Optimizing voice search for e-commerce and local services

Voice search: the quiet revolution that is transforming e-commerce

Some people search online. Others simply ask, out loud, for what they need. “Where’s the nearest restaurant?” “Which dentist is open right now?”

Voice search is no longer a novelty: it has become an integral part of user behavior, especially on mobile devices and those with built-in voice assistants. This changes everything—or almost everything—for those who run an e-commerce business or a local business. Being the right answer at the right time requires an online presence that is optimized for voice search: natural , accessible, well-structured, and geolocated.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process step by step to help you make your website and business “voice search ready, ” increasing your chances of being recommended by Google Assistant, Siri, Alexa, and similar voice assistants. Using clear language and practical strategies, we’ll show you what really matters today to get found… and chosen.

The Current State of Voice Search: Statistics, Devices, and Global Trends

Once considered a technological curiosity, voice search is now one of the most profound transformations reshaping the relationship between users and digital content. Speaking to a smartphone or smart speaker to get answers, advice, or even make a purchase has become second nature to millions of people. Today, there are over 8 billion voice-enabled devices in use worldwide, and in the United States, more than 153 million people regularly use voice assistants. 

For those who run an e-commerce business or a local business, this shift presents a challenge, but above all, a huge competitive opportunity.

A smart speaker is a device equipped with a built-in voice assistant (such as Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or Apple Siri), which allows users to interact via voice commands to perform various tasks: search for information online, listen to music, control home automation devices, make purchases, set reminders, manage their smart home, and much more.

On average, each Alexa user issues 18.2 voice commands per day, while Google Home users issue 23.2.

By 2025, it is estimated that over 26% of users will have made at least one purchase using voice commands, while the global voice search market has already surpassed $70 billion, with projections of rapid growth (it is expected to reach $636 billion by 2035 ). But it’s not just about shopping: 58% of consumers have used voice search to look up information about local businesses, while about 20.5% of the global Internet population regularly uses this search method.

These figures leave no room for interpretation: voice search is no longer a niche phenomenon, but a well-established and rapidly growing trend.

Voice user behavior and differences from text-based search

Voice queries are longer, more natural, and more localized

Voice searches aren’t just a “spoken” version of text searches. They’re more than that: they reflect the way we think, ask questions, and expect answers in our daily lives. When we use our voices, our sentences become longer, more conversational, and rich in context.

The language is natural, the query is more complex, and the user’s need is crystal clear. For content creators, this means one thing: learning to respond not just to keywords, but to people’s actual questions.

Here’s a concrete example: while typing, we might write “affordable gym in Milan, ” but it’s easier to say aloud: “Can you find me an affordable gym near my home in Milan that’s open tonight?”

Intent and immediacy

People who use voice search often do so while walking, driving, or doing other activities. They aren’t sitting in front of a computer: they’re on the go, have a specific need, and want to resolve it right away. They want to know if a store is open, where a pharmacy is located, or buy that product they just saw.

That’s why content must be designed to provide immediate answers, without beating around the bush. Short sentences, clear information, and a structure that’s easy for a voice assistant to read. In short: every answer must be ready to become a voice that guides the user to take action.

The Impact of Voice Search on E-commerce and Local Businesses

E-commerce: Users with a high propensity to purchase

People who use voice search often already have a clear idea of what they’re looking for. Their questions are direct, detailed, and phrased with the intention of taking action: to buy, compare, or make a decision. This behavior differs from that of people who browse out of curiosity or to pass the time.

For example, instead of typing “affordable smartwatch,” a voice search user might ask, “What’s the best smartwatch under 100 euros with sleep tracking?”

In marketing terms, this is a hot lead. The user has already expressed their need, their budget, and the features they want. Responding with a clear and immediate answer can make the difference between a simple click and an actual conversion. That’s why optimizing an e-commerce site for voice search means positioning yourself right where the purchasing decision is made.

