Google Says Audio Versions of Blog Content Won’t Help SEO

After years of speculation and debate among SEO experts, Google has finally clarified that audio versions of blog content are unlikely to help SEO or directly improve search rankings. Despite that, representatives from the search engine suggest it may still be worthwhile to provide audio versions of blog content for users’ sake. 

What Google Says About Audio Versions of Blog Content

In a recent SEO office hours video, Google Developer Advocate Martin Splitt was asked whether providing an audio version of a blog post might improve its search rankings. 

Splitt’s answer was straight to the point; it is very unlikely that audio versions of blog content would help rankings. 

“I don’t think it will… I think it is a good thing for the user, though, so I would definitely do it – but not, for SEO reasons.”

What About Indirect Benefits?

While Splitt states plainly that audio versions of content won’t help existing blog posts’ SEO, they do still provide positive value to your site. 

By providing audio versions of content, you are making your page more accessible to those with visual impairments, providing a secondary way for users to interact with content, and giving users a reason to stay on your pages longer. 

In other words, while audio versions of text blog content don’t improve SEO directly, they DO give good opportunities to indirectly boost your SEO. 

Perhaps more importantly, it also provides a better experience for users, sets you apart, and helps make a lasting impression on those who come to your site. 

Where User Experience and SEO Meet

While audio versions of blog content may not directly improve your rankings, they contribute to providing the best user experience possible—and Google’s rankings consider that. 

If you are considering adding audio versions of your blog content to your website, first ask yourself whether they will be valuable to your visitors and customers. If yes, there is a good chance your website (and your rankings) will benefit.

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New Study Shows Gen Z Leaving Google For Instagram and TikTok

A new survey highlights the growing rift between how older and younger consumers shop online. The study makes it clear that while Millennials and older generations still largely rely on Google for finding and purchasing products, Gen Z and other young consumers are shifting towards relying on Instagram and TikTok. 

About The Study

For https://grin.co/pdf/the-power-of-influence-ebook/the study, researchers from the marketing company GRIN polled over 1,000 US consumers over the age of 18. 

While much of the survey focused on how people engage with influencers and their influence on shopping behavior, it also contained some more broad questions that brands should be aware of. 

The biggest reveal of the survey is that Gen Z shoppers are often making every step of their purchasing journey over social media, from discovering products to researching them and even making purchases directly from social platforms. 

Perhaps most revealing were the responses from 18- to 27-year-old consumers when asked “Where do you most often discover new products online?”

  • Instagram: 30.4%
  • TikTok: 23.2%
  • Google: 18.8%
  • YouTube: 14.5%

Meanwhile, older age groups still largely relied on Google to find products. Google was the top choice for discovering new products among Millennials (42.4%), Gen X (41.1%), and Boomers (55.9%).

Adapt Now To Maintain Reach With Younger Consumers

This is not the first study to suggest that younger consumers are gradually ditching Google in favor of a social media-led shopping process. Gen Z has already made significant moves away from the search engine and even younger generations seem to follow their lead. 

If you want today’s consumers to discover and purchase your products, it is increasingly important to invest in a significant social media presence including a social store, running ads, and engaging directly with consumers.

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