Keywords are an integral part of SEO, without which it is impossible to optimize websites, online stores, or blogs. However, while most companies try to claim their share of the market by targeting the most popular search terms, only a small number pay attention to less competitive yet highly promising so-called long-tail keywords.
Focusing on long-tail keywords is an excellent SEO tactic. Long-tail keywords are usually much longer than standard keywords or phrases and are more specific. They are used less frequently in searches, but because they are more precise, they tend to have higher conversion rates. They help attract more visitors to a website and reach new, highly motivated audiences.
The long-tail keyword strategy can be particularly effective when there is high competition in the market or when there is high demand for the main keywords you want to be found for. In such situations, this strategy can help attract visitors to your website or blog. We will try to explain what long-tail keywords are and how they can help implement such a strategy.
What are long-tail keywords?
As mentioned earlier, these are more precise, although less popular, words or phrases. They are more focused on specific niches. The English term long-tail keyword comes from Chris Anderson’s book “The Long Tail.” In it, the author demonstrates that every product has its own market. And even though some of these markets may be very small, the vastness of the internet allows even niche products or blogs to generate profit. The author uses an example of a music device containing 10,000 songs, only a small portion of which are played very often, while the majority are played rather rarely. However, research shows that at some point almost all songs (98%) get played. And even though the demand for those many less popular songs is relatively low, it still exists.
Another way to better understand the potential of long-tail keywords is through the metaphor of a Chinese dragon. If we imagine this creature with a large but short head, a slightly thinner yet still short body, and a very long, tapering tail, the main keywords would represent the head. They attract a significant amount of visitors, but there are relatively few of them, making up only about 10–15% of all keywords. These are often keywords consisting of just one or two words. The next 15–20% are medium-length keywords. Meanwhile, the dragon’s tail contains the majority – about 70% – of the so-called long-tail keywords.
One main topic
The same applies to blogs and websites. Most of them have one main topic or product for which the main keyword is used in order to be found. For example, the main theme of blogs for mothers will be family, while a food website will focus on recipes and restaurants. It is understandable that these websites would want to be found in searches using keywords that are understandable and clear to everyone, which become the main key phrases for these websites. A blogger writing about home cooking would undoubtedly choose something like "homemade Italian cuisine."
Many additional things
However, it is not possible to optimize all blog posts for the same keyword. Even if all the articles are about "homemade Italian cuisine," you should write articles about various longer versions of the main keyword. In the case of food, you can write about homemade Italian pasta, homemade Italian salads, or homemade Italian cakes. You can also choose longer phrases. All of them can be found by performing keyword searches.
When optimizing a website for different long keywords, you should direct links from articles or pages dedicated to these keywords to slightly more important categories, and then from these categories, links should lead to the most important pages that form the basis of the website. It is important to remember that links should go from the "tail" to the "head." This way, you show Google what your website structure looks like and which pages are the most important. They should be at the top of Google search results.
Why should you focus on long keywords?
It is easier to rank higher with long keywords than with simple ones simply because there is much less competition for them in searches. The longer and more accurate the search terms are, the easier it is to rank high in Google results. The vastness of the internet helps you find an audience for a specific niche. And if you focus on groups of long-tail keywords, you can attract a significant amount of traffic to your website.
In other words, when the long-tail keyword strategy is applied smartly, you may attract fewer visitors if you look only at the numbers, but the return on investment will be significantly higher. This happens because the audience you attract consists of people who are exactly the ones you want for your products — they are closer to making a purchase than those who end up on your competitors’ websites. This is where another benefit of long-tail keywords lies: despite the smaller number of people using them, the likelihood that they are your actual buyers is much higher.
For example, imagine a customer looking for a new board game to play with their family. At first, they search using the keyword “board game.” After browsing a little, they decide they need a game suitable for children and with educational value. The search continues, but now they use the phrase “educational board game for children.” And if the customer is planning a trip to Vilnius in the near future, they might type: “where to buy an educational board game for children in Vilnius.” Both of these examples are long-tail keywords. Using them is more likely to help the customer find exactly what they are looking for. Therefore, the chances that they will purchase a board game increase when they use a more specific search. Although long-tail keywords are valued for the opportunities they provide for content ranking in organic Google searches, their potential is also quite high when used in paid advertising search campaigns. This is natural, as the cost per click on a long keyword is significantly lower due to low competition. Using long, more precise keywords in Google Ads campaigns allows you to secure higher ad positions in relevant searches, avoiding additional payments for each click.
Why is the mission important?
To sell something, you first need a good product, and you should be clear about what your website or product can offer your audience. What makes them special? If you know and understand this, it will be much easier for you to encourage your audience to like and buy your product. So think carefully about what makes your products or blog unique and write it down. If your company sells furniture, and some of it is made from recycled materials, your uniqueness and value proposition to customers could be that your products are more eco-friendly and environmentally friendly. This is your mission, your niche, your offer to your audience. The mission should be written in such a way that it is understandable to potential customers.
Market competition
There are markets where it is very difficult to get among the search leaders. There is a lot of competition in these markets, and the leading companies dominate the searches. Such companies have very large marketing budgets, a significant portion of which is spent on SEO. Not everyone is able to compete under such conditions. It is even more difficult when you don't have a lot of money to spend on SEO. For example, in the furniture industry, it is practically impossible to compete using a keyword such as "quality furniture" in search engines. However, if you have a clear mission, it should be easier to identify what sets your products and website apart from others. You should look for your niche. You should use your mission to achieve high positions in search results. Continuing with the example of furniture made from recycled materials, you should focus on search terms that are not as competitive, such as "furniture made from recycled materials." Again, you should use words that your target audience uses and avoid complex terms.
Use your mission statement to determine long-tail keywords
Your mission statement, which clearly expresses what makes your products or website special, should be your primary tool for selecting long-tail keywords. The words used to describe your mission can be very useful when choosing an SEO strategy. They should be used as a basis for selecting keywords that you will use to promote your website. If you have written down your mission statement, it means that you have already completed the first stage of keyword research. The next step should be keyword creation. To do this, you should try to guess how your target audience might think. What might these people be looking for? What terms would they use to search for your products or website? Long-tail keyword management means better communication with customers who are already actively looking for what you have to offer. An example from the same furniture sector could be the word "sofa" – a broad term that is likely to be used as the main keyword. But what are the chances that a customer looking for a sofa will go all the way to the point of sale? On the other hand, those searching for a "two-seater leather sofa" definitely know what they want and will likely order the item they are interested in if they can find it. Coming up with a main theme and keywords will probably not be difficult, but when it comes to long-tail keywords, the challenge may be greater. However, we can definitely help you achieve this. Although the vast majority of keyword search programs ignore this relatively rich and large group, there are several tools that can help you accomplish this task. However, even with a fairly large list of long-tail keywords, you will still need to identify those that are actually useful and worth investing in. Here, again, a clear understanding of what your brand is trying to offer customers and what customers are actually looking for when using certain longer and more specific keywords will come in handy.
The next step – great content
We hope we have managed to show you the impressive potential of long-tail keywords. Not many people will use the words of your mission statement and find your website, but there is a very high probability that they will buy your product or become regular visitors. So, ranking your website for a specific search term or phrase can be quite profitable, but make sure that the term is relevant to the products you sell, otherwise you may be disappointed.
As with regular keywords, content remains a very important factor in helping your website or blog rank higher in search results. When creating content around long-tail keywords, it is important to consider your message and the needs of your customers. This will ensure that customers return, even if they do not purchase the product they are looking for on their first visit.
Sources:
wordstream.com/long-tail-keywords
yoast.com/focus-on-long-tail-keywords