Local businesses: fast, location-based interactions

For local businesses, voice search is a powerful tool. Users ask voice assistants for practical information: “What’s the closest café that’s open right now?”, “Where can I find a physical therapist just around the corner?”, “I need a laundromat that opens early tomorrow morning.”

The figures speak for themselves: 50% of voice search users regularly look for local businesses, and nearly half take concrete action within 24 hours—whether it’s making a call, visiting a business, or making a reservation.

In this case, voice search acts as an invisible ally that guides customers right to the store’s doorstep. It’s digital proximity, and it only works if the business is ready to be found: with up-to-date information, optimized content, and a well-maintained presence on Google.

E-commerce Optimization Strategies: How to Make Your Store "Voice Search Ready"

Preparing an e-commerce site for voice search means going beyond traditional SEO strategies. You need a more natural, conversational approach that focuses on users’ actual questions. Here are five strategic areas to focus on to ensure your store is truly ready to be “heard.”

1. Use conversational keywords and long-tail keywords

Voice searches aren’t just two or three short words, but complete sentences, often phrased as questions. To capture them, use long-tail keywords that reflect spoken language:

• “What’s the best smartphone for taking photos at night under 300 euros?”
• “What kind of hiking boots are best for beginners?”

To effectively identify these conversational questions, you can use tools like AnswerThePublic, AlsoAsked, and Google Suggest, which show in real time what people are actually searching for.

2. Create optimized product pages

Don’t limit yourself to the standard list of technical specifications. Instead, imagine you’re standing in front of a customer and explaining the product to them in simple, clear, and straightforward terms. Here’s what you shouldn’t leave out:

• Mini FAQ within the card
• Specific benefits (“comfortable to wear all day,” “water-resistant”)
• Structured data (price, availability, brand) to help Google better understand the content

3. FAQ sections designed for voice search

FAQs aren’t just useful for users: they’re one of Google’s favorite types of content for providing voice responses through its assistant.

To ensure that your FAQs truly resonate with users (and search algorithms), follow these tips:

• Use real questions taken from emails, messages, and actual conversations with customers
• Write short, direct, and complete answers—ideally under 30 words
• Organize the content using clear headings (H2 or H3), one per question
• Implement the FAQPage markup: it's the easiest way to let Google know that your content is optimized for voice search

This type of content offers a twofold benefit: it improves SEO, builds trust, and, if well-structured, can appear in voice-enabled featured snippets.

4. Implementation of structured data (Schema.org)

Structured data helps Google and voice assistants correctly interpret a website's content. In the e-commerce sector, the most useful types are:

• Product: name, description, brand, price
• Offer: discounts, availability, shipping
• Review: User Reviews and Ratings
• FAQ Page: Frequently Asked Questions
• Breadcrumb: to clarify the page hierarchy

The goal is to provide machines with the context they need to deliver quick and relevant voice responses.

Optimizing Voice Search for Local Businesses: Geolocated Visibility and Voice Commands

To ensure that Google—and voice assistants—truly understand what your website is about, it’s essential to provide structured data that’s readable not only by people but also by algorithms.

Structured data serves precisely this purpose: it helps search engines accurately interpret the content of each page. In an e-commerce site, some of the most important types are:

• Product: Specify the product name, description, brand, price, and variants
• Offer: indicates any discounts, in-stock availability, and shipping terms
• Review: Displays user reviews and the average rating
• FAQPage: indicates that a section contains useful questions and answers (perfect for voice search)
• Breadcrumb: clarifies the site's hierarchical structure and improves navigation

Including these elements in your HTML code using Schema.org markup allows voice assistants to provide more comprehensive, accurate, and readable responses. In other words, it helps your website speak the same language as the technologies that facilitate the user experience.

1. Optimizing your Google Business Profile

A Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is often the first—and sometimes the only—voice result that a voice assistant returns for local searches. That’s why it’s important to maintain it carefully.

