Short answer: Voice assistants usually answer local requests with just one or a few businesses, pulled from map listings and reviews. To be the one named, keep your Google Business Profile and Apple Business Connect listing complete and accurate, earn strong reviews, and answer common questions in plain, conversational language on your website.
“Hey Siri, find an electrician near me.” “OK Google, who fixes garage doors in Worcester?” Voice searches tend to be urgent and local, and the assistant usually reads out only one or a few options.
Where voice assistants get their answers
- Google Assistant relies heavily on Google Business Profiles and Google search results.
- Siri relies heavily on Apple Maps listings, which you manage through Apple Business Connect.
- Other assistants pull from their own map and business data sources.
So the foundation of voice search is simple: be listed, accurately, everywhere these assistants look.
Claim your listings
Make sure your Google Business Profile is complete, using our profile checklist. Then claim your free Apple Business Connect listing so Apple Maps and Siri have your correct details, hours, and categories.
Reviews and ratings decide who gets named
When an assistant picks one business to read out, ratings and reviews heavily influence the choice. A strong, recent review profile matters even more for voice than for regular search.
Answer questions the way people ask them
Voice searches are full questions: “How much does it cost to replace a water heater?” Add an FAQ section to your service pages that uses those exact questions and gives short, direct answers in the first sentence.
Keep hours and emergency details accurate
Voice searches are often urgent. If someone asks for a plumber “open now,” your hours need to be correct, including holidays and whether you take emergency calls.
Make the next step easy
Many voice searches end with “call them.” Make sure your listed number is answered, or forwards to someone who answers, and that a missed-call text-back catches anyone who reaches voicemail.
A quick voice search test
Try it yourself. On an iPhone, ask Siri for your service near a town you serve. On an Android phone, ask Google Assistant the same thing. Note who gets named and what their ratings and review counts look like.
If your business does not come up, check that your listings are claimed, your categories match the service, your hours are correct, and your reviews are comparable to the business that was named.
Voice search and AI search overlap
The same things that help you get named by voice assistants help with AI search tools: accurate listings, strong reviews, and clear answers. See how to show up in ChatGPT and AI search.
Related reading
- How to Show Up in ChatGPT and AI Search as a Local Business
- What Information Should I Put on My Google Business Page?
- Does Getting More Google Reviews Actually Help Me Rank Higher?
Want to know if Siri and Google can find you? Get a free snapshot. We will check your listings across Google, Apple Maps, and directories, and show you what to fix.
Written by
Mardochee Carries
Managing Director | Brandcastl
Mardochee leads Brandcastl, a Worcester, MA marketing agency that helps local businesses get found on Google and turn searches into booked jobs.
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