You remember when it felt ridiculous to ask your phone a question? Now it’s Tuesday afternoon, and you’re asking Siri where to go for lunch without a second thought.
It’s easy to forget, but voice search has gone from something that seemed a bit like a party trick to an everyday habit quicker than most of us appreciated. And I’m not just talking about trends or buzzwords if you’re a small, local business operating in Perth (or anywhere else in Australia), this is something you can’t ignore. It is fundamentally altering how the people who might become your customers discover you.
Here’s the thing though. Most companies are still optimizing their websites as if it’s 2015. They’re going after short, clunky keywords no one actually speaks out loud.
While their rivals who’ve been savvy about voice search optimization silently grab most of those “near me” searches.
What Makes Voice Search Different (And Why It Matters)
The way we might type a search term into Google could be something like “plumber Perth northern suburbs.” Short. Clinical. A bit robotic, really.
But what if that same person asks their smart speaker? They go “Hey Google, who’s a good plumber near me that’s open right now?”
See the difference? Voice searches are also longer, more conversational and frequently asked as literal questions. They’re the way real people talk to each other at the pub or over coffee.
And this shift is significant, because Google’s getting scary good at natural language. The search engine is no longer interested only in matching keywords; it wants to answer our questions accurately.
And unless your site is in a format that answers the questions people are actually asking, you might as well be invisible to voice search users. Knowing what SEO does and how it benefits Perth businesses is step one in ensuring voice search works for you.
The Numbers Don’t Lie (Even If You Wish They Did)
Over 50% of searches are completed through voice on mobile. Ninety-three per cent of Australians used a mobile phone to go online with it the most commonly used device for access to the internet according to research by the Australian Communications and Media Authority.
She said and it’s not just teenagers – it’s also busy parents wanting to find a dentist between school runs, tradies looking for suppliers midway through the jobs and everyone else.
Local enterprises, in particular, must wake up to this. Most voice searches have local intent. People who are searching “where can I get my car serviced” or “best Thai restaurant open now” are primed to make a quick decision. Often within an hour.
And if your business appears in those few voice search results, then auzm. If it doesn’t, that customer was just won over by your competition.
How Voice Search SEO Actually Works
Right, so how do you optimize for voice search without losing your mind in the process? It’s not rocket science, but it does require some actual work.
Think Like Your Customer Talks
This is where most businesses go wrong. They’re cramming their content with search terms like “affordable landscaping services Perth” while people are actually asking “what landscaper can I hire to do a small garden makeover?”
Write the questions that you receive from customers. Those questions? That’s your content goldmine. Your website needs to respond in the way that people ask – natural, conversational language that sounds like you are explaining something to a friend.
Focus on Long-Tail Keywords
Those long, specific search phrases are absolute gold for voice search SEO. Someone might say “what’s the best family dentist in Subiaco who’s good with nervous kids?” That’s hyperspecific, and it converts into bookings.
Voice search local SEO is all about these longer, detailed queries that show real intent. Rank for those and you’re getting customers ready to use your service, not just browsing around.
Make Google Business Profile Your Priority
If you haven’t optimised your Google Business Profile properly, you’re fighting voice search with one hand tied behind your back. When someone asks their phone to find a local business, Google pulls heavily from these profiles.
Make sure everything’s accurate and complete. Add decent photos. Get those reviews happening (genuine ones). Answer questions in the Q&A section. Treat your Google Business Profile like it’s your shopfront, because for voice search users, it is.
Structure Your Content for Featured Snippets
Here’s a tip to help you get on the right path to So here’s an insider secret that will set you moving in the direction of success with optimizing for voice search. Featured snippets. That’s the kind of funky syntax voice assistants love to spit out, and if ever they pick up some of your content from page to ear is a day you win the lottery.
You should structure your message so that it answers key questions in simple terms. Head with real questions. With your first paragraph, draw them in with the plain answer; peek below to read on. Lists are good, too — with instructions that can be followed, numbered tips and bullet points.
Local SEO and Voice Search: A Match Made in Heaven
If you’re running a local business, voice search optimization should be your new obsession.
When someone’s using voice search, they’re on the go looking for something nearby. “Coffee shop open now.” “Emergency plumber close by.” These searches have massive commercial intent – people want to make a decision fast.
Here’s what you need to get right:
- Keep your NAP consistent: Name, address, and phone number must match everywhere. Inconsistencies confuse Google.
- Build local citations: Get listed on relevant directories and industry sites to prove your business operates in the area. Building local citations properly is one of the most effective ways to boost your voice search visibility.
