Keywords play a vital role in SEO. They are the secret sauce to improving your website’s visibility on search engines like Google. When you use specific long-tail keywords, you are targeting a specific audience for your blog post or website.
Does this sound a bit technical? Don’t worry; We’ll help you understand what exactly these long tail keywords are and also discuss their importance and how to find long tail keywords.
Introduction: The Importance of Long-Tail Keywords in SEO
If you ask, “Why are long tail keywords important for SEO?” you’ll get plenty of answers to help you understand its importance.
Keywords generally contain 1-3 words. Suppose someone searches a query saying “beauty” on search engines; you’d definitely want your beauty product website to appear on the search results. This is a single-word keyword that is primary.
But, when people search long-tail terms like “bike repair near me,” they are looking for a specific result. Using these keywords in your content helps you attract a more targeted audience. This means you are focusing on exactly what your target audience is looking for.
What Are Long-Tail Keywords? A Brief Definition
The SEO industry has adopted the concept of long tail keywords from Chris Anderson’s book The Long Tail. This book talks about how businesses can be more profitable if they focus on selling a variety of products in fewer numbers instead of selling only a few products in large numbers.
The same concept applies to SEO as well. Long tail keywords are more specific and uncommon. They consist of more than two or three words. These keywords are highly relevant to a particular search volume or topic. Websites can attract more audiences and achieve better results by focusing on these specific keywords because of their low popularity.
For instance, instead of using a term like “travel tips,” use a specific and detailed phrase like “budget-friendly travel tips” to reach a more interested audience. It can result in higher overall success.
Most people focus on primary keywords because they carry more value, but focusing on long-tail keywords is just as important as main keywords. You need to balance between these two types of keywords to get the best results.
Why Use Long-Tail Keywords: The Benefits and Advantages
Now that we have understood what exactly they are and their importance, we’ll now discuss their advantages. Bloggers, website owners, and digital marketers use long-tail keywords in their content as an SEO strategy to have a positive impact on search volume data.
Long tail keywords attract a more specific and focused audience. When people search using these phrases, they are usually looking for very particular information. Use these specific keywords to serve their needs. This way, you can increase the chance of reaching the right people who can be converted into a loyal customer base.
You can create highly relevant content with a long tail keyword. These keywords help you get content ideas for your blog posts, articles, or even product descriptions. When your content precisely matches what users are looking for, it boosts your website’s credibility and authority in your niche. If you have a niche website or blog post, a long-tail keyword can help you dominate that niche.
We are not telling you not to use short-tail keywords, but using long-tail keywords is important in many aspects. Use them in your content, title tags, and meta descriptions to focus on a broader range of search queries and audience interests.
How Long-Tail Keywords Impact Your SEO Strategy
If you are a digital marketer, you must have come across this recommendation that keyword research is important for SEO strategy to rank your website higher on search results. Similarly, long-tail keywords play an important role in improving your overall SEO strategy. Let’s look into how these keywords impact your SEO strategy.
- Unlike primary keywords, long-tail keyword phrases have less competition. So, it’s easy to rank on the first page of the Google search box when you use long tail keywords.
- These keywords often represent specific questions or needs users have. It improves user satisfaction.
- Long tail keywords tend to be very specific. They attract exactly the right audience who are looking for something very detailed.
- In paid advertising like Google Ads, using long-tail keywords can lead to higher Quality Scores. This is because they tend to be more relevant keywords to the search queries. This can result in lower cost-per-click (CPR) and higher ad positions.
- Long tail keywords can be a blogger’s best friend. The reason is they can create highly relevant and very specific content based on keyword research.
Tools for Finding Long-Tail Keywords
Everyone is trying to rank higher on search results, which leads to crowded result pages. This also means a higher competition level. You will have to plan thoughtfully and conduct thorough keyword research to create a meaningful appearance in search results.
To make your planning smooth, we have come up with a list of tools that will help you in your research on long-tail keywords.
Overview of Popular Long-Tail Keyword Tools
Here are some recommended tools to help you find the perfect long-tail keywords for your content:
- Google Keyword Planner
- SEMrush
- Ahrefs
- Moz Keyword Explorer
- Ubersuggest
- Long Tail Pro
- Answer The Public
- Keyword Surfer
Pros and Cons of Each Tool
Google Keyword Planner:
Digital marketers commonly use this free Google keyword tool for keyword research. This tool provides important insights into the search volume of a particular keyword and the competition ratio and even suggests bid prices for the keywords, which is useful in the case of paid advertising like Google Ads.
Pros:
- Provides accurate data directly from Google.
- Integrates well with Google Ads for paid ad campaigns.
