Technologies are becoming more innovative in this modern world.

More users rely on the advancement of these technologies and become part of their everyday lives.

In the past, online users had no other option but to type their queries on the search bar when searching on the internet.

Nowadays, people can search using voice and image search.

Voice search is the best alternative and fastest way of making queries online aside from inputting terms and keywords.

Through speaking, this technology can recognize words to search the web.

According to a survey, 9 out of 10 people are aware of voice search, and 72% have used it.

How Many People Use Voice Search in 2023?

More than 27% of the online population worldwide uses voice search features on mobile devices.

There are over 135.6 million voice search users in the United States, representing a 2.7% growth from last year.

According to research, more people prefer using voice search instead of typing words on the search bar.

Approximately 71% of internet users use voice search when searching rather than inputting keywords.

Voice search is the best feature for users who are unable to type and is the fastest way to search and get results.

Results from a voice search load in just 4.6 seconds, which is 52% faster than the average search results.

What is the Best Voice Search?

People use various devices like Android phones, iOS, Mac, Windows, Smart TVs, and Smart speakers when searching.

Voice search features are included on different devices and search engines. 

Here are some of the best voice searches on different devices:

• Apple Siri
• Google Now
• Microsoft Cortana
• Amazon Alexa
• Google Assistant

How to Use Voice Search

Voice search is the easiest way to look for information online.

Searching using a voice command is not just easy to use but also quickly getting relevant answers.

Here are the simple ways to use voice search on different devices:

1. On mobile phones, press the home button and wait for the microphone to pop up on the screen, tap the microphone icon, and start speaking
2. On a web browser, click the microphone icon on the search bar and start speaking
3. On different devices, say the virtual assistant’s name before saying the question. To activate the virtual assistant’s name, users should say:
   1. “Hey, Siri” – Apple devices
   2. “Hi, Bixby” – Samsung devices
   3. “OK, Google”  Google or other Android devices
   4. “Hey, Alexa” – Amazon
   5. “Hey, Cortana” – Microsoft

Popular Devices for Voice Search

Based on the PwC Consumer Intelligence Series survey, most of the voice search users are using smartphones or mobile phones compared to using tablets, laptops, and desktops.

Voice search needs a built-in microphone and audio, however, not all desktops and laptops have microphones.

Here is a list of devices used with voice search:

• 57% of people use voice search on smartphones and mobile phones
• 29% of people use voice search on tablets
• 29% of people use voice search on laptops or desktops
• 27% of people use voice search on smart speakers
• 21% of people use voice search on smart TV remotes
• 20% of people use voice search on car navigation
• 14% of people use voice search on smartwatches

Voice Search in the US

According to eMarketer, there is an increasing number of voice search users in the United States.

More than 135 million users in the US explore the features of voice search, which is around 40.2% of the US population.

There are approximately 4.2 billion digital voice assistants used worldwide and it is predicted to double in 2024.

About 123.5 million voice assistant users are from the US in 2022, which is up by over 3 million from the previous month.

Voice assistant users in the US are expected to reach 130.1 million in 2025.

How Different Generations Use Voice Search

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According to The Manifest 2019 Voice Search survey, voice search is beneficial to all age groups.

Older people use voice search when they are unable to see the letters on the keyboard or the screen.

While middle age groups use voice search mostly while they are driving or working. Younger users use voice search to look for products online and issue commands.

Here is how different generations use voice search:

• 64% of older users ages 55 years old and above use voice search to search for products and information online, 20% to communicate with other people, and 16% to issue commands
• 63% of users ages 35 to 54 years old use voice search to search for products and information online, 18% to communicate with other people, and 19% to issue commands
• 47% of users ages 18 to 34 years old use voice search to search for products and information online, 23% to communicate with other people, and 30% to issue commands

Let’s take a look at which devices people of different generations use often:

• Voice search on mobile phones – about 77% of ages 18 to 34 years old use voice search on mobile phones, while 63% from ages 35 to 54 years old, and 30% from ages 55 years and older
• Voice search on desktops or laptops – about 38% of ages 18 to 34 years old use voice search on mobile phones, while 32% from ages 35 to 54 years old, and 15% from ages 55 years and older
• Voice search on tablets – about 37% of ages 18 to 34 years old use voice search on mobile phones, while 32% from ages 35 to 54 years old, and 9% from ages 55 years and older
• Voice search on smart speakers – about 34% of ages 18 to 34 years old use voice search on mobile phones, while 19% from ages 35 to 54 years old, and 4% from ages 55 years and older

Top Searches on Voice Search

The top search on voice search is “Play Music” with a total of 74%, followed by “Check the Weather” with 66%, and “Set Alarms and Reminders” with 58%.

Aside from those searches and commands, 67% search for information, definition, and facts, 46% look for weather updates, and 32% search for news.

Conclusion

When using voice search, devices use speech recognition to quickly understand and search queries on the web.

By simply clicking on the microphone icon on the search engine or activating the virtual assistant’s name or pressing the home button on mobile phones, users can start asking questions and giving commands.

Due to the benefits of voice search, more users prefer using this when searching and commanding.

Sources