50+ Voice Search Stats to Help You Rethink Your Strategy in 2021

Think voice search is just a fad? Think again!

These voice search stats prove just the opposite.

Voice Search Stats You’ll Love

• 20% of all internet searches are voice-based.
• 58% of consumers used voice search to find local business information.
• 40% of adults use voice search daily.
• 1 billion voice searches take place every month.
• 1 out of every 4 people aged 16-24 uses voice search on mobile.
• 30% of searches took place on devices without a screen in 2020.

It’s clear as day — voice search is here for the long haul. But what are people using voice search for?  

Everything!

From finding information on the internet to making a hotel reservation and even shopping.

To find out more about its usage and latest trends, check out these voice-search stats for 2021.

Fresh and Juicy Voice Search Stats for 2021

Below you’ll find the latest data and voice search trends for 2021 and beyond.

1. 75% of US families will own a smart speaker by 2025.

(Source: Voicebot.ai)

Can you imagine just how immense the voice search growth is?! 

Only a quarter of all US homes won’t have a smart speaker in a few years. Chances are, said speaker will work with Alexa. Why? Well, because: 

2. Alexa is the leading virtual assistant in the US, with a market share of almost 38%.

(Source: Statista)

Alexa is the Americans’ top choice for voice-activated home devices, voice searches, and virtual assistants. Furthermore, Amazon’s AI virtual assistant was supported by 9,500 brands in 2020. For comparison, three years ago the number of those brands was about 1,200. 

3. Voice search stats for 2021 show that 39.4% of US internet users operate a voice assistant at least once a month.

(Source: eMarketer)

To give you a perspective – that’s 33.8% of the entire US population. That’s one-third of all US citizens! And here’s a fun fact – the same amount of Americans would rather give up sex than their cellphones. 

4. 71% of people who own a smart speaker use it at least once a day.

(Source: Adobe)

This doesn’t come as a surprise. However, what’s more interesting is that 8% of people who own voice-activated speakers have never used them. 

5. By 2023 the number of voice assistants will reach 8 billion units.

(Source: Statista)

Virtual assistant statistics show there were only 3.25 billion devices with digital voice assistants in 2019. However, their number will grow exponentially in the coming years. It will even surpass the number of people living on the planet… which sounds like the beginning of a dystopian novel.

6. 27% of online users worldwide use voice search on their mobile devices. 

(Source: Google)

According to the latest voice search trends, this number is set to rise. Smartphone evolution (not to mention the rise of IoT devices) will lead to more and more people searching by voice instead of typing.
However, there are still some issues to be resolved. For example:

7. 73% of people believe accuracy is the main roadblock for voice technology adoption.

(Source: Statista)

Voice search statistics for 2021 also tell us that 66% of people have faced issues regarding accent or dialect recognition. Still, considering the previous smart speaker statistics, it’s safe to say the companies will work out these issues sooner rather than later. 

8. The global AI-based and voice recognition market will be worth $27.3 billion in 2030.

(Source: insightSLICE)

This is massive growth, considering in 2020 the total market was worth $4.04 billion. The Asia-Pacific region will grow the fastest – from $1.09 billion in 2020 to $8.64 billion in 2030. North America will follow closely, with $7.71 billion, from $1.44 billion in 2020.

9. The global mobile voice traffic reached 0.23 exabytes in Q1 2020 alone. 

(Source: Statista)

If you are unsure what an Exabyte is, you can view our data size list. The total mobile traffic for the same period was 45 exabytes. Still, this number comes to show that voice search on mobile is growing. And here’s a curious stat about desktop devices – about a quarter of all Windows 10 desktop searches are voice searches. 

General Voice Search Statistics

More and more people getting used to searching the web with voice commands. And it works just fine!

10. 40% of adults use voice search daily.

(Source: WordStream)

If there ever was a doubt about the popularity of voice search — this settles it. Millions of people can vouch for its usefulness!

11. 58% of consumers took advantage of voice search to find local business information.

(Source: SEO Expert Brad)

When it comes to performing “near me’ searches,” most people would rather ask than type.

12. 20% of the total number of Google searches on mobile are voice.

(Source: Search Engine Land)

When you’re on-the-go (like driving to work), it’s much more convenient to do a hands- or eyes-free search than to stop and type a query.  

13. In 2020, users conducted 30% of their web browsing on devices without a screen.

(Source: Econsultancy)

Browsing on devices without a screen is the future. The rise of artificial intelligence makes sure of that. Conversational user interfaces like Alexa and Siri are more popular than ever.

14. 50% of all searches were voice-based in 2020.

(Source: Campaign)

Latest voice-search statistics show in 2020 there were as many voice-powered searches as text-based ones.

15. 3 out of every 4 smart-speaker owners use local voice searches.

