The Explosive Growth of Voice Search: Latest Statistics and Trends

Voice search has exploded in popularity over the past few years. As voice recognition technology has improved and become more accessible across devices, people are increasingly using voice to fulfill their search needs.

Recent statistics paint a picture of stellar growth that is likely to continue in the coming years as voice assistants like Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant integrate themselves deeper into our daily lives.

Here we cover all the latest eye-opening statistics and trends showing the rising ubiquitousness of voice search.

1. 50% of All Searches Will be Voice Searches by 2020

Voice search has grown at an astonishing rate. According to Comscore, 50% of all searches will be voice searches by 2020. Considering over 3.5 billion searches are conducted worldwide every day, that‘s a staggering number.

This widespread adoption is being fueled by advancements in speech recognition and AI technology that understand context and intent better than ever before.

2. 27% of Adults Use Voice Search Daily

Voice search is not a passing fad, but rather an essential daily activity for many people. According to Perficient research, 27% of adults are utilizing voice search every day.

Daily activities where voice search dominates include finding directions or information while driving, controlling smart home devices, accessing entertainment, and assisting with shopping, research and more.

3. Brand Interactions via Voice Assistants Grew 270% in 2018

Consumers aren‘t just using voice search to lookup generic information. Many are engaging with brands by voice.

According to an Adobe Analytics report, brand interactions via voice assistants grew by a staggering 270% in early 2018 alone. From call restaurant locations to placing product orders, branded voice skills create convenience for consumers.

4. Most Preferred Platforms for Voice Search

While smartphone assistants like Siri continue to be popular voice search platforms, smart speakers saw massive growth in 2018.

Amazon Echo devices make up 67% of the smart speaker market, with Google Home capturing the second position at 29%. These two leaders left just 4% market share for other devices combined.

When it comes to smartphones, Android phones lead at 25% versus 15% for iPhones. Still, voice search on mobile is expected to see less growth compared to tablets and smart speakers over the next few years.

5. Top Locations for Voice Search Queries

Where do people use voice search most? As smart speaker adoption has grown, the living room has emerged as the top location. 52% of voice search queries happen here according to Think with Google research.

Kitchens and bedrooms clock in as the next most common spots at 11% each. Vehicles are also popular, with 36% of people reporting voice search use when driving.

6. Over 70% Use Voice Search for Local Inquiries

Conducting local searches is one of the most common uses for voice search. Over 70 percent of queries are to find local information according to Google data.

Top local requests include finding directions, business locations and hours, phone numbers, restaurant options and product availability.

7. Why Consumers Prefer Voice Search Over Typing

What makes voice search so appealing to users? The top reasons include:

• Hands-free convenience – 87%
• Faster results than typing – 55%
• More natural than typing – 47%
• Ease of use – 44%
• Advanced accuracy of results – 37%

8. Over Half of Households Will Have Smart Speakers by 2022

Smart speakers are helping fuel massive growth in voice search. And nearly ubiquitous smart device penetration is on the horizon according to Canalys forecasts.

Over half (55%) of households are expected to have smart speakers by 2022. And smart displays like Amazon Echo Show will become commonplace as screen integration offers new engagement possibilities.

9. Smart Speaker Sales Set to Top $30 Billion by 2024

Rapid consumer adoption of smart devices will translate to booming sales in the coming years.

Global Market Insights estimates the smart speaker market will top $30 billion dollars by 2024. This equates to massive 300% growth over six years.

Smart speaker sales forecasts until 2024. Image credit: Global Market Insights

10. How Voice Search is Impacting Shopping and Buying Decisions

Beyond lookup searches, consumers also use voice technology to make purchasing decisions:

• Almost half of smart speaker owners say devices have increased online shopping.
• 32% say they wouldn’t have made recent purchases if not for smart speakers.
• 49% of users have clicked purchase links from voice search.
• Nearly 40% have made purchases through their smart speaker.

As voice commerce continues maturing, consumers can expect easier ways to research and purchase products by voice.

How to Optimize Your Website for Voice Search Queries

Given the meteoric rise of voice search, brands must adapt content for voice-friendly experiences. Here are key tips:

• Focus on creating intent-driven content that answers common consumer questions.
• Use natural language, short sentences and paragraphs.
• Answer questions clearly and directly without extraneous details.
• Include structured data like FAQs using Schema markup for better formatting in results.

Optimizing for voice search now is crucial to meet rising market demands. Those who fail to adapt risk disappearing from search results altogether.

Voice Search FAQs

Here we answer some common voice search questions:

What percentage of searches are voice searches?

Comscore estimates that 50% of searches will be conducted by voice by 2020. Currently over a quarter of adults are using voice search daily.

Is voice search more accurate than typing?

Yes, especially as more advanced AI is used by search engines. 47% of consumers report voice is more accurate than typed search.

What devices allow voice search?

Smart speakers, smartphones, tablets, computers, car dashboards and more all utilize voice search via integrated assistants like Alexa and Siri.

Should businesses care about voice search optimization?

Absolutely! Voice is dramatically impacting consumer searches and buying decisions. Brands that fail to optimize for voice search will disappear from voice-dominated results.

What‘s better: Siri, Alexa or Google Assistant?

All 3 assistants have strengths and weaknesses. Alexa dominates the smart speaker market while Google Assistant understands content and results context better. Siri still offers a more personalized touch.

The best assistant depends on your preferences and device ecosystem. Over time, differences will minimize as technology continually improves.

The Future of Voice Search

Current statistics clearly show that voice search has hit a tipping point. Given the current growth trajectory, it’s clear that voice will dominate search moving forward.

Consumers will continue welcoming Assistants like Alexa deeper into their daily lives as the technology offers ever more personalized, contextualized experiences. Meanwhile marketers must shift strategies to optimize for voice or risk vanishing from search altogether.

Through hands-free convenience and lightning-quick, accurate results, voice search offers exactly what consumers want. The coming decade will see search transform from typing to talking, perhaps faster than anyone anticipates.