# Voice Search

> Voice Search

- Skill: `mshahiddigital/voice-search` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add mshahiddigital/voice-search`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/mshahiddigital/voice-search/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: mshahiddigital (https://skillmd.com/u/mshahiddigital)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/mshahiddigital/voice-search

---


# Voice Search Optimization Audit — Phase 18

## Executive Summary

Voice search in 2025–2026 is no longer just smart speakers — it's the entire AI conversational interface layer. Google's voice-driven AI Mode, iOS 18 Siri with deep web integration, and AI Overview voice results on mobile collectively account for 27% of mobile searches (Google internal data, 2024). "Near me" searches have grown 200%+ over 5 years. Optimizing for voice = optimizing for AI answer extraction. Local businesses missing voice optimization lose 20–30% of mobile intent queries to competitors.

---

## Tools for This Phase

| Tool | Purpose | Cost |
|------|---------|------|
| **Google PageSpeed Insights** | Mobile speed — voice results require > 70 mobile score | Free |
| **Google Rich Results Test** | FAQPage, HowTo, Speakable schema validation | Free |
| **Google Search** | Test "near me" + conversational queries — does AIO appear? | Free |
| **ChatGPT** | Test voice-style queries — is client mentioned? | Free/Paid |
| **Perplexity** | AI search visibility test for local queries | Free |
| **Google Maps / GBP** | Confirm GBP completeness for voice data extraction | Free |
| **AlsoAsked.com** | Question clusters for FAQ + voice query mapping | Freemium |
| **AnswerThePublic** | Conversational query patterns per service topic | Freemium |
| **BrightLocal** | Citation consistency check — NAP for voice accuracy | Paid |

---

## Step 1: Read Project Context

Read `{AUDIT_DIR}/intake-data.md` — business name, URL, location, services.
Read `{AUDIT_DIR}/local-findings.md` — GBP completeness (critical for local voice queries).
Read `{AUDIT_DIR}/speed-findings.md` — mobile speed score (voice requirement: > 70/100 PSI).

---

## 2025–2026 Voice Search Context

**Where voice queries originate:**
| Platform | Query Type | Local Business Impact |
|----------|-----------|----------------------|
| Google Assistant (Android + mobile) | "Near me", "Open now", hours, directions | Critical — highest local volume |
| Siri (iOS 18+) | Business info, hours, services | High — uses Apple Maps + web |
| Google AI Mode | Conversational follow-up queries | Critical — replacing traditional SERP |
| AI Overviews (voice trigger) | "How to", "What is", "Best [service] in" | High — appears for 20–35% local queries |
| Alexa / Google Home | "Find a [service] near me", business hours | Medium — smart home user base |
| ChatGPT / Perplexity voice | "Best [service] in [city]" recommendations | Growing — AI-first searchers |

**2025 voice search stats:**
- 27% of mobile searches are voice-based (Google, 2024)
- Voice search results come from pages with mobile PSI score > 70 at 97% rate (Backlinko, 2024)
- "Near me" searches grew 200%+ in 5 years
- Featured snippets are read aloud for 80%+ of voice answers (SEMrush, 2024)
- GBP is the primary data source for 90%+ of local voice responses

---

## Step 2: GBP Voice Readiness (Critical for All Local Voice Queries)

Voice assistants extract local business data directly from GBP. Missing or inaccurate GBP = wrong voice answers.

**GBP voice readiness checklist:**

| Check | Status | Fix | Effort |
|-------|--------|-----|--------|
| Business name 100% accurate (no keyword stuffing) | ✅/❌ | Edit GBP | 5 min |
| Full address including suite/unit | ✅/❌ | Edit GBP | 5 min |
| Phone number (primary click-to-call) | ✅/❌ | Edit GBP | 5 min |
| Hours: all 7 days + holidays + special hours | ✅/❌ | Edit GBP | 15 min |
| "Describe your business" (1,000 char description) | ✅/❌ | Write + edit GBP | 30 min |
| All services listed with accurate names | ✅/❌ | Add services | 30 min |
| Booking link configured (for "book a [service]" queries) | ✅/❌ | Add booking URL | 15 min |
| Q&A section with 5+ common questions answered | ✅/❌ | Add Q&As | 30–45 min |
| GBP verified and no pending flags | ✅/❌ | Verify via phone/video | 1–3 days |

