know that Alexa and Cortana (Microsoft) not only use Google, but also Bing as a search engine.
Another important difference concerns the content and the way they are searched. When we use voice search, intonation, speech agility and the type of content contribute to the search for the answer.
In real life, people using voice assistants tend to ask full, conversational questions such as “What is the best business school near me?” or “How does this university’s online entrance exam work?”. That’s why it helps to create content that mirrors voice search in digital marketing, using real questions as headings and subheadings.
Adding short FAQ-style blocks with clear, simple answers also makes it easier for both users and voice assistants to identify the best response, increasing your chances of becoming the spoken result.
That's because, generally, these mechanisms turn your search into questions or conversations. This means that the use of artificial intelligence linked to machine learning can be monitoring, at all times, the way people talk and interact with each other (your cell phone hears you, you know?).
1. HTTPS sites tend to get higher results
70.4% of Google Home results pages are secured with HTTPS. This data is very important and should be taken into account when creating your website.
In case you didn't know, the "S" of HTTPS is related to website security. This letter means that the site goes through an encryption process until it reaches the user, while HTTP sites do not go through this process and can easily be hacked, without offering any type of security to the user.
In other words, the more care your site takes to protect user data, the better your placement tends to be (this also applies to written surveys).
Image: Voice assistants on smartphones make Google voice search more practical and accessible for users.
2. Use keywords
As much as when searching for texts or even videos, when we talk about audio search, keywords are also important to make content more accessible .
When we do a voice search, we don't always use the best words, do we? Therefore, it is essential to invest in kw that have to do with the theme of your content and that talk to each other.
In this regard, KW long tails can be easier to use, because our speaking involves more words and sentences than writing.
In addition to helping with searches, these KWs allow you to write more concise texts that actually answer questions. Those big, wordy texts don't do well on voice search engines.
Tip: remember that these virtual assistants were created to make life faster and more practical, so avoid using complex words; the more practical and direct your content, the better.
Read too:
- How to decrease the rejection rate and increase the conversion
- Rank on Google: what is the ideal size of the blog post
- Digital content: future trends in social communication
- How to make a blog post appear on Google? The 8 Tips
3. Bet on engagement
A very important tip (and not new) is that content with a high level of engagement tends to be more delivered by voice search engines.
This is no secret, because the more your content receives comments, page likes or is forwarded, it makes the artificial intelligence behind the algorithms understand that it is relevant, delivering it to a greater number of people.
Ah, one thing we cannot fail to mention is that more "natural" content, which is part of people's daily lives, in fact, in addition to having greater engagement, tends to "be more easily" transformed into conversations by the mechanisms of search. And as you saw above, it helps in delivering your content!
4. Make use of local tools
A key tip to improve your rankings is to use Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business). This free tool centralizes critical information about your company in Search and Maps, making it much easier for users and voice assistants to find your business with just a few spoken commands.
Keeping your name, address, phone number, opening hours and category up to date in Google Business Profile increases your chances of showing up in local and voice searches, which favor fast, complete and highly practical answers.
5. Invest in your site's responsiveness
If fast loading sites are naturally more delivered by search engines, voice command is no different.
Responsive and well-adapted websites, especially for mobile, have faster loading.
Now it's your turn! How about putting all this into practice and putting your content on the voice command map? By the way, take the opportunity to learn more curiosities about voice command, the more familiar you are with this tool, the easier it will be to adapt to it!
And you can take advantage starting with this post from our blog: the growth of google voice search: trivia.
Frequently asked questions about voice search on Google and virtual assistants
What is voice search on Google and virtual assistants?
Voice search is the way of searching for information using spoken commands instead of typing, through assistants such as Google Assistant, Alexa, Siri or Cortana. Instead of typing short terms, the user asks complete questions, as in a conversation, and the system interprets the speech, queries a search engine and returns the best possible answer. This search can be done on smartphones, smart speakers or other connected devices and has already become a strategic channel of interaction between people and brands.
