In the dynamic world of SEO, keyword research is crucial. However, specific keywords are complex and almost impossible to rank for. These phrases are more specific, contain more words, and target a niche audience. Narrow keywords may attract more traffic, but their popularity brings high competition, making it tough to rank.
Integrating long-tailed keywords into your content allows you to tap into low-competition search queries and effectively reach your target audience.
This blog will delve into the benefits of leveraging long-tailed keywords in your SEO strategy and provide actionable tips to help you leverage them for increased traffic and engagement.
What Are Long-tail Keywords?
Long-tail keywords consist of three or more words and are highly specific to what you are trying to convey or sell. Short-tail keywords are more general and competitive, but long-tail keywords are unique and more targeted. While they may generate lower search volumes, they are more likely to convert to a sale or lead because they reflect the user’s specific intent.
For example, instead of “shoes” for your online store, you could use the long-tail keyword “comfortable women’s running shoes,” which is much more specific and will help attract visitors looking for exactly what you offer.
Long-tail keywords typically comprise three parts:
The Head
In a keyword graph, the top, which is known as the “Head Terms,” is where the main keywords of a topic or blogs are, e.g., “Facebook” and “Jobs.”
- Facebook has an average monthly search volume of 151 million
- Jobs has an average monthly search volume of 673,000
The primary keyword of your blog is generally what your blog is about and what you want people to find. It is harder to rank for such keywords as authoritative sites already have the lead, and beating them will be almost impossible.
The Middle
At this point in the curve, it has more specific keywords with good traffic. Examples of middle-tail keywords are “Facebook page” and “Remote job.”
- Facebook Page monthly search volume is 21,000
- Remote Job’s monthly search volume is 246,000
You can see that these keywords are more specific than those at the Head Term and talk more about an aspect of the primary topic. Also, notice they have a lower search volume.
The Tail
The last part of the keyword is what is referred to as the ‘tail’ or ‘long tail.’
Each long-tail keyword has a comparatively low search volume (especially when compared to head terms.)
- “How to make a Facebook page” has an average of 130,000 monthly search volume
- “Remote content marketing jobs” have an average of 140 monthly search volume.
However, when taken as a whole, they account for a disproportionately large portion of all Google searches.
Examples of Long-tail Keywords
A long-tail keyword doesn’t have to be a certain length or contain your head keyword. Nevertheless, long-tail keywords frequently have 3 to 5 words and often include the primary keyword.
Here are examples of comprehensive “head terms” that aren’t long-tail keywords:
- Coffee maker
- Iced tea
- Military force
Observe how these words are general and concise. These are characteristics that non-long-tail keywords frequently have.
Below are some examples of targeted keywords that are long-tail keywords:
- Homemade coffee makers
- How to make iced tea at home
- Content marketing strategies for software
Why Is It Important to Use Long-Tail Keywords?
1. Easy to Rank
Popular head phrases frequently have intense competition, and since fewer websites compete for top positions in Google’s search pages, it is simpler to rank for long-tail keywords than for more popular ones. Even though long-tail keywords have less overall search volume, concentrating on several long-tail keywords can still build up significant traffic. Plus, if you successfully rank for long-tail keywords in a cluster, it could take years.
For example, the keyword “iPad” has 1 million results:
But the long-tail keyword “Magnetic iPad Pro 129 case” generates only 40 search results: You will be up against 98.88% fewer websites to rank on Google’s first page.
2. Targeted Traffic
Long-tail keywords are frequently quite particular, so whoever searches for them on Google is typically just about to make a purchase.
Consider the term “SEO software,” for instance.
That searcher is probably on the verge of purchasing something even though they are still searching for the ideal software.
However, a keyword like “SEO” is rather general.
This searcher is likely conducting basic SEO research in general. They might have months before looking for software to aid their SEO approach.
3. Affordable PPC Advertising
Long-tail keywords increase the return on your advertising investment if you use Google Ads. A high cost per click is standard for many high-volume keywords. These broad keywords don’t convert. Why?