(Source: Search Engine Land)

75% of smart-speaker owners use voice search to find information on local businesses at least once a week.

16. Nearly 20% of all voice searches are triggered by a set of 25 keywords.

(Source: seoClarity)

People frequently use question words like “how” or “what” when they use a voice-search assistant to search the internet. Adjectives like “easy” or “best” are also prominent among voice searchers.

Now let’s look at some voice search usage stats!

17. One billion voice searches are done per month.

(Source: Semrush)

This is hardly surprising. Voice search is easier, quicker, and more convenient than typing. Still, Semrush‘s report shows shocking numbers!

18. 52% of Americans use their voice-activated assistant devices in their living rooms.

(Source: Google)

Recent voice-search stats show most people keep their voice search devices in their living rooms. Considering this is where people spend most of their time, this makes sense. What’s a little surprising is 1 out of every 5 Americans uses a voice-activated device in their kitchen. Still, with the growing number of smart homes, this number is bound to change soon.

19. 72% of people who own a voice search device say it has become a part of their daily routine.

(Source: Google)

There’s so much a virtual assistant can do. It can find information on the internet, play music, set reminders, check commute times, and even help you shop online. No wonder that nearly 3 out of 4 owners have gotten so used to it.

20. 46% of consumers use voice search for finding local business information daily.

(Source: BrightLocal)

Nearly 1 out of 2 people search for local business information via voice daily.

21. 28% of people contact the business after doing a voice search.

(Source: BrightLocal)

Business owners will prick up their ears at this stat. It proves those who invest in voice SEO have a huge advantage over those who don’t.

22. 51% of people use voice search to research restaurants.

(Source: BrightLocal)

1 in every 2 consumer uses voice search to find restaurants. Other things people commonly search by voice include grocery stores (41%), food delivery (35%), and clothing stores (32%).

23. Mobile voice searches are 3 times more likely to be local-based than text searches.

(Source: Search Engine Watch)

When you’re on the go, you’re more likely to do a local search and use voice to do it. It’s the easiest way to find the nearest subway station or Chinese restaurant.  

24. 65% of people who own a Google Home or an Amazon Echo don’t want to go back to keyboard searches.

(Source: GeoMarketing)

Once you search by voice, there’s no turning back! It’s easier, convenient, and more fun. Plus, it makes multitasking easy. After all, you can’t paint your toenails and also type — can you?

25. 25% of those who haven’t yet tried voice search plan to do so in the future.

(Source: BrightLocal)

The average human can say 150 words in a single minute, but type only 40 for the same time. Given this, it’s no surprise more people want to use their voice instead of their hands.

26. 61% of consumers do a voice-activated search when their hands and attention are required elsewhere.

(Source: SEO Expert Brad)

6 out of 10 individuals turn to voice when their hands and eyes are occupied. A quarter of them use it to avoid typing long phrases.

27. 43% of people use voice search because it’s faster.

(Source: Go-Gulf)

Online users don’t just want answers — they want them fast. As searching with voice is over three times faster than typing, many use it to save time.

Some Voice Search More Than Others

Everyone loves voice search — but not equally. To get the whole picture, check out these voice search demographic statistics!

28. 25% of people aged 16-24 search by voice on their smartphones.

(Source: GlobalWebIndex)

While a quarter of Gen Z has done a mobile voice-search in the last month, only 9% of the older generations have done the same. This is not surprising. Technology comes natural to teens, and they embrace change more readily.  

29. 61% of individuals aged 25-64 plan to use their voice assistants more in the future.

(Source: PwC)

There are two reasons for this. Voice assistants are getting smarter and people are more comfortable using them.

30. Men are 3 times more likely to do a mobile voice search than women.

(Source: Go-Gulf)

It’s clear men like to use voice search more. They are over 3 times more likely to search with voice on Google than women. Arguably, men are more used to giving orders, which might explain this.

31. Individuals aged 26-35 use smart speakers the most.

(Source: WordStream)

More and more millennials are weaving smart home devices into their daily lives — and for good reasons. It allows them to multitask more easily, do things faster, and get instant answers and information.

Breaking It down to Numbers 

Hey Siri, Alexa; OK Google… It’s time for the latest voice-search statistics!

32. More than two-thirds of Google Home owners plan to buy another Google speaker in the next 6 months.

(Source: TechRepublic)

This speaks volumes about the kind of success Google enjoys. With such a strong consumer interest, it’s no surprise the latest Google Home statistics suggest the revenue from this device doubled in 2020.   

33. Nearly 1 in every 2 smart speaker owners wants to buy 1 more.

(Source: NPR)

Voice assistants are not only behavior-changing but also addictive! For 45% of owners, one is not enough.

