Smart marketers utilize a search engine optimization (SEO) strategy when planning their content. However, they often overlook the importance of long-tail keyword research. Long-tail keywords are essential for gaining web traffic and growing your blog. On top of that, the right long-tail keywords can help you convert that same traffic into leads and sales conversions. The good news is that keyword research isn’t difficult. Here’s what you need to know about long-tail keywords and how to build content around them.
Long-Tail Keyword Basics
Many companies mistakenly focus on “short head” keywords, which are three words or less, while disregarding long-tail keywords, which are four words or more. This is a mistake. To understand why the long-tail is important, lets consider the following example.
Lets imagine you’re running a local company that specializes in lawn and garden care services. You could target the popular keyword “lawn care”, but that probably wouldn’t deliver the results you want. Very big companies like fertilizer producers or popular retailers have already invested a lot of resources to secure top ranking on this very general keyword, and it’s very difficult to muscle into the top stop on Google or Yahoo search results.
That’s why it might be a better idea to get more specific with a long-tail keyword. For example, target a keyword that focuses on the state where your theoretical lawn service company is located. Keywords like “lawn care in [your state]” or even “lawn care in [your town]” are much more specific, and usually have less competition than a broad term like “lawn care”.
Perhaps more importantly, you’ll likely be drawing searches from people who actually know what they’re looking for. In other words, they’re deeper into the sales funnel and likely closer to making a purchase, which is often the case with long-tail keywords.
Lawn care is just an example though, these concepts apply to many companies and marketers, underlining why the long-tail shouldn’t be overlooked.
Long-Tail Research Tools
There are plenty of tools available to research keywords, and many that are especially useful for long-tail keywords. One of them is the free keywordtool.io. With keywordtool.io, you simply enter a short head keyword into a search window and it generates you a huge variety of long-tail options based on what keyword searches are popular on Google.
For example, you can type in “running shoes” and keywordtool.io might generate “running shoes for cold weather”. You can also use Google Keyword Planner to generate more long-tail keyword ideas, and even find out exactly how many searches are being performed for that keyword. Both these tools basically allow you to brainstorm a huge list of valuable long-tail keywords.
How To Get The Most From Your Keywords
Before you invest in a long-tail keyword, it’s also worth looking at Google Trends to see how popular your keyword is over a long timeframe. You want to try and pursue keywords that show consistent popularity or show signs of exponential growth.
Once you have a series of keywords you think need to be targeted, WriterAccess can build the quality content you need around these keywords. Researching long-tail keywords also happen excellent way to create new topic ideas for your content. Finding the right long-tail keywords allows you to get in the mind of your target audience, understand what they’re searching for, and find new angles to market your products or services.
Evaluating And Improving Your Long-Tail Strategy
Afterwards, you can use a program like Google Search Console to determine what kind of searches lead people to your website. If an article you wrote around a few key long-tail keywords is generating serious traffic and conversions, you may want to expand more content around these important long-tail keywords in the future.
You can also examine how you’re ranking on long-tail keywords on Google’s search engine page results (SERPs). If you’re in the second or third spot for a particular long-tail keyword, it’s a good idea to invest a little more content in that keyword to push your results to the number one spot.
Ultimately, the long-tail should be the bread and butter of your SEO strategy. Follow this guide and you’ll have a much better idea of what your content needs to focus on.
John C enjoys travel, learning about farming science and practice, trying new beers in new places, and making small documentaries.
