Voice search is something that is here to stay. It is extremely important for websites to optimize for voice search, which will give them a competitive edge in their niche.
In the UK and the US, approximately 28% of online customers are using voice search to find products. This data emphasizes the need to optimize websites for voice search.
Similarly, AI has been in the forefront for a long time. It is also revolutionizing the way websites are being developed, as per every restaurant marketing agency.
In this article, you’ll learn about how to optimize your restaurant’s website for AI and voice search. You’ll also learn how these two tools are effectively giving birth to a new era of dining.
Restaurant Website Optimization for AI and Voice Search: How to Do?
Here are some methods through which you can optimize your restaurant’s website for voice search and AI:
- Implement Long-Tail Keywords That Sound Conversational:
The major difference between text and voice search is the use of keywords. Text search uses short-tail keywords, whereas voice search utilizes long-tail keywords.
For instance, someone might type, best Indian restaurant Toronto. Simultaneously, someone leveraging voice search would ask “What’s the best Indian restaurant in Toronto?”
To enhance visibility in voice searches, you should pay attention to long-tail keywords that resemble natural speech.
Include question phrases like “where,” “what,” and “how.” You should use tools like AlsoAsked and AnswerThePublic, which will help you discover commonly used phrases in your niche.
- Set Your Aim for Position Zero:
“Position Zero” is a term used for featured snippets. They are short boxes that show up at the top of search results. They’re important for voice search as they offer direct solutions for virtual assistants.
To boost your chances of getting a featured snippet, offer clear answers to commonly asked queries in your niche. Utilize bullet points, short paragraphs of 40-50 words, and numbered lists to ensure that the users could easily read and comprehend your answers.
By structuring content in such a way, you can improve your chances of getting featured snippets for such queries. You should also ensure that your answers are direct and actionable for the audience searching for them.
- Prioritize Localized SEO:
Many voice searches are optimized as per the locality, like “chemist shops near me” or “directions to the nearest hospital.”
To utilize the benefit of such traffic, businesses should pay more attention to localized SEO.
To do so, firstly they need to claim and improve their Google My Business profile. They should ensure that their business name, phone number, address, business hours, and other details are accurately laid out.
These businesses should also encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews. Such reviews have the possibility of getting featured in voice search results.
Apart from that, businesses should use keywords throughout their websites and develop specific posts and pages with phrases that promote their products in the region.
This will enable search engines to understand where the business has its operations and enhance its visibility in region-based voice searches.
- Improve Your Website’s Load Times:
People using voice search are the ones looking for quick solutions. Websites that have slower loading times can lose to such requirements. Page speed is the most important factor for both regular and voice searches.
You should utilize tools like Google’s PageSpeed Insights or GTMetrix to monitor your load times and improve them if required.
You can improve your website’s speed by minifying CSS and Javascript, compressing images, utilizing browser caching, lowering redirects, and upgrading your hosting platform.
By implementing a series of website optimizations, you’ll be able to enhance page load times and offer an enhanced user experience. You can also boost the site’s probability of ranking for voice searches.
- Implement Schema Markup:
Schema markup, also known as structured data, is a set of codes that enable search engines to understand your website better.
Such extra information improves your chances of ranking for voice searches and getting featured in special search results.
If you run a local business, pay attention to specific types of structured data. Such data will help you share crucial details, like your business hours, address, menu items, and customer reviews.
By offering detailed information about your business to the search engines, you get to boost your chances of getting showcased in search results for queries relevant to your business.
- Develop Voice-Friendly Content:
While optimizing your content for voice search, think about what you speak and how you say things. People leveraging voice search want brief, clear answers that are easy to comprehend.
To develop voice-friendly content, you need to:
- Directly answer common queries.
- Use simple words and concise sentences.
- Organize your content with bullet points, H2 and H3 tags, and numbered lists.
- Write short paragraphs over 1-2 sentences.
- Use a clear and conversational title aligning with what people might ask in a voice search.
FAQ pages are effective for voice searches as they offer natural solutions to common queries in a straightforward manner.
Furthermore, to improve your visibility for voice searches for localized services, you need to:
- Consider distance, prominence, and relevance to the search.
- Develop pages and content for every location.
- Add Google Maps to your website to highlight where your business is located.
- Utilize local keywords, like landmarks and the names of the neighbourhood.
- Enhance Page Accessibility:
Voice search is crucial for many visually-abled users and individuals with mobility issues.
Enhancing the accessibility of your website helps such users to use it. Such enhancements will also take your website’s ranking to the top.
Some essential practices include:
- Utilize alt text for images.
- Offer clear anchor text for links
- Include captions and transcripts for audio and video content
- Utilize semantic SEO markup
To Summarize
AI and voice search are revolutionizing the way people search and surf online. These two factors definitely add more value to the user experience, which further helps you drive more sales and profits online. By implementing the above mentioned tactics and strategies, you’ll be able to optimize your website successfully for voice search.