Check that the following are present and consistent:

• Name, address, and phone number (NAP) across all platforms
• Up-to-date opening hours, including special hours and holiday hours
• Specific categories that accurately reflect your services (e.g., “sports physical therapist” rather than “general physical therapist”)
• A natural and comprehensive description that includes conversational keywords used by users
• Authentic, high-quality images that showcase the space, the team, and the services

Google actively uses this information to answer questions such as: “What’s the best dental office open right now near me?”

2. “Near me” searches and geolocated content

Location-based voice searches are growing rapidly. To stand out:

• Create localized content, such as articles or guides about the neighborhood, area, or city
• Include geographic references in your text, titles, and tags (e.g., “artisanal ice cream shop in the Prati neighborhood”)
• Create landing pages tailored to specific service areas
• Sign up with local directories and reputable websites (Yelp, TripAdvisor, Yellow Pages, municipal websites)

3. Reviews and reputation: what does the assistant hear when they talk about you?

Even if users don’t leave “voice reviews,” the assistants read and summarize the written reviews online to provide a credible response. In practice, when a user asks, “What’s the best dentist near me?”, the assistant takes into account—among other things—what the reviews say: how recent they are, how many there are, and what tone they have.

To build a good reputation:

• Ask your customers for spontaneous and genuine reviews, encouraging them to describe their experience in simple, personal terms
• Always respond, even to criticism: show that you’re attentive, transparent, and constructive
• Make sure your reviews include useful keywords, such as “fast,” “friendly,” “convenient parking,” or “open in the evening”
• Actively monitor all major platforms (Google, Yelp, TripAdvisor) and take action when necessary

A solid, well-managed reputation not only helps undecided users; it also helps the voice assistant decide who deserves to be recommended first.

4. Contact information and hours are always up to date

Voice queries such as “What’s the phone number of the nearest mechanic?” or “Is Beauty Salon X open right now?” are among the most common. So make sure that:

• Make sure the contact information is consistent across the website, Google, and directories
• Phone numbers should be clickable on mobile devices 
• Are there other active channels available (WhatsApp, email, quick contact form)?
• Any schedule changes will be posted in real time on the Google profile

5. Local SEO and voice-friendly content

Local SEO integrates with voice search when content is structured to provide accurate, quick, and localized responses. The goal is to deliver immediate, natural, and context-sensitive answers that the voice assistant can “read” and deliver to the user without hesitation:

• Ensure that your contact information is completely consistent: it must be identical on your website, Google profile, and all directories. Also use LocalBusiness markup to help algorithms interpret the information correctly.
• Write useful, realistic content that’s relevant to the local area: articles about your neighborhood, tips for visitors to the area, or interesting local facts. The tone should be natural, as if you were talking to a real person, not a search engine.
• Build relationships with local organizations: participate in local events, collaborations, or initiatives. Getting backlinks from local sites is beneficial not only for SEO but also for building a strong and authoritative network.
• Include a section with localized FAQs that answer questions customers actually ask you, such as “Where can I park near downtown?” or “How far is the office from Porta Nuova?” These answers are perfect for voice search because they’re practical, straightforward, and designed to be read aloud.

Technical aspects and featured snippets: the invisible foundation of voice search

Even the most brilliant strategy risks being ineffective if the website isn’t technically sound. Google —and voice assistants along with it—rewards websites that are fast, secure, well-structured, and capable of providing concise yet comprehensive answers. In this section, we’ll explore how to work on the behind-the-scenes aspects of your website to make it truly ready for voice search.

1. Technical performance: speed, safety, and reliability

Voice assistants select responses based on a range of factors: relevance, clarity… and the site’s technical performance. Of these, page load speed plays a crucial role: data shows that content selected by Google Assistant loads up to 52% faster than average. In other words, if your site is slow, it probably won’t be read aloud.