**Voice query simulation via GBP:**
- "Hey Google, what time does [Business Name] close?" → reads Hours
- "Hey Google, call [Business Name]" → reads Phone
- "Hey Google, get directions to [Business Name]" → reads Address
- "Hey Google, does [Business Name] do [service]?" → reads Services + Description

---

## Step 3: Voice Query Types for Local Businesses

Map target voice queries across 4 intent categories:

### "Near Me" Queries (Highest Volume)
- "[service] near me"
- "best [service] near me"
- "[service] open now near me"
- "[service] in [neighborhood]"

**Ranking factors for "near me" voice results:**
1. GBP proximity + verified address ← #1 signal
2. GBP primary category match ← #2 signal
3. GBP review count + rating ≥ 4.0 ← #3 signal
4. Website local relevance (city mentioned in content) ← #4 signal
5. NAP citation consistency across directories ← #5 signal

### Business-Specific Queries
- "What time does [Business Name] close?"
- "Is [Business Name] open on Sunday?"
- "Phone number for [Business Name]"
- "How much does [service] cost at [Business Name]?"

### Informational/Conversational Queries
- "How do I [service-related question]?"
- "What is the best [service] for [problem]?"
- "How long does [service] take?"
- "What causes [problem that service fixes]?"

### Action-Intent Queries
- "Book a [service] appointment"
- "Call [Business Name]"
- "Get directions to [Business Name]"
- "Schedule [service] online"

---

## Step 4: Content Optimization for Conversational Queries

### FAQ Content (Primary AIO + Voice Citation Source)

**FAQ quality checklist:**
| Check | Standard | Status |
|-------|---------|--------|
| FAQ exists (standalone page or per service) | Required | ✅/❌ |
| Questions in natural conversational language | Required | ✅/❌ |
| Questions mirror actual voice query phrasing | Required | ✅/❌ |
| Answers ≤ 40–50 words (ideal for TTS reading) | Target | ✅/❌ |
| FAQPage + Question + Answer schema implemented | Required | ✅/❌ |
| Answers start with direct response (no preamble) | Required | ✅/❌ |

**Optimal FAQ answer format for voice:**
```
Q: How much does [service] cost in [City]?
A: [Service] in [City] typically costs $X–$Y. [1-sentence context].
   Call [Business] for a free quote: [phone].
```
(Under 50 words → voice-readable, AIO-citable, featured snippet-optimized)

### Featured Snippet Optimization (Voice Reads Snippets 80%+ of Time)
For each target voice query:
- [ ] Concise answer in first 40–50 words of the page (no "as mentioned above...")?
- [ ] Answer follows H2/H3 question header directly?
- [ ] Single clean paragraph or numbered list (2–4 steps)?
- [ ] No qualifiers or conditional language in first sentence?

### Speakable Schema
`SpeakableSpecification` marks sections optimal for TTS reading:
```json
{
  "@type": "SpeakableSpecification",
  "cssSelector": [".faq-answer", "h2 + p", ".direct-answer"]
}
```
Apply on: Homepage summary paragraph, all FAQ answers, key service descriptions.

---

## Step 5: Technical Voice SEO Requirements

Voice results have strict technical requirements:

| Requirement | Threshold | Check Method |
|-------------|-----------|-------------|
| Mobile PageSpeed | ≥ 70 PSI score | PageSpeed Insights → Mobile |
| LCP | < 2.5s | PageSpeed Insights → LCP |
| TTFB | < 800ms | WebPageTest |
| HTTPS | All pages | `curl -I https://[domain]` |
| Mobile-responsive | Full responsiveness at 375px | Chrome DevTools → Device toolbar |
| Tap targets | ≥ 44px (voice → tap follow-up) | Lighthouse → Tap Targets |

**Schema for voice ranking:**
| Schema Type | Voice Use Case | Priority |
|------------|---------------|---------|
| `LocalBusiness` (complete) | Hours, phone, address, directions | Critical |
| `FAQPage` | Q&A voice answers | Critical |
| `HowTo` | Process/instructional queries | High |
| `Speakable` | Marks voice-optimal content sections | Medium |
| `OpeningHoursSpecification` | Hours queries | Critical |
| `ContactPoint` | Phone/contact queries | High |
| `GeoCoordinates` | "Near me" precision | High |

