Insights

Will smart speakers affect your SEO?

Smart speaker technology may be the future of online marketing. So what does this mean for search engine optimisation?

Smart speaker technology may be the future of online marketing; you can now book your flights and set reminders and alarms simply by talking to your gadgets. They can buy our groceries and help us create playlists, as well as connect with other devices and, with this convenience, maybe the decision maker in the lives of many people.

So what does this mean for search engine optimisation?

Will Google and Amazon (the two market leaders when it comes to smart speakers) allow traditional SEO methods to affect what our smart speakers search for? The short answer is no.

While things may change in regards to what smart speakers learn and tell consumers, your SEO will not be affected by them – yet.

How it works

Asking Amazon’s “Alexa” to connect us to reliable web designers in Brisbane may take us to a completely different part of the internet than if we searched ourselves. This is because we don’t speak the same as we search on Google.

We tend to speak in full sentences and we can “umm” and “ahh”, too.

So, what was originally typed into a phone as “internet marketing Brisbane” could soon be “Alexa, tell me about the top three internet marketing companies in Brisbane.”

But don’t worry: not much has changed – the good news is that smart speakers are still a very new technology. However, it’s best to keep an eye on developments, as Google has been known to make tweaks to their algorithms without too much prior announcement.

Future predictions

Gartner Edison predicts that, by 2020, 75% of homes in the US will have at least one or more smart assistants, and that number is set to be similar across the developed world. Like all technology, smart speakers are set to get constantly smarter as time goes on. As with increased smartphone usage, they are bound to eventually have an impact on SEO – so keep your eyes peeled.

iFactory is a leading digital creative agency from Brisbane. We are an award-winning company, tailoring digital solutions and targeting your audience and your business needs. Contact us today to drive your online presence further.

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