The way consumers search online is undergoing significant transformation. The popularization of virtual assistants – such as Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant – combined with the growth of image searches, demands brands to reformulate traditional SEO strategies. What was once focused on generic keywords and text optimized only for reading now needs to consider voice commands, visual searches, and interactions mediated by artificial intelligence.
According to Earthweb consultancy, about 20.5% of the global population already uses voice search, with 27% of these interactions happening on mobile devices. In the United States, this behavior is even more established: the prediction is that the number of voice assistant users will reach 153.5 million by 2025. Furthermore, according to DemandSage data, 58% of consumers use voice commands to find information about local businesses, a fact that reinforces the importance of adapting content for this search format.
“The use of voice search was limited ten years ago, but today it is part of the routine for many consumers,” says Felipe Jordan, SEO and CRO manager at Adtail, a full-service digital marketing agency operating throughout Latin America. “Adapting websites and content to this reality is no longer a future trend – it is a current necessity.”
According to the expert, the technical optimization of websites needs to consider elements that facilitate reading by virtual assistant bots, such as smart use of structured data and the creation of direct answers to frequently asked questions by users. “These practices help content appear in the so-called non-traditional SERP features, such as voice results or highlighted in Google Images,” Felipe explains.
When it comes to image searches, the challenge is to make visual content traceable as well. “Well-constructed audio descriptions and alt texts are essential, both for accessibility and search engine performance,” emphasizes the expert. He notes that even with the advancement of new search methods, generic keywords remain relevant, especially on platforms like Google and TikTok.
Artificial intelligence plays an increasingly central role in this scenario. “Google has redesigned the layout of its results to provide more objective answers, as a way to compete with generative AIs. This has changed the game,” analyzes Felipe. “To be present in these spaces, one must produce content with authority, clarity, and refined optimization.”
According to him, a common mistake among companies is to maintain outdated SEO practices, without updating the site structure or the content of product and blog pages. “Many still produce content as if we were in 2020. They overlook basic optimizations and, at the same time, invest in advanced techniques that do not yield results due to this weakened foundation.”
Looking ahead, Felipe believes that artificial intelligence should mainly dominate top-of-the-funnel searches, while consideration stages are likely to shift to platforms with high user-generated content engagement, like TikTok. As for conversions – bottom-of-the-funnel – they should increasingly occur in marketplaces, not necessarily on the brands’ e-commerce sites.
“Optimizing only the institutional website will no longer be sufficient. Brands that know how to position their products in marketplaces will have a real competitive advantage,” he concludes.
