Just over 35 million Americans used a voice search assistant device at least once in 2017. That’s a lot of people, but just once a year doesn’t sound all that much, does it? Here are other interesting facts for you – a study by SEOTribunal states that 72% of those using voice-activated speakers said they were an integral part of their daily routine.
That statistic is far more interesting because it shows that making voice search easier to use might further increase its uptake into society. Smart speakers can be one way of making it a lot easier to use.
Think of it this way – if you are climbing out of your shower, what is easier, to say play me a song, or to look for your phone, switch it on and then repeat the question? Obviously, it’s easier to use the speaker system.
It is for this reason that we can start to expect to see an even faster uptake of voice search when devices such as smart speakers and wearable smart devices become more cost-effective and more widely available. It is no big secret that the search engines are already prepping a voice search index.
It is one of the reasons that we are being advised to start using natural speech when writing for the web. According to the best SEO companies, this kind of prep is important to help companies maintain their search engine rankings.
It seems strange, but the fact is that we speak differently to the way we write. In writing, we may be more formal and use phrases that are more clipped in nature. We don’t want to write our life stories when looking for the nearest convenience store.
On the other hand, talking is easy. It does not involve typing out long phrases or worrying about how to spell words. And so, we are quite happy to talk till we are blue in the face. Voice search is simply more convenient and a lot easier for us.
And, if it is made that much more accessible through clever devices like speakers or smartwatches, so much the better. Is voice search taking over? It is certainly starting to.
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