The way consumers search online is undergoing a significant transformation. The popularization of virtual assistants – such as Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant – combined with the growth of image searches, requires brands to rethink their traditional SEO (Search Engine Optimization) strategies. What was previously focused on generic keywords and texts optimized solely for reading now needs to consider voice commands, visual searches, and AI-mediated interactions.
According to Earthweb consultancy, about 20.5% of the global population already uses voice search, with 27% of these interactions taking place on mobile devices. In the United States, this behavior is even more established: it is forecasted that the number of voice assistant users will reach 153.5 million by 2025. Additionally, according to DemandSage data, 58% of consumers use voice commands to find information about local businesses, a figure that reinforces the importance of adapting content for this search format.
"The use of voice for searches was limited ten years ago, but today it is part of the routine for a large number of consumers," says Felipe Jordan, SEO and CRO manager at Adtail, a full-service digital marketing agency operating throughout Latin America. Adapting sites and content to this reality is no longer a future trend — it is a current necessity.
According to the specialist, the technical optimization of websites must consider elements that facilitate reading by virtual assistant bots, such as the intelligent use of structured data and the creation of direct answers to users' frequently asked questions. "These practices help the content appear in so-called non-traditional SERP features, such as voice results or featured snippets in Google Images," explains Felipe.
In the case of image searches, the challenge is to make visual content also traceable. "Well-constructed audiodescriptions and alt texts are essential, both for accessibility and for search engine performance," highlights the specialist. He observes 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 its results layout to provide more objective answers as a way to compete with generative AIs. This changed the game," analyzes Felipe. "To be in these spaces, it is necessary to produce content with authority, clarity, and refined optimization."
For him, a common mistake among companies is maintaining outdated SEO practices, without updating the website structure or the content of product and blog pages. Many still produce content as if it were 2020. They ignore basic optimizations and, at the same time, rely on advanced techniques that do not deliver results due to this fragile foundation.
Looking to the future, Felipe believes that artificial intelligence should mainly dominate top-of-funnel searches, while consideration stages tend to migrate to platforms with high engagement of user-generated content, such as TikTok. Conversions — the bottom of the funnel — will increasingly occur on marketplaces, and not necessarily on the brands' e-commerce.
"Optimizing only the corporate website will no longer be enough. Brands that know how to position their products on marketplaces will have a real competitive advantage," he concludes.
