Alexa voice search can't find your online shop - let's fix that
- eCommerce Carnival
- Apr 23
- 5 min read
you've screamed into your phone, demanding Alexa find your online store, only for the results to be those of your competitors, or worse, nothing resembling your store.
now calculate the unknown variable of random algorithm updates from search engines, and you get a cynical cycle of constant updates, trial & error, and frustration.
how does voice search work for eCommerce stores
voice search is an accessible way to search online, providing a hands-free way for customers to connect with your online store and products.
how does it work? voice search uses natural language processing and speech recognition technologies to interpret your search as a human would, i.e. their search intent. this focus on search intent ensures accurate results based on the user's request.
search intent is critical to understand, as this helps eCommerce stores create organic content, product descriptions, FAQs, and more for their target audience. just like search engine optimization as we've known it, results are typically organic and provide in-depth value to answer the query at hand.
given 6 out of 10 consumers utilize voice search to find products and services, plus get answers to common questions (1), it's important for eCommerce stores to optimize for voice search.
setting up your eCommerce store for voice search
when setting up your site's search engine optimization and voice search optimization, it's recommended to keep a visual outline so it's easy to identify gaps in your strategy.
while mapping out your site's SEO, remember voice search uses natural language processing, so keep your SEO conversational.
voice search focuses on long-tailed keywords
long-tailed conversational keywords are generally how individuals talk in everyday conversation. humans typically do not abbreviate how they speak to one another, which is exactly how voice search technologies interpret search queries.
an easy way to cover your voice search basics is to answer the six fundamental questions of human curiosity: who, what, where, when, why, and how. answering these questions will provide a solid foundation to build off of.
let's take eCommerce Carnival for example. when optimizing for voice search, we would want to answer questions such as "what is eCommerce Carnival", "who is involved in eCommerce Carnival", etc - questions that would be asked naturally.
utilize a conversational-style writing approach
when writing your content, read it out loud. it's funny to think about, but marketers are encouraged to make sure their content is written in a way that can be read aloud (2), as this is how SEO and voice search find top results.
the easiest way to do this is to use simple sentences, ask questions, and provide clear answers. do not try to demonstrate any complexities behind your store or products. think of what questions would be asked of your store and products, and answer those questions as simply as possible.
mobile first - always
you may be thinking we already do this, and that's great! for voice search, however, there are additional items to check and implement. think about it - most voice searches happen on mobile devices, so having a perfectly mobile-optimized website is important.
since search engines such as Google use mobile-first indexing, your store and product pages, including all content, need to be responsive and quick to load.
make sure to check your site's page speed, responsive structure, js impact, and content length as key areas of focus when optimizing for voice search.
additional voice search optimization opportunities
the above key areas highlight the technical aspects of voice search optimization, but there are plenty of opportunities to implement targeted optimization tactics.
create an FAQ section on multiple website pages
FAQ sections answer additional brand or product questions related to your online store. taking a layered approach to your FAQ pages can help answer as many natural questions customers may have about your store.
a suggested layered approach includes:
brand FAQ page - tailored to answering questions about who you are, why you exist, what you provide, etc. on a brand level.
product FAQ pages - answer questions directly about each individual product you sell through your store. this helps to provide additional information directly related to an item that may answer a customer's voice search query.
product usage FAQ pages - this section answers technical questions related to the products you sell or helps differentiate between different models of products you have to offer.
policy FAQ pages - focused on questions regarding return policies, refund policies, shipping policies, etc.
by adding the suggested "structured" FAQ approach, your answering most of the questions customers would be asking when utilizing voice search.
claim your Google business profile
if your business provides a local service, delivery radius, impact on a local community, etc. it's imperative to claim your local Google business profile. voice search users are often looking for local query answers, and to rank for this, your store must have a registered business profile.
once you have management access to your Google profile, follow these optimization tips:
enter your name, address, and phone number (NAP)
include only relevant information about your products and services in the business description
upload photos of your products, branding, and customers
share updates on new products, services, and special offers
highlight your products
incorporate local keywords into the business description
encourage customers to leave reviews
while optimizing your Google business profile, assess your presence in other local directories like Yelp, Bing, or Facebook business pages. Google relies on these sources to verify your business information, so ensure consistency across all listings.
enhance local search engine optimization
claiming your Google business profile is just the first step in local search engine optimization. additional value can be derived from creating local SEO listings for your eCommerce store and products, especially in areas you may already be doing well in.
focus on generating conversational content tailored towards these local markets. if you have a strong base in austin, texas for example, consider curating content tailored towards the austin demographic. this will help your store show up in local voice searches.
encourage trusted customer reviews
search engines often refer to customer reviews when deciding on which websites to show in search results. the same is said for voice search algorithms.
encouraging product users to leave detailed reviews will help drive immense optimization value when customers are performing voice search queries.
learn more about voice search optimization at eCommerce Carnival 2026
32% of brands are confident of their marketing spend. are you a part of the 68%?
eCommerce Carnival is a community of workshops designed to give attendees the skills to scale their e-commerce brands. with 30+ hands-on workshops, attendees will walk away with tangible skills they can implement for their eCommerce stores.
learn more about voice search optimization for your eCommerce store plus other critical skills to scale your eCommerce store april 3-5, 2026 at eCommerce Carnival.
about eCommerce Carnival 2026
energizing growth begins here. at eCommerce Carnival, founders, owners, and directors of eCommerce brands transform ideas into actionable insights to catapult their businesses. eCommerce Carnival will be occurring april 3-5, 2026 in santa monica, California.
for more details click here.
2 - Google's John Mueller
