Enhance your PPC advertising for voice search
‘Hey Google, how do I enhance my PPC advertising?’
Ok, so it may not be quite as simple as that, but as more and more people are using their mobile phones to carry out time–efficient Google searches, voice command has become an increasingly popular means of obtaining information fast. As we witness this latest internet evolution, businesses would be crazy not to capitalise on voice search for their PPC strategies if they want to stay in the digital marketing competition.
Why is voice search so popular?
These days many people opt for voice search to find what they’re looking for quickly and conveniently. This search method is particularly useful for mobile users who make up more than 60% of searches compared with desktop, according to a recent report conducted by Sistrix.
However, people also voice search on devices and smart speakers like Google Echo or Alexa at home as well as out and about. For checking the weather alone its estimated that 75% of Americans use voice search according to Yaguara.co
By optimising your landing pages and PPC ads for mobile devices you have a higher likelihood of being able to capitalise on the increased popularity of voice search, and of appealing to the majority of internet users and driving more traffic to your website.
If your website is outdated or unsuitable for mobile devices, there’s a greater chance that all that work you did optimising copy to generate more impressions will reach a dead end before the conversion can happen.
The importance of manners for PPC
In order to optimise your PPC campaigns for voice search you need to make sure that the language used in your content is suitable for audible recognition. This means tailoring terms and phrases to how people naturally speak, rather than just pedalling out advertising or marketing jargon or overly simplified sentences.
Always with speed and convenience in mind, if here at Embryo we’re quickly searching for a place to grab coffee before work, we might type into our mobile search engines “coffee near Portland St” where our Manchester office is located.
However, even though Alexa and Siri aren’t real people, due to the relational integration of these devices into our daily lives, experts have recommended practising polite requests with these devices so that young people don’t learn to neglect phrases like “please” and “thank you”.
This means that your PPC might benefit more from more politely worded phrases which reflect the consumer voice search behaviour, such as “hey google, can you find me a coffee shop near Portland St please.” In order to capitalise on voice searches, it’s important that your ad copy and keywords reflect this. This would count as a long-tail keyword rather than the short-tail keywords typically used in typed searches.
Location, location, location
As we’re witnessing so many voice searches being carried out to obtain local results, such as the nearest coffee shop or the current weather in Manchester (raining, probably), it makes sense for you to tailor your PPC content to local demographics accordingly.
For example, if here at Embryo we’re aiming to attract clients who might prefer an early-morning in-person meeting, we could include local content in our ads that make reference to our location in proximity to the two Caffe Neros, the Black Sheep Coffee or the Ditto Coffee that are all within 5 minutes walking distance.
You can also make the most of local PPC by including location-based keywords in your copy. For us this could include “Portland St”, “Manchester City Centre” or “St Peter’s Square”.
Extending your scope
With Google Ads, you can add extensions (additional features) to your PPC ads which can provide additional information that is more likely to lead to a conversion. These extensions might include contact details, click-to-call buttons (although known as a call-to-action), or other site links.
This means that if you’re running late to a meeting with us for example, you can call ahead and ask us to grab a coffee for you from one of the places close by for when you get here.
The road to conversion is paved with good intentions
Typically, because the majority of voice searches are carried out in a shorter time frame, like while the searcher is deciding what to wear for the day, or where to grab a quick lunch between meetings, they’re typically much further along in the purchase circle.
Take the lunch example. In line with the five stages of the purchase circle, the user is usually already aware they’re hungry. They’ve considered how long their lunch break will give them to pick up some food. They know they intend to buy something to eat within this time – and are unlikely to be lingering in the messy middle! Since the next stage is the purchase, your ad copy needs to reflect how they can carry out this action quickly and satisfactorily in order to keep those hunger pangs at bay.
Use your voice
It’s no secret that voice search and AI are the future of PPC and advertising. By optimising your content to reflect current technology trends and trends in consumer search behaviour, you’ll ensure that you don’t get left behind in silence.
FAQs
Answered about Callum Leonard
For digital assistants with no visuals, are ads considered as an answer to a query?
Yes, however, organic listings show more often as they have gained authority naturally, so are more likely to give a user what they are looking for.
What type of searches are likely to be made with voice search?
Question-led content is the most common type of voice search. People looking for local solutions, quick answers and factual data.
