How to Do Keyword Research for Voice Search

It’s no secret that voice search optimization will play an ever-increasing role in the growth and sustainability of online business. For example, some experts predict that the global volume of voice searches will soon reach 200 billion per month!

Obviously, you want your company to take as large a slice of that pie as possible. One vital factor to help you capture the maximum traffic share from voice search is keyword research.

As with most things, there is a right way and a wrong way to conduct keyword research. This article will discuss three key factors to consider when performing keyword research and a couple of helpful tools that you can use.

Three Factors to Consider

While there will always be some element of trial and error in keyword research, you don’t want to start from ground zero if you can help it. With that in mind, here are three things to keep in mind as you begin the research process:

• Longtail keywords capture higher quality traffic. Longtail keywords are multiple word phrases that target specific niches. While they may not have the “reach” that shorter phrases or even single keywords would attain, the upside to longtail keywords is that they attract users with a higher intent to purchase. And as a bonus, longtail keywords match more “conversational” phrases typical of voice search.
• Question-based keywords are a perfect fit for voice search. Voice search users will often frame their queries as questions, such as: “Where is the nearest pizza restaurant?” Incorporating question-based keywords (and their corresponding answers) into your keyword selection strategy will go a long way towards capturing a larger share of voice search traffic.
• Proximity plays a big role. It just makes sense that geographic location will play a big part in voice search results. In the previous point’s example, a user in Chicago that asks about the nearest pizza restaurant will get a much different results page from a user in New York City. Therefore, keep in mind that for many businesses, voice search optimization should definitely incorporate proximity-based keywords.

Tools to Use

Even with limited resources, you don’t have to go it alone when conducting your keyword research. If you need a starting point for your keyword selection, then AnswerThePublic is a great resource to leverage. This tool will return a lot of question-based phrases from the key term that you input into the search box.

Moreover, Google Insights can provide a wealth of data regarding search terms or phrases that consumers are already using about your product or service. These and other tools can serve as an excellent springboard for more in-depth keyword research as you finetune your SEO strategy.

Without a doubt, keyword research is an important part of exceptional voice search optimization. The ins and outs of keyword research can get complicated, but the principle is clear and simple: find the words and phrases to capture as much voice search traffic as possible.

At Zero Gravity Marketing, our team of professionals has expertise in all areas of digital marketing, including keyword research. If you’d like to learn more about the services that we offer and how we can assist you in growing your company, then reach out to us today for further information.