5 Ways In Which Voice & Video Tech Influence How SEO Is Done

They prefer to ‘talk’ to their devices to be more efficient when searching for something. They’re also usually not interested in reading long, boring text and prefer to watch videos.

In this article, we’ll look at how voice and video influence how SEO is done and you’ll learn the art of leveraging the two mediums to your utmost advantage!

#1: Video & SEO: Make videos that are engaging, light & help solve a problem

Video already makes up 64% of all internet traffic. That just shows how much people love video. Making your videos truly engaging will help capture the interest of your website visitors and reduce bounce rates. And when you lower your bounce rates, Google realizes you’re creating real value for your audience, rewarding you with a higher rank.

That’s why you need to ensure that the videos you make are the best quality, engaging, interesting and meaningful. Think about them as a means to both educate and entertain your audience. Video SEO starts with great videos!

The next thing to keep in mind is to create your video around a specific keyword. For instance, if you’re an online shoe retailer, you could make a video that helps people choose the right shoes around the topic of “How To Choose Shoes That Best Suit Your Sporting Needs.” That way, you’re solving a real problem people have through your video and optimizing the chances of the video being watched.

For an extra boost, compress your video files before you publish them. If your video file is too heavy, people will find it hard to watch it on their phones — this might take too long to load, which could cause people to leave before the video even starts. Publish your videos in a format that’s easily downloadable so your website visitors find them super simple to watch. You’ll reduce bounce rates, and boost your rank.

#2: The finer SEO aspects of video

Now that you’ve got the basics figured out, you’ll need to get into the details –this means looking into the finer aspects of publishing your video, specifically for SEO purposes. This includes:

• The video text you’re including in the video description, It’s important you include the right keywords in your description. 
• The meta tags you’re using
• The title of the video. 

You can also use enticing thumbnails to improve click-through rates so people actually play your videos. Your thumbnails should have an exciting, attention-grabbing headline that conveys exactly what the video is about to your website viewers.

Another great way to use videos for SEO is to include a video transcript in the background of your website. This is especially effective if your video includes a voice-over, so there’s always some text working in your favor.

#3: Voice search & SEO: Choose the right keywords

With people adopting voice devices like Amazon’s Alexaand Apple’s HomePod, the popularity of voice searches is on the rise. Clearly, you need to catch the wave while it’s rising! 

One of the most important aspects of doing voice SEO is choosing the right keywords to optimize. People search very differently and use different words when they’re speaking, compared to when they’re typing. 

For instance, if someone wanted to look for cheap restaurants in Chicago, they would probably type ‘cheap restaurants Chicago’. But on their voice devices, they’d ask a question like “What are some cheap restaurants in Chicago?” Voice devices make internet searching more conversational and fun, while typing to search is a bit robotic. 

So, as a marketer, you’ll need to select the right keywords. Some tools you can potentially use include “Answer The Public” and the “People Also Ask” feature on Google which gives insights on the questions people ask so you know the right keywords to optimize for.

Another thing to keep in mind is that people usually use voice search on for local searches to find places near them. That’s why it’s important that you have a presence on places like “Google My Business” and Google Maps, so that when people use voice search, it makes it easier to find you.

#4: Test voice search on different devices

One of the best ways to optimize your website for voice search is for you to test your own business on different devices. You should try to search for your own business on Siri, Amazon Alexa, Google Maps and other voice devices to see if your business shows up. 

Interesting voice search is three times more likely to be used compared to text search. That’s why “Voice Engine Optimization” is becoming increasingly popular, and important. You should ensure your website and business listing are searchable on all devices.

#5: Create amazing content

One of the smartest ways to optimize your business for voice searches is to create content that answers specific questions. They should be questions that people ask vocally, of course. The more quality content you have that answers people’s questions, the higher the chances of you being found on voice searches are. 

You’ll need to keep your content ‘conversational’ in nature. Make sure you don’t just create content for the sake of using keywords. The core purpose of your content should always be to solve a problem for your audience, in an educational, engaging and entertaining way.

Wrapping it up

Using some of the tips above will help you optimize for search as SEO continuously changes with the movement towards voice search and video. The best way to do voice and video SEO is to put yourself in the shoes of your customers, empathize with them profoundly and then find ways to create amazing value for them on both mediums.

Keep up with the latest trends by joining local SEO meetups, and attending conferences by Google to stay current on the latest SEO trends. Staying ahead of the game and up to date on trends will make it a lot easier for your customers to find you. 

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**About the Author: Ryan Gould is the Vice President of Strategy and Marketing Services at Elevation Marketing. From legacy Fortune 100 institutions to inventive start-ups, Ryan brings extensive experience with a wide range of B2B clients. He skillfully architects and manages the delivery of integrated marketing programs, and believes strongly in strategy, not just tactics, that effectively aligns sales and marketing teams within organizations.