Long-tail keywords are specific search phrases that usually consist of more than three words. These are used to narrow down the scope of probable search results and make them more specific.
Advantages of long-tail keywords
There are several advantages to the usage of long-tail keywords. Listed below are three of their biggest advantages to help you see why you should focus on using long-tail keywords.
Specific user intent
Long-tail keywords tone down the search volume for users to pinpoint a certain product or brand. For example, if you own a clothing and accessory store in your area, using generic and high-ranking keywords such as, “beige high-heeled shoes,” or “blue sling bag,” may make it harder for you to rank or earn quality sales and leads.
If you consider long-tail keyword searches such as “women’s white brand x size 8 shoes in Scarborough,” it might narrow down the search of your customers to your business.
Less competition
Some markets can be highly competitive. Unfortunately, these markets also have big names and big companies which normally dominate the search results. As such, ranking in the market using a head keyword would be extremely hard.
On the other hand, if you use a long-tail keyword, your competition gets smaller. Fewer sites use a specific long-tail keyword which means your site has a higher chance of getting to the top of search results.
Higher rate of conversion
If higher sales are your objective, using long-tail keywords is the key for you. It has been found that users who search for specific keywords are closer to buying than those who search for head terms.
This means that when a user clicks on your site using the long-tail keyword as their search term, it’s highly likely that they will buy already. As such, their clicks are converted to sales.
Better targeted market
With long-tail keywords being highly specific, you can be more assured that you are targeting the right market. This is because users who search for your keyword are exactly those who are looking for what you are offering.
Given this, even if their clicks aren’t instantly converted into sales, they might keep coming back to your site. By having this, you increase your following and can bank on these users for future sales.
Quicker in high rankings
If customers narrow their search to specific long-tail keywords, your business might come up higher in SERPs especially when you’re using almost the same keywords as theirs. By narrowing the searches specifically to what your customers are searching for, you quickly catch higher spots in the ranking.
To rank high for long-tail keywords, you might be making changes to the optimization of your titles, content, images, videos, tags, and meta descriptions with the keywords that fit a page.
Where to find long-tail keywords
Long-tail keywords can be used in a variety of ways. In this section, you will find where to look for long-tail keywords for your site.
Use Google suggestions to find relevant terms
Google Suggestions is a free tool you can take advantage of. You can start by typing your head keyword or the primary term you want to use. Then, Google will list down a few suggestions which you can use as templates for your long-tail keywords.
Use Google related searches or the “people also ask” sections
Sometimes, Google Suggestions might not quite satisfy your search for the right long-tail keyword. If this is the case, you can check out the related searches at the bottom of Google search results. If you used a question for your search, the “people also ask” section will also show up which can be helpful to you.
Look for keywords in Google Search Console, Google Analytics, and Google Ads
Keyword research from Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and Google Ads lets you see how different long-tail keywords are performing with analysis on and conversion rates, allowing you to choose the best ones for your SEO strategy.
Check forums such as Reddit and Quora
Finally, one way to use a long-tail keyword that works best for you is to check what your market is talking about. Visit forums and check what they are discussing. From there, you will have a glimpse of the trends in your niche.
SEO and keyword search-focused websites
Websites such as Wordstream, SEMRush, and SEOSurfer allow users to find long-tail keywords with their corresponding ranking and click-through rates. While these programs come up with a price, they have a holistic view of your SEO performance.
How to use long-tail keywords
Once you’ve targeted your long-tail keywords, you can seamlessly optimize your website with those naturally. Incorporating it into your content and media helps boost SEO rankings over time.
Write articles
Make use of your long-tail keyword as a blog post! Remember to use it sparingly and wisely that it may look natural to the readers.
Place in alt txt
Google had a hard time deciphering images and what they are for on a website. the best way is to add long-tail keywords to narrow down your customer’s search.
Meta descriptions
Meta descriptions may affect SEO and people’s searches online. They are crucial for customers to find your website.
Because they are more specific, long-tail keywords are also less popular than head keywords which consist of general terms. The goal of long-tail keywords is to generally make your market more targeted. By using a long-tail keyword, you narrow down your visitors to those who are your targets.
