As the web and how we access it has changed, so have marketing, SEO, and PPC technologies. While computers and laptops once served as the primary access devices, most product searches and research are now done on smartphones.
This has led to a revolution in PPC marketing – in particular, a swing towards mobile PPC and voice search PPC. Voice search PPC taps into the growing number of people who need quick search results and prefer to use their smartphone microphone as opposed to a keypad.
Businesses must capitalize on this in order to keep up with changing trends and prevent their PPC strategies from becoming obsolete and this is what I discuss below. Read on to find out the importance of voice search for PPC, and essential tips such as the type of search language used, local targeting, and landing page optimization for mobiles.
Is Voice Search Even a Thing?
Let’s start with the obvious – yes, voice search is definitely a thing and it is seeing a large rise in usage on search engines like Google. Did you know, for example, it’s estimated that over 50% of searches are done via voice, whether this is with a smartphone or a smart speaker like Amazon Alexa?
Those numbers cannot be ignored, nor can our ever-increasing reliance on smartphones. It’s the way things are going and simply put, people are becoming more comfortable using voice searches. So, businesses must take this into consideration with their SEO and PPC strategies to stay ahead and this is something an international PPC agency can help with.
6 Tips on How to Create Voice Search PPC
Voice search PPC is the practice of tailoring your PPC campaigns on platforms like Google Ads for voice searches. Voice searches are typically questions people will ask using the voice search feature on things like Amazon Alexa, Apple’s Siri, and Google Search.
You can do certain things to make sure that your PPC ads are suitable for these voice searches and cater to their nuances compared to typical typed searches.
1. Consider natural not typed language
The first thing you must understand is that how we type and speak are incredibly different and this must be reflected in your voice search PPC.
For example, someone performing a typed search on Google for a pizza restaurant in Rome near the Colosseum might put “pizza restaurant Rome Colosseum”. We typically miss out the stop words and don’t really use complete sentences.
In contrast, a voice search might be “find me a pizza restaurant in Rome near the colosseum”. The sentences are longer, better formed, and usually contain more info. Things like keywords and ad copy for voice search PPC must be altered to account for this.
2. Place an emphasis on local PPC targeting
Voice searches are typically done in a local context. For example, someone might be parked in their car in a city center and want to quickly find a pizza restaurant – they whip out their smartphone and use Siri to find the nearest place.
This emphasis on local context must be reflected in your PPC ad copy and you can do this by utilizing location-based keywords. You can also mention landmarks that people are likely to associate with a location such as “Where can I find a pizza restaurant near the Colosseum”.
3. Make sure your landing pages and ads are optimized for mobile
As I mentioned above, voice searches are typically done via smartphones or smart devices which means that your landing pages and web content must be mobile-optimized. It’s no good having an amazing voice search PPC ad that then directs the user to an outdated landing page that only loads properly on desktop browsers!
4. Include call extensions in your PPC ads
Ad extensions are additional features that you can include in your PPC ads on Google Adwords that improve their functionality and give specificity. One such extension for voice search PPC is the call extension.
This aims to give instant contact information for your business following a search query. Continuing the pizza example, after asking “Where can I find a pizza restaurant near the Colosseum”, a call extension would then allow your pizza restaurant’s phone number to be immediately given and called instead of getting a message like “Would you like to find their phone number?”.
5. Research long-tail and question-oriented keywords
Building on the initial tip relating to search composition, voice search PPC should concentrate on long-tail keywords and question-oriented keywords. These are far more likely to be used in voice searches as opposed to short-term alternatives which are more important for traditional typed search PPC.
6. Spend more time researching customer intent
There is more emphasis on customer intent and the buying cycle for voice search PPC compared to traditional PPC.
This is because typically the user is much further along the buying circle, or has a more urgent intent when using voice search.
We often use voice searches when we are in a rush, are doing something else too, or need quick results and understanding this means you can match your ad copy better and get the right tone and delivery.
Don’t Get Left Behind - Make the Adjustment for Voice Search PPC Today
Voice search PPC is the way forward and if current trends continue, the number of people using this search method will only increase. With these tips, you can start to transform your PPC strategies and make sure that voice search users are adequately accounted for.