- Target location-specific questions: Create content answering questions like “best coffee in Fremantle” or “reliable electrician Joondalup.”
- Use location pages properly: Service multiple areas? Create dedicated pages with genuinely useful content for each.
At Slinky, we’ve seen businesses that nail their local SEO suddenly start showing up in voice search results they never appeared in before. It’s just doing the groundwork properly.
Mobile Optimisation Is Non-Negotiable
Here’s some harsh news: if your website is ugly on mobile, then alas: you’ve essentially wasted all the work you put into voice search optimization.
The majority of voice searches are conducted on mobile phones. So when someone uncovers your business in voice search and clicks through to your site, it’s on their phone. If your website takes too long to load, if text is too hard to read, if buttons are impossible to click – they’re out of there. Straight to your competition’s site.
Page speed matters enormously. Google has been pretty straightforward on this. If your own site is slower than a wet weekend, you’re not going to be doing well in the voice-search rankings (or any other kind of search ranking).
Ensure your website’s responsive, meaning it adjusts correctly depending on what screen size someone is using. This isn’t optional anymore.
The very own Australian Government Digital Service Standard mandates responsive design and mobile first for all digital services. It’s the baseline expectation.
The Role of Schema Markup (It’s Not as Scary as It Sounds)
Schema markup sounds technical and boring, but it actually helps with voice search SEO quite a lot.
It’s basically code that helps search engines understand what your content means, not just what it says. Like adding labels so Google knows exactly what it’s looking at.
For local businesses, these schema types matter most:
- LocalBusiness schema tells Google what you do and where you operate
- FAQ schema helps your Q&A content show up in relevant searches
- Review schema displays your star ratings in search results
- Opening hours schema lets voice assistants tell people when you’re open
The team at Slinky implements schema markup as part of our SEO services. It’s one of those behind-the-scenes things that actually moves the needle for voice search visibility.
Content That Actually Answers Things
There’s no point creating content for the sake of it. We’ve all seen blog posts that waffle on without saying anything useful. They’re painful to read and they’re not helping with voice search optimization.
What works is content that genuinely answers customer questions. Not marketing fluff or keyword-stuffed nonsense. Real, helpful information.
Start a comprehensive FAQ section if you haven’t already. Think about every question a potential customer might ask before choosing your business, then answer them properly.
Write blog posts that solve actual problems. Landscapers can explain how to fix garden drainage issues. Dental practices can cover what to do if you chip a tooth at the weekend. Using content strategically to improve your local SEO ranking makes a massive difference for voice search.
This content naturally attracts voice searches because people ask questions when they use voice search. They’re looking for answers, not keywords.
Why Working With Pros Makes Sense
You could attempt voice search optimization by yourself. But SEO is our life – you know we have every algorithm update and trend change stitched into the lining of our jacket.
Slinky has assisted Perth business for more than 20 years. We know which trends matter. Voice search? That’s only getting bigger.
We deliver real results with our SEO services, which means new clients and more money coming in, not just fluff numbers. It’s local businesses we’re particularly interested in as far as voice search is concerned.
Peter Brittain works on your case from start to finish no junior staff – just straight talking and clear cuts results.
What You Should Do Right Now
If you want to improve your voice search SEO starting today, here’s what to prioritise:
- Audit your Google Business Profile: Complete every detail, add photos, and get reviews
- Check your content: Does it answer questions naturally or read like a corporate brochure?
- Test mobile: Open your site on your phone. Is it fast and functional?
- Use customer questions: List what people ask you, then create content that answers them
Feeling overwhelmed? Voice search optimization is just one piece of a bigger SEO puzzle. Sometimes the smartest move is getting professionals involved from the start.
The Bottom Line
Voice search is not the future. It’s here, and it’s changing how local businesses find customers online. The companies that pivot their SEO strategy now will clearly have an upper hand over those who don’t.
The good news? This is not some high-tech miracle that you have to be a technology whiz to set up. All you have to do is focus on producing helpful content that answers real questions, ensure your local SEO basics are in place, and keep your website functioning well for mobile.
At Slinky, we work with local businesses across Perth and further afield to get this stuff right. So if you’re ready to actually be visible when those people are using voice search to find the services you offer… I’d like that we have a conversation together.
Because really, voice search optimization is not a matter of checking some fancy technical boxes at the end of a marathon to-do list. It’s all about ensuring it is easy for people to find you when they are looking for what you offer. And that is something every business should desire.