Cons:
- Limited terms of providing in-depth keyword suggestions
- It may not offer as detailed competitive analysis as specialized SEO tools.
SEMrush
SEMrush is a diverse SEO tool that is mainly used as one of the best keyword research tools. This tool has many features that allow you to find long-tail keyword phrases, analyze their performance, and even track your ranking for these keyword ideas. With their paid subscription plan, you get extra benefits like being able to target long-tail keywords based on location and competitor keyword research.
Pros:
- All-in-one SEO tool with a strong focus on keyword research.
- Provide features like site audit, backlink analysis, keyword trends, and competition data.
Cons:
- A monthly subscription cost may not be suitable for small businesses and individual bloggers.
- The interface may be overwhelming for beginners.
Ahrefs
Ahrefs is one of the best SEO tools that has many features, including Keyword Explorer. This feature especially helps in finding long-tail keyword ideas with low search volumes or low competition. This tool also lets you target these keywords based on your competitors’ keyword strategies.
Pros:
- A comprehensive suite of SEO tools, including best keyword research capabilities, data on the volume of searches, and competitor analysis.
Cons:
- Requires a subscription, which can be costly for small businesses or individual bloggers.
- There are fewer learning opportunities compared to some other tools.
Moz Keyword Explorer
Moz’s keyword tool provides in-depth keyword analysis, including difficulty scores, opportunity scores, and potential organic click-through rates for a broad keyword. This keyword tool helps you identify the high potential and competitiveness of a short or long-tail keyword.
Pros:
- Gives you important keyword metrics like difficulty and opportunity scores
- Get insights on organic click-through rates.
- Moz Pro suite includes other useful SEO tools.
Cons:
- Again, it requires a subscription and limited features are available for free.
Ubersuggest
Ubersuggest is a user-friendly tool that provides keyword suggestions, search volume data, and competitors’ target keywords. It helps you choose the right seed keyword and long-tail keyword for your SEO strategy.
Pros:
- User-friendly interface, making it accessible for beginners.
- Provides useful keyword variations, search volumes, and competitor analysis data.
- Offers a free version with limited functionality.
Cons:
- Limited in advanced features compared to more specialized SEO tools.
- The free version may have restrictions on data access.
Long Tail Pro
As the name suggests, this keyword tool specializes in finding long-tail keywords. It offers in-depth insights, including competitiveness. This tool suggests such keywords based on one seed keyword. With its paid subscription, you can also get to use other useful features like a domain name finder with your preferred keyword, a rank value that tells you how profitable a particular keyword is.
Pros:
- Specializes in finding long-tail keywords, ideal for niche-focused websites.
- Offers features like keyword competitiveness analysis and rank tracking.
Cons:
- Paid subscriptions can be costly for small businesses and freelancers.
- Limited features can be availed through a free trial.
Answer The Public
This unique tool focuses on question-based keywords. It suggests long tail keywords based on questions asked about a particular seed word on different search portals, like Google search box, social media, blog post, etc. Content creators find this keyword tool useful to address specific user queries.
Pros:
- Focuses on generating long-tail keyword ideas based on user queries.
- Valuable for content creators aiming to address specific user needs.
Cons:
- Limited in terms of search volume data.
- It may not provide comprehensive analysis like other tools.
Keyword Surfer
A free Chrome extension, Keyword Surfer provides search volume data directly in Google’s related searches. A quick and convenient way to get keyword insights while conducting searches.
Pros:
- Provides quick access to search volume data directly in Google search rankings.
- Offers a convenient way to get keyword insights while conducting searches.
Cons:
- Limited in terms of additional features.
- It may not provide as detailed a competitive analysis as others.
Choosing the best keyword tool depends on many factors. These include what you need, how much you can spend, and your expertise. Before you come to a final decision, use free trials of the tools to find out if it suits your needs. You can also use multiple tools together and understand their features and offerings. Take time to research the tools and then decide.
Step-by-Step Guide to Finding Long-Tail Keywords
Till now, we have understood the basics of long-tail keywords, their importance, and the tools we can use to conduct keyword research. We’ll now explore a simple process to find such keywords to boost your content and website’s visibility and attract more target audiences.
Brainstorming Initial Keyword Ideas
The first step in finding the right long tail keyword is brainstorming a list of broad keywords and primary keywords relevant to your content or business. Look for phrases that people commonly search for. For example, primary keywords for a cooking blog might include “cooking recipes,” “cooking tips,” etc.
Next, think about specific topics or questions related to these primary keywords. You need to find the problems your audience might be trying to solve or the information they are looking for.
For instance, for the phrase “cooking tips,” you might brainstorm ideas like “cooking tips for beginners,” “easy cooking recipes,” etc.