34. Google and Amazon account for 94% of smart speakers in use.

(Source: TechRepublic)

These two entered the smart speaker niche much before others and had the advantage of being reputable brands. With that in mind, it’s no surprise they have taken over most of the market.

35. Global smart speaker sales will cross $30 billion by 2024.

(Source: Global Market Insights)

According to the latest voice-search stats, the smart speaker industry will be worth more than $30 billion by 2024.

36. 16% of internet users in China will use smart speakers by the end of 2021.

(Source: Statista)

The number of users for the gadgets was around 100 million in 2019. That stood for about 11% of the world market share. By Q4 of 2021, that percentage will go up by about 5%.

37. More than half of US homes will have a voice assistant by 2022.

(Source: OC&C Strategy Consultants)

The smart speaker penetration for US households will jump to 55% by 2022, up by 13% from 2018.

38. Google Home is the smartest of all smart speakers.

(Source: Loup Ventures)

The powerful voice-activated device from Google answers 81% of queries correctly. The same figure for Amazon Echo and Apple HomePod is at 64% and 52.3%, respectively.

Make Room for Voice Commerce

Voice commerce is the next big thing!

39. Voice shopping will grow to $40 billion by 2022.

(Source: invesp)

Voice shopping is the next big disruptive force in retail. It will grow to $40 billion by 2022, up from $2.1 billion in 2018.

40. 50% of consumers are expected to shop via voice-enabled devices.

(Source: TheStreet)

Voice shopping will be ubiquitous in the near future!

41. 19% of customers have shopped via voice.

(Source: invesp)

Voice shopping is expanding the scope of online commerce. Nearly 1 out of every 5 people has made a purchase through voice assistants — and another 33% intend to do the same next year.

42. Grocery is the most commonly shopped category through voice.

(Source: Tech Crunch)

Grocery makes up for 20% of voice shopping, while entertainment is narrowly second with 19%. Electronics comes third with 17%.

43. Nearly 12% of US smart speaker owners do voice shopping monthly.

(Source: Voicebot)

According to the latest voice-search stats, 5.5 million consumers in the US shop via voice-activated devices every month.

44. 48% of owners of voice-activated speaker want to receive personalized tips and information from brands.

(Source: Google)

Nearly half of all smart speaker owners are willing to engage with brands. So if yours isn’t showing up in voice, you are missing a huge opportunity to make your brand popular and engage customers.

Smart Speakers Coming Through

Now let’s find out what’s new in the world of voice search and smart speakers!

45. There will be 163 million smart speakers by the end of 2021.

(Source: Canalys)

Voice search statistics reveal that the smart speakers market will reach 163 million units by the end of 2021, a 21% growth.

46. 39% of people with voice-operated devices have been using them for 1-3 years.

(Source: National Public Media)

Nearly 40% of voice search users have been utilizing them for less than three years. 18% have had them more than three, but less than five years. And only 5% have been using them for over five years.

47. In 3-5 years, Google Assistant will be able to learn from your signals and personalize its responses.

(Source: The Ambient)

A voice-activated search will yield a more personalized response in the future. Google Assistants will not only respond to your requests, but also analyze them to understand your preferences. This in turn will help it provide tailor-made answers.

48. In the near future, voice assistants will be able to gauge your mood and respond accordingly.

(Source: The Ambient)

Digital assistants can do so much, but they can’t yet understand human emotions. This will change, however. Voice assistants will become more ‘human’ and be able to guess how you feel from the way you speak. They will adjust their answer accordingly.

49. Alexa will have more natural conversations in the future.

(Source: TC)

Voice-enabled searches with Alexa will be even more fun. It will be able to have more natural conversations, recall your instructions, and automatically launch skills.

Fun Trivia

It’s time for some fun facts!

50. Who needs a wine sommelier when there’s Alexa?

(Source: Useless Daily)

Alexa can be your personal wine sommelier — all you’ve to do is ask. Just tell her what you’re having and she’ll recommend the best wine for you.  

51. 22% of teens use voice search in the bathroom.

(Search: PR Newswire)

People do voice activated searches on Google from everywhere — even if they’re answering the call of nature!

52. Siri can flip a coin for you.

(Source: iDownloadBlog)

Siri can do all sorts of cool things, like flipping a coin, calculating the tip for you — and even finding the planes that are above you right now!

Wrapping up

Voice search is not a passing trend — it’s here to stay.

In just a short time it has gained widespread acceptance.

This is because it’s easier to speak with a voice assistant than type. Plus, voice search is faster.

No wonder, then, that voice search stats show it accounts for 20% of all online searches nowadays.

But that’s not all…

Wait another year and 1 out of every 2 online searches will be done by voice.

In short, the future belongs to voice search. (Bye, bye typing)