Definition
What this term means
Search queries spoken aloud to AI-powered voice assistants such as Siri, Alexa, Google Assistant, or Cortana. Voice searches tend to be longer, more conversational, and more question-based than typed queries. Voice search results typically return a single answer rather than a list of options, making the competition for that one position exceptionally high.
Why it matters
The business impact
Voice search is growing rapidly, particularly for local queries ('where is the nearest...'), quick facts ('what is...'), and product recommendations ('what is the best...'). Because voice assistants typically provide only one answer, being the cited source means capturing 100% of the attention for that query. Brands that optimise for conversational, question-based content with clear, concise answers are best positioned for voice search visibility.
Used in context
How you might use this term
“A restaurant chain optimised their Google Business Profile with comprehensive FAQ content targeting conversational voice queries. When users asked Siri or Google Assistant 'where's a good family restaurant near me', the chain began appearing as the recommended answer in their target locations, driving measurable foot traffic increases.”
Related terms
Explore connected concepts
Conversational AI
AI systems designed to engage in natural, human-like dialogue, including chatbots, voice assistants, and AI search interfaces. Conversational AI encompasses everything from simple FAQ bots to sophisticated assistants like ChatGPT, Siri, and Alexa that can understand context, follow multi-turn conversations, and provide personalised recommendations based on user intent.
Featured Snippet
A highlighted answer box that appears above the standard organic search results on Google, displaying a direct answer extracted from a web page along with the source URL and page title. Featured snippets can appear as paragraphs, lists, tables, or steps, and are selected by Google's algorithms based on how well a page's content directly answers the user's query.
Zero-Click Search
A search query where the user finds their answer directly on the search results page, through AI Overviews, featured snippets, knowledge panels, or other SERP features, without clicking through to any website. Research suggests that over 60% of Google searches now result in zero clicks, a trend accelerated by the introduction of AI-generated summaries at the top of search results.