Benefits of Speaking Your Searches Rather than Typing Them

Voice has recently become a popular alternative to typing for many people looking to quickly and easily find what they need online. Voice searching involves speaking your queries into your laptop, phone or digital home assistants such as Amazon Echo or Google Home.

Audate created one such extension that makes voice search easier on laptops and desktop computers. Here are 3 reasons to give it a shot:

1. More Accurate Results

Voice allows users to more accurately convey their exact search intent, as they are able to use words that more precisely capture what they are looking for.

For example, when a user wants to find the nearest Italian restaurant in their area, they can say something like “Which Italian restaurants are closest to me?” rather than typing “Italian restaurants.” By speaking their query, the user is more likely to get accurate results because of the specificity of the language used.

2. Faster Searches

Studies have shown that voice searches are three times faster than typing on a keyboard. “You can speak 110-150 words per min, as opposed to avg person’s typing 38-40 wpm” - @purnavirji

Speed matters when we’re looking for something specific, which usually requires more words to describe. Imagine having to type “What is the name of the man that accompanied Neil Armstrong on the first mission to the moon?”, versus speaking it.

On phones, a user may have swipe-typing, but not on laptops or desktops.

3. Improved Accessibility

Voice search also provides easier access for those with disabilities who might not be able to type out their queries easily or accurately due to physical or situational limitations.

Your wrists are hurting from a long days work.

Sometimes the “R” key on the keyboard is broken.

A chinese user is trying to type 乐趣 using an English keyboard.

There is a right posture for typing, but there is no right posture for speaking.

Conclusion

Voice search can improve quality of the responses you get from search engines. It can also increase your efficiency and give you expanded access to search.

Voice Search is a simply configurable and privacy-friendly chrome extension that makes it easy to use voice in your browser.