How to Add Voice Search Capability to Your WordPress Site

When people first started talking to their phones to search for things, most of us probably thought it was weird or futuristic.

Now, voice search is everywhere, from smart speakers to smartphones, and people start to expect WordPress websites to support it, too.

That’s why adding voice search to WordPress sites can be a game-changer for user experience.

It’s simple: speaking is much easier than typing, especially on mobile devices. Plus, voice search is becoming more popular every day. We’ve also noticed that WordPress sites with voice search tend to have better engagement rates because visitors can find what they need faster.

For this tutorial, we tested multiple voice search plugins to find the best solution, and the Voice Search plugin stood out.

In the next sections, we’ll show you step-by-step how to add voice search capability to your WordPress site. Your visitors will soon be able to simply speak their questions instead of typing them. 💬

Why Add Voice Search Capability in WordPress?

Adding voice search to your WordPress website can take your user experience to the next level. It’s an invaluable feature, as it helps your visitors search for content without having to type anything.

Voice search capability is handy for visually impaired users with difficulty reading and typing. This user group might rely on voice commands to navigate the internet, as it allows them to find articles and products more easily.

Additionally, you can use voice search to speed up your work processes. This functionality lets you quickly discover the pages and posts you’re looking for instead of clicking different elements and typing commands.

Without further ado, we’ll share the steps for setting up voice search in WordPress. Here are all the topics we’ll cover in this guide:

• Step 1: Making Sure Your Site Has a Search Widget
• Step 2: Adding Voice Search Capability in WordPress
• Step 3: Testing Your New Voice Search Feature
• Bonus Tip 💡: Adding the Text-to-Speech Feature
• FAQ About Adding Voice Search Capability in WordPress

Let’s break it down.

Step 1: Making Sure Your Site Has a Search Widget

The plugin we’ll use in this tutorial works out of the box. But you’ll need to ensure that your site has a search widget enabled.

If you don’t have a search widget, you’ll need to add it. To get started, you can go to the Appearance » Widgets section in your admin area.

The next step is to add the default WordPress search widget to a sidebar. Simply click the ‘+’ icon and add the ‘Search’ widget block in the widgets area.

Step 2: Adding Voice Search Capability in WordPress

The easiest way to set up voice search in WordPress is by using the Voice Search plugin. It’s a free, user-friendly WordPress plugin that works out of the box. There are no special settings for you to configure.

The first thing you need to do is install and activate the Voice Search plugin. If you need help, please see our guide on installing a WordPress plugin.

Upon activation, the plugin will automatically add the voice search option in the search bar. So, go ahead and visit your website.

If you’ve successfully added the voice search functionality, you should see a microphone icon in your WordPress search box.

Step 3: Testing Your New Voice Search Feature

Next, it’s a good idea to test if it functions properly.

Simply click on the microphone icon and speak to it. Then, you’ll want to see if the plugin catches what you said and proceeds to look for content with those search terms.

However, note that the Voice Search plugin currently supports Google Chrome on desktop and mobile. It modifies only the default WordPress search form to add voice input.

So, if you use a custom search solution like Google Search for WordPress or SearchWP, this plugin will not work with your search form.

Please take a look at our guide on how to improve WordPress search for more details.

Bonus Tip 💡: Adding the Text-to-Speech Feature

Next, you might want to further improve your site’s accessibility by enabling text-to-speech. This technology uses AI to turn written text into natural-sounding speech.

Adding it to your WordPress blog lets users listen to your blog posts on the go.

Plus, it’s great for making your content more accessible to people with visual impairments or reading difficulties. We believe this can help grow your blog audience.

BeyondWords is one tool that makes adding this feature easy. This AI-powered platform offers a WordPress plugin that lets you add text-to-speech to your site.

For details, you can check out our guide on how to add the text-to-speech feature.

FAQ About Adding Voice Search Capability in WordPress

You might still have a few questions about adding voice search to your WordPress site. Here are answers to some of the most common questions we hear:

Will the Voice Search plugin work with all WordPress themes?

The Voice Search plugin is designed to work with most WordPress themes. However, if you have customized your search form extensively, you may need to make some adjustments.

Can I use the Voice Search plugin with other search plugins?

The plugin is compatible with the default WordPress search form. If you are using a custom search solution like SearchWP, the plugin might not work out of the box.

What if voice search doesn’t work on my site?

Ensure you are using a compatible browser like Google Chrome on desktop or mobile. Also, check that your microphone settings are correctly configured.

Does the Voice Search plugin support multiple languages?

Voice Search primarily supports English. If you need support for other languages, consider looking for plugins specifically offering multilingual search capabilities.

We hope this article helped you add voice search to your WordPress site. Next, you may also want to check out our guide on how to add a search toggle effect or our expert picks of the best voice message plugins for WordPress.

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