Voice Commerce: Preparing Your Online Business for Voice Search

Voice-activated shopping is on the rise, and UK businesses need to adapt. With smart speakers like Amazon Alexa, Google Nest, and Apple HomePod becoming household staples, more consumers are using voice search to browse, compare, and purchase products.

The question is: Is your e-commerce store ready for voice commerce?

By optimising for voice search, businesses can boost visibility, improve customer experience, and stay ahead of the competition in this fast-growing digital space.

Why Optimise for Voice Search?

Voice search is changing the way people interact with online stores, and the numbers speak for themselves:

🗣️ 27% of UK adults use smart speakers

• More consumers are shopping via voice assistants, especially for everyday purchases like groceries, clothing, and electronics.

💡 Voice searches use conversational language, influencing SEO

• Unlike traditional text searches, voice queries are typically longer and more natural-sounding (e.g., “Where can I buy organic coffee near me?” instead of “organic coffee UK”).
• This shift means that e-commerce websites need to rethink their SEO strategy to accommodate natural, question-based queries.

📍 Local voice search is growing

• Many voice searches have local intent, with users looking for businesses “near me.”
• This makes voice optimisation essential for brick-and-mortar retailers as well as e-commerce brands offering local delivery.

How to Optimise Your Site for Voice Search

To succeed in voice commerce, businesses must adapt their content and SEO strategy to align with how people actually speak.

📝 Use Long-Tail, Conversational Keywords

• Focus on natural language phrases rather than short, robotic keywords.
• Example: Instead of optimising for “best trainers UK”, use “What are the best trainers for running in the UK?”
• Tools like Google’s People Also Ask, AnswerThePublic, and Semrush can help identify voice-friendly keywords.

❓ Implement FAQ Pages for Voice-Friendly Content

• Smart speakers often pull answers from concise, well-structured FAQ pages.
• Create question-and-answer style content that directly addresses common customer queries.
• Example: “How long does UK standard delivery take?” rather than “UK delivery times.”

📍 Register on Google My Business for Local Voice Searches

• Many voice searches include local intent (e.g., “Where’s the nearest shop selling vegan skincare?”).
• Ensure your business is listed on Google My Business (GMB) with accurate contact details, opening hours, and location to appear in local voice search results.
• Keep your GMB listing regularly updated with fresh content, images, and reviews to boost rankings.