The Impact of Mobile and Voice Search on Local SEO

Mobile and voice search have significantly transformed local SEO by shifting user behaviour towards conversational, location-specific queries, requiring businesses to adapt their strategies to capture this traffic effectively.

Voice search now accounts for a large portion of local queries—about 46%—and these queries tend to be more conversational and intent-driven than typed searches. Users often ask virtual assistants like Siri or Google Assistant for immediate local solutions, such as “Who can fix my roof before it rains?” or “best coffee shop near me”. This shift means local SEO must move beyond traditional keyword targeting to include natural language and question-based content.

Key impacts and strategies include:

• Conversational Content and FAQ Schema: Creating content that mimics how people speak and including FAQ schema markup helps capture the “position-zero” featured snippet spot, which voice assistants often read aloud as answers.

• Google My Business (GMB) Optimization: Maintaining a complete, accurate, and regularly updated GMB profile is critical. This includes consistent Name, Address, Phone Number (NAP) data, high-quality images, and active engagement with reviews. GMB is a primary source for local voice search results.

• Location-Specific Keywords and ‘Near Me’ Phrases: Incorporating local landmarks, neighbourhood names, and “near me” phrases into website content and metadata aligns with how users phrase voice queries, improving relevance and visibility.

• Mobile-Friendly and Fast-Loading Websites: Since many voice searches happen on mobile devices, websites must be optimized for mobile usability and speed to provide a good user experience, which also influences SEO rankings.

• Increased Call Conversions: Businesses optimized for voice search have reported significant increases in direct calls from customers, demonstrating the commercial value of adapting to voice search trends.

In summary, the rise of mobile and voice search demands a local SEO approach that prioritizes conversational, location-based content, robust business listings, and mobile optimisation to capture the growing segment of users relying on voice assistants for local discovery.