“Hey Google, find a web designer near me.” Voice search is no longer a novelty. Voice queries now make up a significant portion of all searches, and they behave very differently from typed queries.
What makes voice search different
Typed search: “web designer johannesburg”. Voice search: “what’s the best web designer in Johannesburg for a small business?” Voice queries are longer, phrased as full questions, and almost always conversational. They are also more often local. Research consistently puts local intent in voice search at above 70% of queries.
If your content is optimised for short, typed keywords only, it is missing the shape of how voice queries actually work.
Why it connects to AEO
Voice search results are pulled from the same places AI Overviews come from: featured snippets, FAQ pages, Google Business Profiles, and structured, question-answering content. Optimising for voice search and optimising for AEO are largely the same activity.
If your content answers questions directly, is well-structured and has FAQ schema, it is more likely to be served as a voice result.
What to do about it
Five practical steps.
First, write FAQ sections on your key pages. Voice search assistants read these out as answers. Real questions, direct answers, short enough to be spoken in ten seconds.
Second, target long-tail, conversational keywords alongside your head terms. “How much does a website cost for a small business in South Africa?” is a voice query. Include variations like this in your content.
Third, create a Google Business Profile. An enormous share of voice search queries are local. “Near me” searches are almost entirely answered via Google Business Profile and Maps. If you are not on there, you are invisible to voice.
Fourth, make sure your site loads fast. Voice search pulls results from high-performing, mobile-friendly pages. A slow site is a disqualifying factor.
Fifth, write in a conversational tone. The language voice assistants prefer is the same language your audience uses when they are on the phone to someone.
Does SA voice search work in local languages?
Google Voice Search supports Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and several other South African languages alongside English. The SA market for voice search is still maturing, but it is growing. Content in English, structured for conversational queries, is your baseline. For brands with a strong isiZulu or Afrikaans audience, localised FAQ content has real potential.
Read next
Local AEO: how SA small businesses can show up in AI answers
What is AEO?
For the full picture: AEO for South African Small Businesses: The Complete Guide.
Need a hand?
If you want your site performing better in local and voice search, have a look at our SEO services or get in touch.
