Long tail keywords. As an SEO expert with over 10 years of experience helping small businesses improve their search visibility, I get asked about these all the time. What are they? How do you find and use them? More importantly, how can they help your website and business?
These are all great questions that I’m going to break down in plain English today.
Compelling Statistics Reveal the Advantage of Long Tail Keywords
Long tail keywords make up over 60% of all Google searches. But 80% of websites focus exclusively on short head terms in their optimisation strategies (Source: Moz).
By targeting long tail keywords, you can capture a huge portion of search volume with less competition. In fact, keywords with three or more words have on average thirty times less competition than 1- or 2-word keywords (Source: SEMrush).
According to LinkedIn, pages optimised for long tail queries have a higher conversion rate on average compared to general short tail keyword pages. With their highly targeted nature, long tail keywords drive more qualified visitors.
BlueWiston reports that bidding on long tail ad keywords cost on average 53% less per click versus short head keyword ads. This demonstrates the significantly lower competition for long tail searches.
My Journey to SEO Success Through Long Tail Keywords
See, I know search engine optimization can quickly get complex and technical. My goal is to keep things simple and show you real strategies that get results. Strategies I’ve refined over my decade-plus career working with clients across industries to improve their organic traffic and conversions through SEO.
And focusing on long tail keywords is one of the most effective tactics I’ve used to improve traffic and increase conversions.
When I first started with SEO, I made the mistake of targeting only short, highly competitive keywords. Boy was that a struggle! My site could barely rank.
It wasn’t until I shifted to long tail versions of those keywords that I started seeing progress. These specific, conversational searches had much lower competition, so it was easier to rank high.
Even better, the visitors from long tail keywords were more interested in my offerings. I went from high traffic with low conversions to lower traffic with stellar conversions almost overnight!
Now I want to share what I’ve learned with you. In this post, we’ll cover:
- How to research and identify winning long tail keywords
- Optimising your pages for long tail searches
- Setting up tracking to evaluate performance
The strategies I’ll show you are practical and don’t require huge budgets or resources. So whether you’re a small business owner or just getting started with SEO, long tail keywords are a game changer.
Let’s get to ranking higher and driving qualified visitors!
Long Tail Keywords – 8 Tangible Benefits with Real Examples
1. More Specific Searches
When you use long tail keywords, you target searches where users have specific intent and needs. For example, someone searching “red leather jacket for teenagers” is much further down the conversion funnel than someone simply searching “jacket.” You can create content that speaks directly to that teen red leather jacket shopper.
2. Less Competition
Short head terms like “shoes” are incredibly competitive. But a long tail version like “orthopedic shoes for plantar fasciitis” opens up way more opportunity. Fewer sites are targeting such a specific searcher, so with some optimisation, you can get on the first page fairly quickly.
3. Higher Conversion Rates
Those specific searches indicate users are more ready to buy or convert. If someone is searching something like “buy exercise bike under $300,” they’re actively looking to purchase. So there’s a much better chance your site convinces them to convert versus a broad search like “exercise.”
4. More Total Volume
Each individual long tail keyword will have a low search volume. But together, they make up a bigger chunk of searches. For example, you may only get 10 searches a month for “custom teak wood dining table,” but thousands more across all your long tail key phrases.
5. Better ROI
Thanks to lower competition and higher conversion rates, long tail keywords give you more bang for your buck. You can achieve greater results with fewer backlinks and less overall optimisation effort. The return on time and money invested is much higher.
6. Supplement Head Terms
You still want your core short head keywords for brand visibility. Long tails simply help you target more unique variations of those terms to connect with searchers. The two strategies complement each other.
7. Optimise for Intent
Those super specific long tail searches reveal exactly what the searcher wants. You can then craft content that aligns with their intent and answers their query or question to a tee.
8. Gain Featured Snippets
The ultra specific nature of long tails lends itself well to getting featured snippets, which appear at the top of Google results. You can thoroughly cover a niche aspect and become the authority site.
Optimize Your Way to the Top with Long Tail Keywords
There you have it – a rundown of the eight core benefits of focusing your SEO efforts on long tail keywords and real examples of how each can improve your strategy.
By targeting these specific, conversational search queries, you open up a world of possibilities. You’ll reach highly qualified visitors, boost conversions, save time competing for short head terms, and gain more bang for your buck from SEO.
Now it’s time to put this into action on your own site. Start exploring long tail variations of your top keywords and ideating content to target them. Aim to optimise a few pages at first and then track your progress in the SERPs and analytics.
Need more personalized help developing your long tail keyword strategy? Don’t hesitate to reach out. I’d be happy to offer a complimentary free 20-minute consultation to assess your site and provide strategic recommendations. Just click below to schedule a time.
In the meantime, the key takeaway is this:
Long tail keywords are your SEO ticket to less competition, better conversions, and sustainable growth. Their specificity equals your website's success.
