SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Chatmeter, the leader in local search marketing and reputation management, today publishes third party research on consumer perception and behavior related to voice search.
In the new report on Voice Engine Optimization™ (VEO), data spotlights hurdles and common motivators of voice search usage, and how this impacts local business “searchability” and in-store visits and sales. For instance, 88% of consumers are likely to use driving directions after a voice search, proving the importance of accurate and search engine optimized local listings. Against this backdrop, Google says 20% of mobile queries are voice searches, and comScore previously forecasted 50% of all searches will be voice by 2020. Marketers cannot ignore the call to action to update SEO strategies so their local and unbranded products or businesses show up in a voice search.
“Forrester has seen a steady increase in questions about SEO, which indicates many companies are still evaluating how to improve theirs,” wrote Collin Colburn, analyst, Forrester*.
Voice Search Research Highlights
- Convenience is a main draw of voice – 52% of consumers say ease of use is what they like most about voice technology, followed by it being fun and different (23%).
- Smart devices aren’t yet smart enough –The main issue people have with voice technology is experiencing voice recognition errors (39%) or the technology not being able to understand the question they ask (31%).
- Fear of the unknown is preventing sales – Those who have never made a purchase via a smart speaker or mobile voice assistant are more likely to be concerned about security and ordering incorrect or duplicate items.
- Most consumers engage with or visit nearby businesses after conducting a voice search – Over 2 in 5 consumers use voice search to ask for directions, an address or business hours for a nearby location; 88% of consumers are likely to use driving directions after making a voice search.
- Successful voice experiences and purchases lead to more frequent mobile voice searches – 90% of consumers use a voice assistant on their mobile device; those who make purchases via voice device are 30% more likely to use their voice assistant daily.
10 –3 –1: Fewer and Fewer Viewable Search Results for Brands
“Marketers may not be ready for a voice strategy, but this data underscores consumers are actively using voice search to find nearby stores, restaurants, doctors offices, hotels and more. Companies that are not ranking high in a Google search are already at risk falling behind in voice search marketing. Voice search starts with strong local listings and SEO, otherwise your competitors are stealing your customers”, said Collin Holmes, Founder and CEO, Chatmeter. “Desktop results will show you 10 results, you may see three on your phone, but with an ask to Alexa or Home, you only receive one result. All businesses will be vying for this top spot. The time is now to make sure you’re staying relevant and found so you can remain competitive.”
This research comes on the heels of Chatmeter’s nearly 700% revenue growth over the past three years as national brands increasingly demand richer insights and technology to smartly manage hundreds or thousands of business locations online.
To get a head start on your voice search strategy, or to learn more about how your company can drive revenue and more offline traffic through improved local search and online reputation management, visit: https://www.chatmeter.com/veo-the-key-to-driving-local-sales-and-offline-traffic/
*“Ten SEO Best Practices That Your Site Can’t Live Without”, Forrester Research, Inc., October 1, 2018
About Chatmeter
Chatmeter (www.chatmeter.com) helps enterprise retail brands and agencies managing multiple locations increase their revenue. Since being the first Local Reputation platform in 2009, they now analyze and improve over 1,500,000 storefronts for their reviews, rankings and listings.
They help retailers make a distinct impact in revenue by identifying several areas in their online presence that drives customers to choose their stores over competitors. Chatmeter takes this a step further with the only integrated local visibility rank tracker so you can measure ROI using the most complete local presence management platform in the world.
The benefit for the clients is complete online presence management simplified into a single dashboard. They also power a white-label reputation management dashboard for many agencies across the U.S.
Some clients include Sears Home Services, Sherwin-Williams, Payless ShoeSource, OneMain Financial, The Richman Group, Save-A-Lot, PinnacleHealth System, Pilot Flying J and Dickey's BBQ.
