Everything You Need to Know About Voice Search

In a primarily digital world, voice search technology is taking everyone by storm. Voice search is the act of using a “digital assistant” to search for a piece of information on the internet. It is a trend that we largely began to see in 2015 and has been steadily rising ever since. In fact, half of all searches today are being performed on mobile devices, and searching by voice queries has increased by more than 30%.

Many brands have launched artificial intelligence (AI) digital assistants, some of the most popular being Amazon’s Alexa, Microsoft’s Cortana, Apple’s Siri and Google’s Google Assistant. Originally, digital assistants were found in smartphones, but now these companies are also offering voice-activated devices (or speakers) that are used for voice search in the home. The devices are spreading the reach of digital assistants past smartphones and into the everyday lives of consumers.

How is voice search being used?

As technology is gradually improving, so is voice search technology. Now, instead of just recognizing a voice command, digital assistants are able to understand voice commands and respond accordingly.

In many cases, people find it easier to speak than to type out a search. Because of this, voice search is being used for many different reasons, including location-based searches, directions, entertainment, reminders and scheduling.

Virtual assistants are changing the way people are living, and making everyday tasks easier. It’s common for people to put voice-activated speakers in the center of their homes so everyone can have fast, easy access to the answers they need. In the infographic below, you can discover where voice search technologies are most commonly used within the home:

The benefits of voice search:

• Speed – Users have found that searching via voice search is much quicker than typing out a question.
• Ease of Use – With voice search, you don’t have to worry about typing the wrong word or stumbling over your thumbs. Just ask whatever you’re thinking and you will receive a helpful answer.
• Accuracy – Voice search accuracy is constantly improving. The more accurate it becomes, the less you’ll see incorrect results and the more effective voice search will be for users.
• Less Typing – For some users, they are just tired of typing and are ready for the next innovation. Hello, voice search.
• Fun – Voice search remains a fun and exciting technology for users. Even though the newness has worn off, it’s still entertaining to ask the voice technologies silly questions, to tell you a joke or even to order you a pizza! The fun is endless.

Conclusion

It is crucial for small businesses to be aware of the voice search trend. People are always looking for ways to make their lives easier and faster and voice search is a perfect representation of that. This day in age, voice search is becoming one of the most popular new technologies in the world of searching. Are you ready to adopt voice search?