How to Add Voice Search Capability to Your WordPress Site

Typing a search query on a phone is slow and clumsy, and for visitors with a visual impairment or limited mobility it can be a real barrier. Voice search removes that barrier. Your visitors tap a microphone icon, say what they are looking for, and your site shows them the results.

People already search this way on their phones and smart speakers every day, so many of them expect websites to work the same way. The good news is that adding it to WordPress takes a free plugin and a few minutes, and it works with the default WordPress search form.

In this article, we’ll show you how to add voice search to your WordPress site, step by step.

Why Add Voice Search Capability in WordPress?

Adding voice search to your WordPress website can make it easier for visitors to find the content they need without typing their search queries.

It can also make your site more accessible for visitors with visual impairment or other users who have difficulty reading or typing. Voice commands can give these visitors another way to search for articles, products, and other content on your site.

Here are the steps for setting up voice search in WordPress. You can use the quick links below to jump to the section you prefer:

Step 1: Making Sure Your Site Has a Search Widget

The plugin we’ll use in this tutorial works with the default WordPress search form. So, before installing it, make sure your site has a Search block where you want visitors to use voice search.

In the next step, we’ll add voice search functionality as well to this search block. But before that, let’s see where you can add the search block to your site. 

If you are using a classic theme, go to Appearance » Widgets in your WordPress admin area. From here, click the + icon to add a block, look for ‘Search,’ and add the standard WordPress Search block to your preferred widget-ready area.

You can add the Search block to any widget-ready area on your site, such as your sidebar or footer. When you’re done, click ‘Update’ to save your changes.

If you are using a modern block theme, you can use the Site Editor by going to Appearance » Editor. From there, add a ‘Search’ block to your header, navigation area, or wherever you want to add it.

Step 2: Adding Voice Search Capability in WordPress

The easiest way to add voice search to WordPress is by using the Voice Search plugin. It’s a free plugin that adds voice search to your WordPress search form without requiring any special configuration.

Before we start, do note that your website must use an SSL certificate (HTTPS) for microphone access to work in modern browsers.

The first thing you need to do is install and activate the Voice Search plugin. You can navigate to Plugins » Add New Plugin in your WordPress admin area and type the plugin’s name into the search box to quickly find it.

When it appears in the search results, click ‘Install Now’ and then ‘Activate.’

If you need help, please see our guide on installing a WordPress plugin.

Once activated, the plugin automatically adds voice search to compatible WordPress search forms. Go ahead and visit your website to test it.

If everything is working correctly, you should see a microphone icon inside your search form.

Step 3: Testing Your New Voice Search Feature

Next, it’s a good idea to test whether voice search is working properly.

First, click the microphone icon and search with your voice. Your browser may ask for permission to use your microphone. If it does, click ‘Allow’ so the plugin can access your microphone.

If nothing happens when you click the icon, check that your browser is allowed to use your microphone in your browser or device settings.

Then, check whether the plugin correctly recognizes your search query and uses it to find matching content on your site.

The Voice Search plugin relies on your browser’s built-in speech recognition, which works in modern web browsers.

In a browser that does not support speech recognition, the plugin simply hides the microphone icon, and visitors can type their search as usual.

The plugin also needs the default WordPress search form, so if your theme or a search plugin replaces that form with its own, the microphone icon will not appear. Please see our guide on how to improve WordPress search for more details.

Bonus Tip: Adding the Text-to-Speech Feature

Voice search helps visitors search your site using their voice, while text-to-speech lets them listen to your content.

Adding text-to-speech to your WordPress blog can be useful for visitors who prefer listening to articles instead of reading them. It can also make your content more accessible to people with visual impairments or reading difficulties.

BeyondWords is one tool that makes it easy to add this feature. This AI-powered platform offers a WordPress plugin that can turn your written content into audio.

For more details, see 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:

We hope this article helped you add voice search to your WordPress site. Next, you may also want to check out our other guides on how to see search analytics in WordPress and how to improve WordPress search with SearchWP.

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