"What's the weather tomorrow?" "Remind me to call the boat captain at six." Two weeks ago, Apple released the iPhone 4S, and what is drawing attention is neither the improved camera nor the faster chip. It is Siri, a voice assistant that users simply talk to. Apple describes it as a beta, and it often misunderstands requests. It is nonetheless generating considerable interest.
Siri began as a separate app that Apple acquired last year. Talking to a phone is not entirely new: Google has offered voice search on phones for a few years and added it in June to Google on desktop Chrome. Siri, however, feels like a conversation rather than dictation. This changes how people phrase their requests, and that is the aspect that matters for any website owner.
From Bali, working with dive operators who are only beginning to master basic search, all indications are that this shift could transform SEO in ways few businesses are prepared for. Not this year, but the trend has begun.
How do voice searches differ from typed searches?
They are longer and more conversational. When typing into a search box, people compress their request. Years of using Google have trained them to write in telegraphic style: "dive Bali cheap", "hotel Ubud pool". Keywords, no grammar.
When speaking, nobody does this. Nobody says "dive Bali cheap" out loud. They say "where can I learn to dive in Bali this week?" or "what's a good dive shop near Sanur that doesn't cost a fortune?"
That is a different query: longer, phrased as a real question, and often including a time (this week, tonight, tomorrow) and a place.
The SEO field still focuses mainly on short keywords. A business picks "Bali diving" or "PADI course Bali" and builds a page around that phrase. Siri signals that the shape of searches will shift toward questions. If search engines become capable of understanding a whole question rather than matching words one by one, which Google is likely working toward, the page that ranks best will be the one that answers the question.
Why do FAQ pages answer spoken questions well?
If people ask questions, the page that ranks should be the one that answers them, directly, in plain language and near the top of the page.
That is the case for FAQ pages, a sound practice for small tourism businesses in any event. This does not mean a minimal FAQ with three questions about opening hours, but one built from the questions guests actually ask by email and at the front desk:
- Do I need to be a strong swimmer to learn to dive?
- Can I dive the day after I fly in?
- How long does the Open Water course take?
- What happens if the weather is bad on my booking day?
Each question receives a short, direct answer, followed by further detail where needed. Write it the way you would say it to someone standing at the counter.
A page like this offers three benefits: it helps with search, with guests who read it before emailing, and with staff, who can send a link instead of typing the same answer for the hundredth time. Even if voice search never becomes widespread, the investment pays off.
Why write the answer first?
The most important practice is to answer in the first sentence. "Yes, you can learn to dive even if you're not a strong swimmer, but you'll need to pass a basic swim test." The explanation follows. Search engines, voice assistants and busy readers all take the first sentence and move on.
Why does local intent grow with mobile voice search?
Many of the requests made to Siri are local: finding the nearest gas station, a restaurant open now, calling the pharmacy. The phone knows the user's location, so proximity is built in, even when it is not stated.
One detail is telling. At present, Siri's location features, such as finding local businesses, work only in the United States. In Canada, Siri can set reminders but cannot find a restaurant. In Indonesia, these features are not available. This will change, and the answers will then come from business listings and reviews.
The lesson for small businesses is therefore clear. When someone asks their phone out loud for a nearby service, the answer comes from your listing: name, address, phone number, hours, category. If that information is wrong or missing, your business is absent from the answer. A spoken result cannot be scrolled: your business is either the answer or it is not.
What steps should be taken now?
The phenomenon should not be overstated. Siri often misunderstands, and many users will stop using it once the novelty wears off. Voice search could remain a curiosity for years.
The underlying shift, however, does not depend on voice. People are becoming used to asking machines full questions and expecting a clear answer. Typed or spoken, that is the direction search is taking. A site written as a list of keywords will appear dated. A site written as clear answers to real questions will stand the test of time.
The work is therefore the same whether or not Siri catches on: know the questions your customers actually ask, answer them plainly on your site in the languages your customers speak, and keep your listings accurate. That is the essence of what we call writing for question-shaped search, and it relies on no special technique.
For the history of Siri, from research project to acquisition by Apple, the Siri article on Wikipedia provides a good overview.
Nobody says "dive Bali cheap" out loud. The observed trend suggests that, sooner than expected, fewer people will type it as well.