How to Optimize Performance: Core Web Vitals

Google evaluates the technical quality of web pages using three key metrics:

• LCP (Largest Contentful Paint): measures how long it takes for the main element of the page to load. 
• INP (Interaction to Next Paint): measures the overall responsiveness of the page by evaluating the response time to all user interactions during the visit
• CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift): monitors visual stability, i.e., whether elements “jump” as the page loads. 

To improve these values:

• Use lightweight, modern image formats, such as WebP or AVIF
• Reduce the size of your JavaScript and CSS files by removing what you don't need
• Enable lazy loading to load images only when needed
• Use a CDN (Content Delivery Network) to deliver static content more quickly

Security First: HTTPS and Active Protections

In addition to speed, there is another characteristic shared by most voice search results: security. According to a study, over 70% of voice search results come from sites protected by a valid HTTPS certificate. This sends a clear message: for Google, user security is a minimum requirement, even in voice search.

Here's what you can do to make your website secure (and credible):

• Install an SSL certificate
• Enable HSTS (HTTP Strict Transport Security) to enforce the use of the secure protocol
• Add security headers and keep your CMS, plugins, and database up to date to prevent known vulnerabilities

A fast, secure, and stable website not only improves search rankings and the user experience— it also becomes easier for a voice assistant to interpret and more “reliable,” as voice assistants need to provide answers in a matter of seconds… with the utmost reliability.

2. Mobile-first optimization

Most voice searches are conducted on smartphones: over 56%, according to the latest estimates. Google is well aware of this, and in fact, mobile-first indexing is now the standard: the search engine considers the mobile version of your site as the primary reference for ranking.

That’s why mobile responsiveness is no longer just a best practice, but a strategic requirement for getting your voice heard… and being found.

Make sure your website is truly mobile-friendly:

• Responsive design that adapts to any device (not just "scaled")
• Large, well-spaced buttons that are easy to click even with your thumb
• Text that is easy to read, without having to zoom in or scroll sideways
• Simplified navigation, with intuitive menus and clear pathways
• Compatibility with AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages), where applicable, to instantly load the most frequently viewed content

A website that works well on mobile devices also works well with voice search: it’s faster, more accessible, and more effective.

3. Featured snippets and position zero

When a user asks Google Assistant a question, the most common response comes from content in position zero—the so-called featured snippet. Basically, Google takes an excerpt from your page and reads it aloud. According to the data, this happens in 40.7% of cases.

How does one achieve this privileged position?

• Write direct, brief, and precise answers: ideally under 30 words
• Use frequently asked questions as H2 or H3 headings (e.g., “How do I qualify for free shipping?”)
• Organize your text effectively: use bullet points, tables, and short, easy-to-read paragraphs
• Include a well-structured FAQ section, using the FAQPage markup schema to make it understandable to voice assistants as well

Example:

Question: How does free shipping work? Answer: Free shipping is automatically applied to orders over €49. No promo code is required.

4. Markup Schema and Structured Data: The Language That AI Also Understands

Structured data are code snippets that help Google—and voice assistants— correctly interpret a website’s content. While they don’t always determine search rankings on their own, they are essential for providing comprehensive and reliable voice responses.

Here are the most relevant markup schemas for voice search:

• FAQ Page Template: for well-formatted frequently asked questions
• How-To Template: for step-by-step guides (also very useful for “voice-over scripts” or tutorials)
• Article / Blog Post Template: for editorial content and in-depth articles
• Product and Offer Template: for e-commerce, including name, price, availability, and discounts
• LocalBusiness Schema: for local businesses with NAP, hours, and a map

A clear and consistent semantic structure isn't visible to the user, but it makes a big difference to the reader.

Voice search isn't just a passing fad: it's already an integral part of how people search for, choose, and interact with businesses and services—especially at the local level.

Optimizing a website for voice search means combining technical precision with natural communication, taking into account how users actually speak, what they expect, and how quickly they want to find a useful answer.