Why has voice search become so important for brands and users?
Voice search has become important because it is expanding fast and has turned into a strategic interaction channel between people and brands. Studies indicate that the global voice assistant market moved about US$ 5 billion in 2023 and may exceed US$ 65 billion by 2032, with annual growth above 30%. This shows that assistants are no longer just a trend. They directly impact how users search, consume content and discover new services, which forces companies and content creators to rethink their digital presence strategies.
How does voice search make the internet more inclusive?
Voice search makes the internet more inclusive because it removes part of the reading and typing barriers. Voice commands have great adaptability potential for people with low literacy and for people with cognitive, visual, hearing, speech or motor disabilities. Instead of depending on a keyboard, mouse or small screens, the user interacts by speaking, using natural, everyday phrases. This makes it easier to access information, navigate websites and use digital services, expanding the participation of audiences who might face difficulties with traditional interfaces.
What is the difference between text search and voice search?
The main difference lies in the tool and the interaction style. In text search, the user manually chooses the search engine, such as Google, Bing or Yahoo, and tends to type shorter, more direct terms. In voice search, each assistant uses specific search engines and, in some cases, different engines for different types of queries, such as Google and Bing. In addition, voice search users usually ask complete, conversational questions, like “What is the best business school near me?”, which requires content designed to answer these questions clearly and objectively.
Why is page speed important for SEO in voice search?
Page speed is important because pages used in voice commands tend to load faster than those in text searches. The average loading time of pages used by voice search is around 4.6 seconds, about 52% faster than a traditional text search. This indicates that, to be chosen as spoken answers, pages must be light, well-structured and fast. Since voice assistants prioritize quick and direct responses, slow websites lose competitiveness and may appear less often in results that are read aloud.
Why do HTTPS websites tend to perform better in voice search?
HTTPS websites tend to perform better because they offer more security in data transmission. About 70.4% of Google Home result pages are protected with HTTPS, which shows a strong correlation between security and performance. The “S” in HTTPS indicates that the website uses encryption, reducing the risk of hacking and protecting user information. HTTP sites do not go through this process and can be hacked more easily. The greater the care with data protection, the better the website’s positioning tends to be, both in text and in voice searches.
How can keywords be used to optimize content for voice search?
To optimize content for voice search, it is essential to use keywords related to the topic and aligned with how people actually talk. In voice queries, we do not always use the “best” terms, so it is worth investing in keywords that connect to each other and especially in long-tail kws. Since spoken questions are longer and more natural, these long tails help capture complete questions. They also encourage more concise texts that truly answer the user’s doubts. Very long and wordy texts do not perform well in voice search, which values clarity, objectivity and simple language.
How does content engagement influence voice search results?
Highly engaging content tends to be delivered more often in voice search as well. When a page receives many comments, likes or shares, the artificial intelligence behind the algorithms understands that this content is relevant. This increases the chances that it will be recommended to more people, including as spoken answers by voice assistants. In addition, “natural” content, that is, content that reflects people’s daily language, is more easily turned into conversations by search mechanisms, which helps boost its delivery in voice search results.
How does the Business Profile on Google help with local voice searches?
The Business Profile on Google is a strategic tool for local voice searches because it concentrates, in Search and Maps, essential information about the business. When address, phone number, opening hours and category are always up to date, it becomes easier for users and voice assistants to find the company with just a few commands. Voice searches tend to prioritize quick, complete and practical answers, exactly the type of information the Business Profile provides. Keeping this resource updated significantly increases the chances of appearing in local searches made by voice.
Why is a responsive website important for voice search optimization?
A responsive website is important because many voice searches are performed on mobile devices. Responsive sites that are well adapted to mobile tend to load faster and offer a better experience, both of which are valued by voice search engines. Since assistants prioritize results that deliver fast, practical answers, slow or poorly adapted pages may be discarded. By investing in responsiveness, you improve loading time, make navigation easier on small screens and become more competitive in traditional search and in results read aloud by voice assistants.
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