In a world where people talk to their devices, can your website keep up with the conversation?
“Hey Google, what’s the weather like today?”
If you’ve ever asked your smart/AI assistant, be it Siri, Gemini, Alexa or more, a question, you have taken a leap with technology towards a voice-activated future.
Voice search is no longer a far-fetched reality. It’s a movement reshaping how we interact with the digital world. For designers, this means creating experiences for a world where screens might not be the star of the show. But how do you design for something you cannot see?
Let’s find out.
The voice search revolution
Remember when touchscreens were revolutionary? Voice search has had a similar impact on the way we interact with technology and is rapidly taking over from the old school ‘type in the search bar’. As of 2024, an estimated 8.4 billion voice assistants were in use globally (statista). That’s more than the population of the world!
From asking Google for a weather update to ordering pizza through Alexa, users are embracing the convenience of hands-free interaction.
For brands, this means adapting to an audience that expects conversational interactions and experience. Ignore voice search and you’re essentially giving your competitors an upper hand.
Screenless but not seamless
Designing for a screenless future isn’t as simple as translating text into speech. Voice introduces its own set of challenges:
- Without visuals, users rely entirely on voice cues. Your content needs to be very clear and concise.
- Voice users want immediate answers. If your response isn’t spot-on, they’ll move on quickly.
- Voice searches are often conversational where tailored and human-like responses are expected.
While traditional UX focuses on what users see, voice UX revolves around what users hear.
Here’s how to get it right:
From keywords to key phrases
Unlike typed searches that incline towards keywords like ‘best restaurants London’, voice searches are more conversational like ‘where can I find good pizza in London’. Your content has to evolve with this transition. Jargon-less sentences that embody a natural conversational style while being short and snappy are the kind of answers users look for with voice searches.
Answer them all
While the use of AI can be done for elaborate answers, when searching through voice users want immediate, actionable information. This means, structuring your content according to the basics of a question- what, why, how, where, when and who. Having concise, answer-rich content in key areas across your website can help you get pulled into voice search responses.
Tone of voice is the star
When designing for voice, you are giving your brand a voice. When a search result is pulled out from your website, it should carry the tone of voice of your brand. A formal tone of voice can be pleasing to the eye but is complex to the ears to process quickly. Keeping your tone of voice warm and welcoming while maintaining professional undertones can strike a good balance.
More than 50% of adults use voice search daily. (demand sage)
Approximately 58% consumers use voice-search to find a local business. (demand sage)
Voice search shopping is expected to cross $40 billion. (semrush)
The rise of voice search does not mean the death of screens (we are still glued to our phones after all!). But it does signal a shift towards more human-centric designs. People want brands to meet them where they are and not the other way around. Voice search is not just a trend but a revolution. The range of accessibility that comes with it is also pleasing for an audience that doesn’t rely on visuals alone for a digital experience.
For design and digital professionals, this is an exciting challenge. It’s about breaking out of the visual design box and thinking about a rounded user experience. In a world where users ask questions like, “Where is the nearest salon” or “Where can I get good coffee near me”, without even glancing at a screen, the brands that answer the best are the ones that win.