---

## Step 6: AI Assistant Visibility Test

Test across all major AI platforms using voice-style queries:

**Test protocol:**
```
Query 1: "Who is the best [service] in [city]?"
Query 2: "Find me a [service provider] near [location]"
Query 3: "[Business Name] — what are their services and hours?"
Query 4: "How do I [most common service-related question]?"
```

| Platform | Query | Business Mentioned? | Accurate Info? | Source Cited? | Fix Needed |
|----------|-------|-------------------|----------------|---------------|------------|
| ChatGPT | Q1 | Yes/No | Yes/No/N.A. | [URL or N/A] | |
| Perplexity | Q1 | Yes/No | Yes/No/N.A. | [URL or N/A] | |
| Gemini | Q2 | Yes/No | Yes/No/N.A. | [URL or N/A] | |
| Google AIO | Q2 | Yes/No | Yes/No/N.A. | [URL or N/A] | |
| Siri | Q3 | Yes/No | Yes/No/N.A. | GBP | |

**If business not mentioned by ChatGPT/Perplexity:** Entity signals too weak — prioritize entity audit (Phase 9) + AIO optimization (Phase 14).

---

## Step 7: Competitor Voice Visibility Comparison

| Competitor | GBP Complete? | FAQ Schema? | Mobile Score | Voice Mentions (ChatGPT) | Voice Mentions (Perplexity) |
|-----------|-------------|------------|------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|
| Client | ✅/❌ | ✅/❌ | [X] | Yes/No | Yes/No |
| Comp 1 | ✅/❌ | ✅/❌ | [X] | Yes/No | Yes/No |
| Comp 2 | ✅/❌ | ✅/❌ | [X] | Yes/No | Yes/No |

---

## Voice Search Opportunity Matrix

For top 20 voice queries:

| Voice Query | Current Position | Featured Snippet? | FAQPage Schema? | Voice Optimized? | Priority |
|-------------|-----------------|-------------------|----------------|-----------------|---------|
| [near me query] | [pos] | Yes/No | Yes/No | Yes/No | H/M/L |
| [business-specific] | [pos] | Yes/No | Yes/No | Yes/No | H/M/L |

---

## Priority Matrix

| Action | Impact (1–5) | Feasibility (1–5) | Priority | Effort |
|--------|-------------|-------------------|---------|--------|
| Complete GBP Q&A section (5+ questions) | 5 | 5 | 25 | 30–45 min |
| Add FAQPage schema to all service pages | 5 | 5 | 25 | 30 min/page |
| Write 10 FAQ answers ≤ 50 words each | 5 | 4 | 20 | 1–2 hrs |
| Add Speakable schema to FAQ sections | 4 | 4 | 16 | 1–2 hrs |
| Fix mobile PSI score to ≥ 70 | 5 | 3 | 15 | 2–16 hrs |
| Add HowTo schema to process pages | 4 | 4 | 16 | 30 min/page |
| Improve GBP description to 1,000 chars | 3 | 5 | 15 | 30 min |
| Add GeoCoordinates schema | 3 | 5 | 15 | 15 min |
| Add Speakable to homepage summary | 3 | 4 | 12 | 15 min |

---

## Scoring

| Category | Weight | Score |
|----------|--------|-------|
| GBP completeness for voice queries | 30% | /30 |
| FAQ content + FAQPage schema | 25% | /25 |
| Mobile page speed (PSI ≥ 70) | 20% | /20 |
| Featured snippet presence for top queries | 15% | /15 |
| Structured data completeness (full schema set) | 10% | /10 |

---

## Output

Write findings to `{AUDIT_DIR}/voice-findings.md` with YAML frontmatter:

```yaml
---
skill: ai-visibility/voice-search
phase: 18
date: [YYYY-MM-DD]
business: [Business Name]
url: [URL]
score: [X/100]
gbp_complete: [yes|no|partial]
faqpage_schema: [yes|no|partial]
mobile_psi: [X]
featured_snippets: [X]
chatgpt_mentioned: [yes|no]
perplexity_mentioned: [yes|no]
---
```

