Why AI Voice Search Technology Means More In B2B Than You Think
- Andrew Kita
“Hey Google/Siri/Alexa, what is voice search marketing?”
If you haven’t found yourself asking a disembodied digital assistant for information, congratulations — you’re in the minority. Your request may be as simple as asking the current time or as in-depth as seeking the meaning of life, the universe, and everything (42). It doesn’t matter. Tech companies are here for all of it.
Voice technology has fundamentally changed the way we interact with information online. When was the last time you manually searched for the start time of a movie or the location of the nearest sushi restaurant? And you’re not alone. While the global population is just under 8.2 billion, experts estimate there are some 8.4 billion AI voice search devices on the planet.
But looking up movie times or asking Alexa how many people live on our planet are consumer use cases. How many B2B decision-makers use voice search? Despite all the hype about voice search in digital marketing, there’s really no data to suggest AI voice search has made significant inroads in the B2B space. Articles that tout the importance of voice search in B2B marketing cite stats that, frankly, aren’t about B2B at all.
So do B2B marketers really need to care about voice search at all? (Yes, they do. Here’s why.)
The Voice Search Industry is Growing
In case the fact that there are more instances of Siri, Alexa, Google, and Cortana voice assistants out there than there are actual human beings didn’t sell you on how big an industry AI voice search is, here are a few more figures that might drive home the point.
of US adults use a voice assistant
talk to their devices daily
of internet users prefer voice search to typing
of people use voice to research products or services
OK, those are big numbers. But they’re still focused on consumer usage.
True. Consumer queries about local information still dominate AI voice search usage despite predictions that voice search in digital marketing would revolutionize B2B communications. But the technology is still driving a slow — but steady — shift in search trends that could eventually impact the B2B space.
We’re Already Talking to Robots
Digital assistants based on AI voice search technology may not feel relevant yet in B2B, but chatbots, on the other hand, are everywhere in B2B land. Chatbot technology is advancing hand in hand with voice as people embrace new ways to learn about a company or product before they commit to a purchase.
of B2B companies have deployed chatbots
of users rate chatbot interactions as neutral or positive
prefer engaging with chatbots to waiting for human agents
Chatbots answer
faster than human CSRs
Source: Master of Code
What does chatbot usage have to do with AI voice search marketing?
Everything. There’s a ton of overlap between chatbot deployment and voice search optimization. Best practices for both include:
- Building an FAQ page
- Ensuring answers are easy to find on your site
- Answering questions in a conversational tone
If you’re already putting the effort into launching a chatbot on your B2B site, you’re well on your way to voice search optimization. Doing both at the same time is simply more efficient.
TPM Top Tip: Keeping your online presence current with search trends and best practices — whatever they may be — is one of the easiest ways to generate leads you can nurture into customers and empower existing customers to get the most from your solution.
Voice Search Optimization for B2B Brands
What does voice search marketing look like when your target audience is other businesses rather than consumers? Here are a few easy ways B2B brands can optimize their sites for AI voice search.
- Location, location, location.
Many voice searches are specific to a geographic area, so be sure your location and contact details are always up to date. Obviously, this may be less important if you serve customers across the country or around the world, but it’s just a good practice anyway.
- Performance matters.
AI voice search tools prioritize providing answers quickly and won’t waste time on sites that take more than a second or two to provide the information they need. Make sure your site loads quickly and is mobile-friendly.
- Content is still king.
Answers to voice searches come from your online content. Create long-form, informative assets that:
- Use natural questions as keywords (like “What are some Vancouver-based marketing agencies?” instead of “marketing agency Vancouver”)
- Have a conversational tone and avoid overly technical or complex language so digital assistants can easily parse out what you’re saying to relay it to users
- Include headers, subheads, tables, and lists to make information easy to find (bonus points if titles or section heads are commonly asked questions that are immediately answered in subsequent copy — this also boosts your chance at Google’s coveted featured snippet spot)
- Highlight key details.
Use schema markup to make sure AI voice search assistants can quickly identify vital information like your contact details, product information, or customer reviews.
- Answer common questions.
Creating an FAQ page serves a wide variety of marketing purposes, but in this case, it’s a foolproof way of ensuring answers to your most popular questions are readily available and easy to find on your site.
Are You Ready for Voice Search?
The team at TPM is continually experimenting with AI-related marketing trends, including voice search. Let us support your voice search optimization efforts or help you incorporate AI into your marketing strategy in other ways. Check out our AI Tech Stack or contact us to discuss how we can help you.
