5 Things You Need to Know About Voice Search Technology

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Top Five Facts About Voice Search Technology

  • Popular on Mobile Devices
  • Changing How Searches are Worded
  • Conducive to Location-Specific Searches
  • Highly Accurate
  • Increasingly Popular
The importance of speech-to-text software for the future of the Internet can’t be overstated. Anyone pursuing an information technology degree should understand the significance of voice search technology. As Web users become less dependent on keyboards for looking up information online, the nature of their search queries is changing. Voice recognition software frees people from the distraction of looking at a screen while entering text into a search window. It makes people more likely to search for information about nearby places and local attractions.

1. Popular on Mobile Devices

IT professionals should understand the importance of mobile technology in the voice search market. Smartphone users can go about their business while using their devices to search for information about topics related to their activities. They don’t have to worry about the distraction of entering text into a keyboard while they are:
  • walking
  • driving
  • riding a bike
Answers to simple questions can easily be presented to mobile device users via a computerized voice. It can even be  holographic projection on the eyepiece of a pair of smart glasses. People become much freer to use technology as an extension of their daily activities.

2. Changing How Searches are Worded

Searching for information on a 5-inch smartphone screen makes it inconvenient to type in long search queries. As a result, most typed search queries are only about three words long, according to SEMrush. Voice recognition technology increases the average number of words in a search query to around five words. This gives technology professionals more information about the nature and intent of every Internet search. Search queries have naturally gotten more verbose over the years. It has evolved from brief keyword combinations into naturally worded questions. The small screens of smartphones have discouraged users from entering long strings of text into search engines. Voice recognition technology reverses that trend. It enables users to pose questions to their devices without condensing their thoughts into short combinations of words.

3. Conducive to Location-Specific Searches

People are feeling freer to search for information while going about their daily activities. They become more likely to search for information about local sites and attractions. IT professionals can take advantage of this trend by optimizing websites for location-specific keywords that might be used in a search for local information. Keywords related to local businesses and organizations can help IT professionals drive traffic to websites that cater to these searches.

4. Highly Accurate

One of the reasons that voice searches are increasing in popularity is that speech-to-text technology has become much more accurate in recent years. Compared to the early days of smartphone usage, voice searches are faster and more reliable. This is because of the increased speed of mobile networks and improved voice recognition algorithms.

5. Increasingly Popular

The number of voice searches is growing in proportion to the total number of Internet searches. The importance of this trend is likely to increase. The habits of search engine users continue to be shaped by the transition from keyboard typing to voice input. IT professionals need to be able to harness the potential for voice-based Web searches to drive targeted traffic to local websites. Search engines make it easy for people to answer any questions they have about:
  • products
  • services
  • places
  • things
Anyone who is studying for an information technology degree should learn about the changes in online behavior caused by the growth of voice search technology.

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Brenda Rufener
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