Include:
- Score X/100 with per-category breakdown
- GBP voice readiness checklist (all 9 checks)
- AI assistant visibility test results (all 4 platforms)
- Top 20 voice query opportunity matrix (position + optimization status)
- Content gaps for FAQ/conversational content
- Schema audit (present vs. missing, per page type)
- Competitor voice comparison table
- Priority matrix (all actions, Impact × Feasibility scored)
- Quick wins list (items fixable in < 1 hour — expected score gain)
- 30-day voice optimization plan

**Key consumers:**
- `ai-visibility/ai-seo` — voice and AIO share many optimization signals
- `local/local-seo` — GBP completeness feeds both voice + local pack
- `audit/speed-optimization` — mobile speed is voice prerequisite

---

## Voice Search Quick Reference

### 10-Step Voice Optimization Action Plan

1. **Audit GBP completeness** — all 9 checks (name, address, phone, hours, description, services, booking link, Q&A, verification). Effort: 30–45 min. Priority: 25 (5×5).
2. **Add FAQPage schema to all service pages** — each page needs 3–5 FAQs ≤50 words each. AIO reads FAQPage for 80%+ of voice answers. Effort: 30 min/page. Priority: 25 (5×5).
3. **Fix mobile PSI score to ≥70** — voice results pulled from pages scoring ≥70 at 97% rate (Backlinko 2024). Use PageSpeed Insights to identify LCP/INP/CLS issues. Effort: 2–16 hrs depending on root cause.
4. **Seed GBP Q&A with 5+ question/answer pairs** — focus on "hours", "parking", "cost", "emergency service" patterns. Effort: 30 min. Priority: 20 (5×4).
5. **Write conversational FAQ content** — 10 FAQ answers using AnswerThePublic clusters. Each ≤50 words, starts with a direct answer. Effort: 1–2 hrs. Priority: 20 (5×4).
6. **Add Speakable schema to FAQ sections** — targets Google Assistant audio readout. Use `speakable` property on FAQ container. Effort: 1–2 hrs.
7. **Test across 5 AI platforms** — run all 4 test queries on ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Google AIO, Siri. Document results in Voice Opportunity Matrix. Effort: 30 min.
8. **Add HowTo schema to process pages** — "how to [service]" voice queries trigger HowTo schema readout. Effort: 30 min/page.
9. **Optimize content for E-E-A-T voice signals** — voice assistants prefer content from established entities. Add author bio, business credentials, years-in-business signals to FAQ pages. Effort: 1–2 hrs.
10. **Write 30-day voice optimization plan** — record voice-findings.md to `{AUDIT_DIR}/voice-findings.md` + save PDF report to `{REPORTS_DIR}/phase-18-voice.pdf`. Effort: 30 min.

### INP + Voice Search Connection (2025)

Voice platforms extract answers from fast-rendering pages. **INP (Interaction to Next Paint, replaced FID March 2024)** is a ranking signal that also affects voice eligibility:
- INP <200ms = Good (voice-eligible tier)
- INP 200–500ms = Needs Improvement
- INP >500ms = Poor (de-prioritized by voice ranking systems)

High INP on FAQ pages is caused by: heavy JS frameworks blocking interaction, lazy-loaded FAQ accordions, and third-party chat widgets. Fix by deferring non-critical JS and using static HTML FAQ sections.

### E-E-A-T + Voice Authority (2025)

Voice assistants prefer cited entities with strong E-E-A-T signals:
| Signal | Voice Impact | Implementation |
|--------|-------------|---------------|
| Schema `sameAs` (GBP + LinkedIn + Wikipedia) | High | Entity schema on homepage |
| Author bio with credentials | Medium | On all FAQ pages |
| Business established date | Medium | `foundingDate` in LocalBusiness schema |
| Review count ≥50 on GBP | High | Review velocity strategy |
| GBP description 900–1,000 chars | Critical | Edit GBP description |

**Write HTML report to `{REPORTS_DIR}/phase-18-voice.html` and convert to PDF via `python3 scripts/generate_pdf.py --html {REPORTS_DIR}/phase-18-voice.html`.**
- `output/report-generation` — voice score in master report section 18