Voice search has become a normal part of how people find information online. Whether someone is asking their phone a quick question or using a smart device at home, voice queries are typically more conversational and more intent-led than typed searches.
For businesses, that changes what ‘good SEO content’ looks like. It’s not enough to rank for short, generic keywords. To stay visible, you need content that mirrors natural speech and answers questions clearly in order to be pulled into featured results. That’s why optimising for voice search should be built into your content and SEO strategy, not treated as a separate activity.
In this guide, we share some practical tips you can apply to your content – whether it’s your existing service pages, blogs, or FAQs – so you can effectively optimise for voice search.
9 tips to optimise for voice search
From adapting your content to improving your technical setup, here are some actionable tips for optimising for voice search.
1. Focus on conversational keywords
When people use voice search, they often speak in full sentences and ask questions. That’s why you should stop solely targeting short-tail keywords and consider aiming for longer, natural phrases that reflect how people think and talk. This might include phrases such as:
- “How much does website development cost?”
- “What is the website development process?”
- “Where can I find a digital marketing agency near me?”
Creating content that directly answers these types of queries helps you optimise for voice search more effectively.
2. Answer quickly, then expand
A common reason content fails to perform in voice results is because the answer is buried. For voice search, you want to lead with the answer first, then follow with context and detail.
For example, a strong structure will typically follow:
- A clear heading (question-style if possible)
- A short, direct answer in the first 1-2 sentences
- A longer explanation underneath for deeper reading
This works well for both users and search engines. It also improves overall readability, not just voice search performance.
3. Optimise your key pages for featured snippets
Voice assistants pull responses from featured snippets, especially informational queries. You can improve your chances by making certain sections of your site ‘snippet-friendly’.
This doesn’t require you to rewrite everything, it’s about formatting key answers clearly. A paragraph that defines something in simple terms is often enough. Where it makes sense, you could use short step-by-step phrasing, but make sure you avoid forcing lists into every section.
If you’re working on a service page, you might want to consider adding a short ‘quick answers’ block near the top which addresses the most common questions users ask before they enquire.
4. Strengthen your local SEO
A large number of voice searches are local. People tend to use voice search when they’re on the move, and many queries include immediate intent, like finding a service nearby, checking opening hours, or comparing local businesses.
In order to support these queries, your website needs clear location signals. This will typically include:
- Fully optimising your Google Business Profile
- Keeping your name, address, and phone number (NAP) consistent
- Creating location-specific landing pages
- Adding local schema markup
If you own a brick-and-motor store, or you serve a defined geographic area, local SEO is essential when trying to optimise for voice search.
5. Make your mobile experience effortless
Because voice search is commonly used on mobile, your site experience needs to match that context. A slow or clunky site will not only frustrate users, but it can also reduce how confidently search engines surface your pages.
You should focus on real user experience when it comes to mobile optimisation, which includes fast-loading pages, readable text, buttons that tap easily, and content that’s easy to scan. If you’re relying on voice search traffic for lead generation, friction on mobile can cancel out the visibility gains.
6. Add schema markup to support understanding
Schema isn’t mandatory for voice search success, but it helps both AI systems and search engines interpret your content more accurately, especially when you’re trying to showcase clear answers.
Some schema markups to add include:
- FAQ schema
- Article schema
- Local Business schema
- Service schema
By adding schema markup, you’re making it easier for your content to be understood and categorised, which supports your broader SEO efforts as well as voice search optimisation.
7. Create (or improve) FAQ sections on key pages
FAQs are one of the most natural ways to support optimising for voice search, because they mirror the way users ask questions. They also help reduce sales friction because they address objections and uncertainty before a user reaches out.
However, the important part is quality. You should avoid vague, overly short FAQs that don’t give useful information. Each answer should be clear, accurate, and written in a tone that feels human.
If your service pages don’t currently have FAQs, this is often one of the highest-impact additions you can make.
8. Optimise for ‘near me’ intent without forcing the phrase
Many voice queries include ‘near me’ language, but search engines also infer location automatically. You shouldn’t cram ‘near me’ into every page as it usually reads badly and can dilute your content.
Instead, you should be clear about who you serve and where. Be sure to also mention your service areas naturally, include your address where relevant, and ensure your site and business listings are consistent. This approach tends to support voice search far better than awkward keyword insertions.
9. Add voice optimisation into your wider SEO strategy
It’s important to remember that voice search optimisation isn’t a one-time task. The best results come from small and regular improvements like adding clearer headings, answering common questions more directly, improving page speed, and strengthening local signals over time.
If you already have high-performing pages, start there. Small adjustments to structure and clarity can make a meaningful difference without rewriting your entire content strategy.
Let us help with your voice search optimisation
Optimising for voice search ultimately comes down to making your content clearer, more conversational, and easier for search engines to pull into direct answers. The same improvements that help you appear in voice results also tend to improve user experience, engagement, and conversion performance across your wider SEO strategy.
At Fifteen, we help businesses optimise for voice search by refining content structure, strengthening local SEO signals, and building search strategies that are designed around real user intent.
If you’d like support with improving your voice search visibility – especially as search behaviour becomes more conversational – be sure to get in touch with us today, and we’ll help you build a voice-ready SEO strategy that delivers results.
