Understanding the Effect of Geo-Targeting and Voice Search on Local Marketing

Did you know that roughly 40 percent of all searches made in the U.S. made by adults are spoken rather than typed? It’s true, and this has a direct impact on local marketing for businesses. Location-based technology is making a world of things possible for marketers, but it is also making things complicated thanks to all the new capabilities. With all that being said, it is important to understand voice searches, why they’re becoming so much more popular and what their popularity could mean for local marketers.

The Growth of Voice Search

So, what exactly is a voice search? There is technology that allows a user to speak into a device, such as a smartphone, and then the device will search for whatever information was spoken (requested). This voice-activated search serves as an alternative to texting, so it is obvious why this is beneficial, especially when you consider how easy it is to simply speak into a phone while walking or performing certain tasks rather than having to type in a command.

As already mentioned, 40 percent of searches are spoken, and this number is continuously growing. Compared to 2008, which is when both Apple and Google revealed their speech-activated technology, voice-related commands are 35 times more popular today.

It is not surprising that the popularity of voice-activated controls continues to rise. However, the evolution of voice search and technology is expected to have a direct impact on local search marketing – and not necessarily in a good way. So, for businesses who rely on “near me” and similar searches, voice search could stand in the way of their success. Be sure to start thinking in terms of optimizing for voice search.

Marketing and Voice Search

Location management is critical in your SEO strategy, especially when it comes to ensuring that your business’ location information is accurate across different platforms. Otherwise, it could affect your search engine ranking. At the same time, voice search is crucial in the same element. Did you know that approximately three-quarters of all “near me” searches will result in users visiting a business within one day? Also, voice search is linked to real-time, local searches, which means that users are using this technology for immediate needs, such as auto repair services and dining options. It was reported earlier in the year that about 40 percent of voice mobile searches were local searches.

With all of this in mind, marketers need to consider optimizing for keywords that consumers may use in a voice search and consider prioritizing proximity and location since this is the key to success.