Using Tools to Expand Your Keyword List
Once you have the initial list of keywords, use a keyword tool to expand and refine it. You can get valuable insights on any particular keyword as well.
Enter your primary keywords into the tool, and it will generate a list of related keywords. Pick relevant keywords from the suggestions after evaluating their search volumes, competition, and other metrics. You can also look for phrases and questions users commonly use with these tools.
Evaluating and Choosing the Best Long-Tail Keywords
Let’s narrow the vast list of keywords down and choose only the most valuable ones for your content.
- Make sure the long tail keyword is relevant to the content you are planning to create. It should answer to the visitor’s queries.
- Look for keywords with a reasonable search volume. While they may not have as high a volume as broader terms, they should still have a sufficient number of searches to make them worthy.
- Identify long tail keywords that have less competition compared to primary keywords as they have high search volume. It’s easier to rank well in search engine results. Your content will be more likely to get noticed and rank higher.
- Find long tail keywords that attract visitors who are closer to making a decision, whether it’s purchasing a product or looking for specific information. They often lead to higher conversion rates. Visitors who arrive at your site via a long tail keyword are more likely to take action, like signing up for a newsletter, making a purchase, or sharing your content.
Case Study: Successful Implementation of Long-Tail Keywords
How to Use Long-Tail Keywords in Content
Now comes the main part: using the long-tail keyword in your content. Here’s a step-by-step guide you can follow:
- Pick a specific keyword or phrase that people might use to find your content. For example, if you have a recipe blog. “easy vegetarian pasta recipes” is a long-tail keyword.
- Use the chosen keyword in the title of your content. Using it in one of your headings helps search engines understand what your content is about.
- Write your content like you are talking to your friend. Don’t force the keyword in where it doesn’t fit. It should flow naturally.
- Add images and videos that are relevant to your content. Also, collect backlinks from other high-authority websites or trusted blogs.
- Do not forget to check if your content is doing well every now and then. Make changes when necessary.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Searching for Long-Tail Keywords
Finding long-tail keywords comes with its fair share of challenges. It’s important to choose the right keywords wisely. Some of the common mistakes you should avoid are:
- Make sure you don’t stick to one phrase. Use related terms to reach a range of people.
- Don’t overload your content with keywords. This can make your content sound unnatural and negatively impact your SEO.
- Even though they may not bring specific search volumes, do not ignore low search volume keywords completely. They can still attract traffic.
- Always try to keep your content up-to-date and accurate. Outdated information can frustrate users and lower their satisfaction.
Tracking the Performance of Long-Tail Keywords: Metrics to Monitor
It’s essential to keep an eye on the following metrics to check the performance of your long-tail keywords:
- Monitor the number of visitors who find your website through search engines. Google Analytics can help you track this information effectively.
- Check the click-through rate of your content. If it’s higher, then your content is working well.
- Evaluate the bounce rate of your website. This will help you understand if the visitors are finding your content relevant and useful.
- Keep track of the number of visitors who take desired actions, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter.
- Monitor the ranking of your content in search results for long phrase keywords you have targeted. Keyword tools can help you in tracking these rankings.
- Pay attention to comments, reviews, or messages from your audience, as they can offer insights into how well your content meets their needs and expectations.
Conclusion: Mastering the Art of Finding Long-Tail Keywords
For a successful SEO strategy, keyword research is much more important in improving the search rankings. If you are using the same strategy but still not able to rank higher in the search queries, then it must be because you forgot to use long phrase keywords in your content. It’s high time you should now focus on using long-tail keyword research and win the SEO game.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How do you find relevant keywords?
To find relevant keywords
- Start with brainstorming keywords and phrases that are relevant to your content and the user’s search intent. Research top-ranking pages to find more useful keywords.
- Use keyword research tools to find related keywords and get valuable insights on search volume, competition, and other metrics.
- Identify questions and phrases users commonly use.
This approach will help you target the right audience by optimizing your content accordingly.
How do you find long-tail and short-tail keywords?
Use keyword tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, etc, to find relevant short and long-tail keywords. To incorporate long tail keywords, identify specific queries with lower search volume that users might type into search queries. For short tail keywords, find simple terms like “cooking,” “workout,” etc related to your content. These search terms are usually more competitive.
What is the difference between long-tail keywords and short-tail keywords?
Short and long-tail keywords have differences beyond just their lengths. Short-tail keywords target a broader audience, while long-tail ones target a specific audience, making them valuable for niche markets. The former has high search volumes, but the latter has relatively low search volumes. Both these keywords have their specific importance, so make sure you are balancing both short and long-tail keywords in your content to reach out to a wider audience.
