In the hyper-connected world we live in; most people are looking for viable ways to save time. In some cases, it is more convenient and less time-consuming to talk than to type. It doesn’t matter if someone is talking into their phone, searching through their car audio, or even using the voice search feature on their smartwatch; it’s clear that voice-based search is everywhere.
With voice-initiated searches growing yearly, there is a new opportunity for marketers to adjust their paid advertising strategies. While it may have been considered an option not to have a voice search strategy just five years ago, this is not the case in the modern, digital landscape.
It’s estimated that about 27% of the online population is now using voice search via mobile. Along with that, active users of Google Assistant grew more than four times in the past year. If you are ready to consider building a strategy to implement voice search in your marketing efforts, keep reading.
Search for Keywords in the Search Terms Report
If you have been running campaigns on major search networks currently, then you already have a lot of data that can be used in your existing ad account. Google Ads provides advertisers with the opportunity to view search terms people type into Google and then trigger an ad, even if the advertiser is not targeting a particular search query. This is referred to as the search terms or the search query report.
When you review the search query report, try to find queries that include “hey Google” or “OK Google.” People will search on Google differently depending on their device and the method used for searching. Sometimes, searches performed with natural language will be longer than those who typed in a search.
An example would be someone searching for a painter.
- Typed Search: Painters near me
- Voice Search: Hey Google, find a painter in Los Angeles
Some searches are conducted in the form of a question, too. After finding the queries, try to create ad groups for bidding on the top voice searches. If there is not enough volume to use these keywords, consider changing the landing pages and ad copy for the current ad groups that produce larger amounts of voice searches.
Focus on High-Intent Phrases
Some phrases are clear indicators that the searcher may have conducted a voice search. Some phrases are included in the search queries with local intent, which means the searcher wants a product or service close by and that they can get that day.
By targeting the right modifiers, like “find me,” “local,” “open now,” or “near me,” are great ways to test out keyword targeting for your voice search users if you are advertising for location-specific services and businesses. Be sure to have these relevant search intent keywords covered in your ad account. You can use the search query report mentioned above to learn about possible new local keywords to use.
By, Peter Roesler, President of Small Business SEO. 25+ years in marketing! Yippee.
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