Traditional Search vs. Voice Search: How Nonprofits Can Stay Ahead in 2025
Raise your hand if you’ve ever asked Siri, Alexa, or Google something like, “Where is the best pizza near me?” or “Where is the best place for disaster relief donations?” If you have, then congratulations — you’ve engaged in voice search! And guess what? Your donors, advocates, and supporters are doing the same thing.
Voice search is changing the way people find information online, and organizations need to adjust their SEO strategies accordingly. Let’s break it down.
Traditional Search: Keywords & Web Pages
Traditional SEO is built around text-based searches. People type in keywords, and search engines serve up the most relevant web pages. To rank well, nonprofits need:
Well-structured, relevant website content
Targeted keywords
Strong backlinks
Fast-loading, mobile-friendly pages
This approach is still critical, but voice search adds a new layer.
Voice Search: Questions & Conversational Phrases
Voice search is more natural and question-based. Instead of typing “hunger relief nonprofit NYC,” someone might ask, “How can I help people facing hunger in New York City?”
That shift means nonprofits need to optimize for:
Conversational keywords (think long-tail phrases and full questions)
FAQ-style content on your website that answers common questions about your organization
Local SEO (if someone asks about a cause “near me,” you want to show up!)
Let’s break these down one at a time:
✅ Incorporate Natural, Conversational Keywords — Focus on how people actually speak. For example, a nonprofit focused on international hunger relief could optimize for questions like:
· “How can I donate to feed families in crisis?”
· “What is the best way to support hunger relief efforts worldwide?”
✅ Build Out FAQ Pages — Voice search users often ask direct questions. Create clear, concise FAQ pages that answer common searches about your nonprofit’s mission, donation options, and volunteer opportunities. This can improve your chances of being featured in voice search results.
✅ Leverage Content Hubs — If your nonprofit is national or global, build dedicated landing pages for high-interest topics. For instance, an environmental nonprofit might create a page titled, “How to Help Reduce Plastic Pollution” that includes subtopics like:
· How to donate to ocean cleanup efforts
· The best ways to advocate for plastic reduction policies
· Where to volunteer for beach cleanup
✅ Utilize Google Business Profile (Even National Orgs Can Benefit!) – While local SEO is critical for chapter-based organizations, even national organizations can benefit from maintaining accurate Google Business Profile listings for their headquarters and offices. This enhances creditability and visibility for voice searches related to your organization.
The Takeaway
Voice search isn’t replacing traditional search, it’s adding another layer. By staying ahead of trends like these, nonprofits, large and small, can ensure they remain visible in an evolving search landscape and connect with supporters in a more natural, meaningful way.
Have some thoughts or ideas you’d want to discuss with our team? We’d love to hear from you — click here to get in touch!