Website search engine optimization (SEO) efforts have long been designed around keywords. Your business’s site likely is littered with references to your city, the services you provide, and real estate terms—both in the copy and code.

That’s because prospects search online by typing things like “lake house agent Fort Worth.” But that’s not the way people talk or search using voice commands.

When they query Siri, Alexa, or Google Home, they might say, “Who’s the best person to help me buy a lake house within an hour of Fort Worth?”

That means you need to optimize your website for voice search.

Natural Speech Over Keywords

Voice searches tend to have longer word counts than text searches, so experts recommend including long-tail keywords in the code. Instead of one word, long-tail keywords are phrases that are very specific to the services you provide.

For example, instead of using “agent” as a keyword, use “Which agent can sell my house in Harlingen?” This will make it more likely that your website will be the answer they hear when asking a question.

Don’t Force the Keywords

Just like with keywords for traditional search, inserting long-tail keywords in your content shouldn’t feel forced.

Make Your Content Conversational

Keep the tone of the copy conversational, using words and phrases that a potential client might use when searching for your business.

Focus on Your Location

Most voice searches are local: “What’s the best coffee shop in town?” or “Where is the nearest Bank of America ATM?” It’s important to make sure the locations you serve are highlighted on your site, and also include locally focused content. Also, create a free Google My Business profile, or make sure your existing one is current with the correct name, location, and contact information.

Using Google’s profile will improve your ranking with the search engine.

Ask your web programmer for help adjusting code to focus on long-tail, conversational keywords.