Last Updated on May 28, 2025 by Muhammad Ramzan
Voice search is becoming a powerful tool that is changing how people find information online. With devices like smartphones, smart speakers, and voice assistants such as Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant, more and more people use their voices to search for local businesses.
This shift means that local businesses need to adapt their SEO strategies to capture voice search traffic effectively. But how exactly does it work?
Let’s explore what voice search is, why it matters for local SEO, and practical ways you can optimise your business for voice search today.
What Is Voice Search and Why Is It Important?
Voice search allows users to speak their queries instead of typing them. It is fast, convenient, and especially popular on mobile devices. People often use voice search to find quick answers or local information when they are on the go. For example, someone might say, “Where is the nearest coffee shop?” or “What time does the local library close?”
Because voice search queries tend to be more conversational and question-based, they differ from traditional typed searches. Optimising your website and online profiles for these natural language queries can help you capture this growing segment of search traffic.
How Voice Search Impacts Local SEO
Voice search changes how people phrase their questions. Instead of typing short keywords, they tend to speak in full sentences or ask questions. For example, a typed search might be “best pizza Melbourne,” but a voice search would be “What is the best pizza place in Melbourne near me?”
This difference affects the keywords and content your business needs to rank well. Voice search also prioritises featured snippets and local listings, such as Google My Business profiles. That means your business must be optimised for quick, clear answers and accurate local information.
Tips to Optimise Your Local Business for Voice Search
Use Conversational Keywords and Phrases
Focus on keywords that reflect how people speak naturally. These include question words like “who,” “what,” “where,” “when,” “why,” and “how.” For example, instead of just “Melbourne plumber,” try phrases like “Who is the best plumber in Melbourne?” or “Where can I find emergency plumbing in Melbourne?”
Incorporate these conversational keywords into your website content, FAQs, blog posts, and meta descriptions to increase your chances of appearing in voice search results. An SEO agency in Melbourne can provide ongoing monitoring and expert advice, ensuring your voice search optimisation keeps pace with changing search engine algorithms and consumer behaviour.
Optimise Your Google My Business Profile
Your Google My Business (GMB) listing is crucial for local SEO and voice search. Make sure your profile is fully complete with accurate business name, address, phone number, hours of operation, website URL, and service descriptions.
Add high-quality photos and encourage customers to leave reviews. Reviews and ratings play a big role in voice search results because they build trust and influence which business Google suggests when answering voice queries.
Create a Clear and Concise FAQ Page
Voice searches often come in the form of questions. Having a dedicated FAQ page on your website with clear, concise answers to common questions about your business is an excellent way to target voice search queries.
Ensure Mobile-Friendly and Fast-Loading Website
Most voice searches happen on mobile devices. If your website is slow or not mobile-friendly, users may leave before finding the information they need. This can negatively affect your rankings and customer experience.
Make sure your website loads quickly, uses responsive design, and is easy to navigate on smartphones and tablets. A smooth mobile experience can improve your chances of ranking well in voice search.
Use Structured Data Markup
Structured data, also known as schema markup, helps search engines better understand your website content and present it in rich snippets or answer boxes. Adding local business schema to your website can improve how your business details appear in search results and voice search responses.
This includes information like your business name, address, phone number, opening hours, and reviews. Implementing schema markup may require technical knowledge, so consulting with an SEO agency in Melbourne can be helpful to get it done correctly.
Focus on Local Links and Citations
Voice search results often prioritise businesses that are well-established and have strong local signals. Building local citations—mentions of your business name, address, and phone number on local directories and websites—can boost your credibility.
In addition, earning backlinks from local businesses, community groups, and relevant organisations strengthens your site’s authority. These efforts help search engines trust your business and improve your voice search rankings.
Monitor and Adjust Your Voice Search Strategy
Voice search is a rapidly evolving area of SEO. It’s important to track how well your optimisation efforts are performing using tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console. Look for increases in traffic from mobile and voice search queries and adjust your content strategy as needed.
The Bottom Line
Voice search is no longer a future trend; it is a current reality that local businesses must embrace. By optimising for conversational keywords, improving your Google My Business profile, creating a helpful FAQ page, and ensuring your website is mobile-friendly, you can capture more voice search traffic and grow your local customer base.
Implementing technical elements like structured data and building local citations further strengthens your chances of success. Monitoring and refining your strategy will keep you ahead of the competition in this fast-changing landscape.