That’s good for PPC! Long-tail keywords have little search traffic; however, they are very focused. As a result, their conversion rate may be higher. They might also have a lower CPC.
The biggest drawback of concentrating on long-tail keywords is that it takes more work to rank for numerous of them than for a single head term to generate the same amount of traffic.
How to Find Long-Tail Keywords
Long-tail keywords are targeted phrases that can help you reach the right audience and increase your visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs). Finding long-tail keywords is an essential part of any copywriter’s toolkit. There are several tools available to help you find these practical terms:
Google Keyword Planner is a free keyword research tool from Google Ads. It lets you enter a topic or industry and generate related keyword ideas with their estimated monthly search volume. You can also use it to get insights into specific keywords’ competitiveness, so you know which ones will be easier to rank for in SERPs.
SEMrush is another popular keyword research tool that provides detailed data on short-term and long-term trends in organic search traffic for particular topics or industries. It also suggests terms similar to your original search but may be more fruitful. They have the Semrush Keyword Magic Tool, Semrush Topic Research Tool, etc.
WordStream is an AI-powered platform explicitly designed for finding long-tail keywords related to your content marketing goals. The software uses natural language processing (NLP) technology to analyze millions of web pages and identify relevant terms based on context rather than exact matches alone—making it easier to uncover hidden gems among the competition’s most famous phrases.
Moz Pro is another AI-powered platform explicitly designed for SEO professionals who want access to advanced analytics about their website performance and recommendations on improving their rankings with better optimization strategies using long tail keywords. Moz Pro helps users quickly discover new opportunities by providing accurate time analysis of competitors’ backlinks, domain authority scores, page titles, meta descriptions, and other factors used by major search engines when ranking websites.
Use A Unique Selling Proposition a neglected method for finding long-tail keywords is figuring out what makes your company distinctive. By selecting long-tail keywords that highlight your unique service, you can attract visitors to your website in this manner.
Say, for example, you market organic dog food of human-grade quality.
You should use phrases like “human-grade organic dog food” and “human-grade dog food.” These keywords won’t generate less traffic because they are closely tied to the products you sell. Therefore, the traffic will convert.
To put this strategy into action, consider the following:
- What distinguishes your good or service?
- Who is the kind of person who requires what you provide?
- Why should they pick you instead of your rivals?
When optimizing content with long-tail keywords, focusing on high-volume words and looking at low-competition phrases that could potentially bring more qualified leads over time is essential. Try including variations of words, such as synonyms, plurals, abbreviations, etc., to ensure your content reaches its intended audience without being too repetitive or generic.
Additionally, ensure each phrase appears naturally within the text instead of just stuffing them all together randomly; this will help readers understand what they’re reading while boosting SEO rankings simultaneously.
How to Effectively Use Long-tailed Keywords
Only half of the battle is won by finding long-tail keywords. After selecting your keywords, you must adequately utilize them on your page. You may learn everything you need to know about employing keywords effectively from our guide to on-page SEO.
Here are a few on-page SEO pointers that specifically apply to long-tail keywords as a fast primer, though:
Use Natural Keywords
Lengthy and awkward long-tail keywords can include phrases like “greatest SEO tool for SaaS startups.” As a result, it can be difficult to utilize them naturally in a word.
You should think outside the box or slightly change your keyword. Just be careful to use your term sparingly on the website. Always put readability and usability first.
Insert Your Keywords Strategically
Use your long-tail keyword in the page’s title, headers, and subheaders. Other places include your opening paragraph, image alt tags, meta descriptions, and anchor tags from backlinking efforts.
Take a look at a user’s search intent.
It is not enough to add your keyword to your page. Your content must match the search intent of that keyword for it to appear highly in Google’s search results.
In conclusion, long-tail keywords are a powerful way to increase visibility and get noticed in today’s crowded online marketplace. Long-tail keywords are essential for copywriters who want to optimize their content and reach the right audience.
With long-tail keywords, you can target specific topics and phrases to help your content stand out. Using AI tools to identify relevant long-tail keywords, you can create more effective copywriting strategies to boost engagement and conversions.
