Have you ever been apple picking? While the best apples may be found at the highest place of the tree, the undeniable truth is that the fruit at eye-level is ultimately the easiest to pick. The same came to be said with SEO, and in this particular case, long-tail keywords. By transforming your keyword research to target longer search terms, you can easily guarantee to enhance your SERP ranking.
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The job of an SEO professional is ever-changing. With new updates to the Google algorithm being shared on a quarterly basis, keeping up with the best SEO practices may seem overwhelming. Every newbie knows the importance of optimized META descriptions, internal linking, and user experience, but most overlook the simplest SEO method of them all: long-tail keywords. Discover why longer keywords are crucial to include in your content strategy.
What are Long-Tail Keyphrases?
Long-tail keywords or keyphrases are defined a lot like they sound: long. Specifically, the measure relates to the number of words found in the keyphrases, usually 3-5 words vs. 1-2 words of shorter keyphrases.
That being said, head terms, or short-tail keywords, tend to be somewhat broad in nature. Comparatively, long-tail keywords are more specific and are usually more focused on a particular niche. See the example below.
| SHORT-TAIL KEYWORD | LONG-TAIL KEYWORD |
| Running shoes | Order running shoes online |
| SEO | Beginner’s guide to SEO |
| Flower garden | How to plant a flower garden |
Search Volume vs. Search Difficulty
When thinking about long-tail keyphrases, one of the main reasons why they’re so valuable is their search volume and difficulty rating. Technically speaking, these terms relate to two different facets of what makes a keyword significant.
- Search Volume – Refers to the volume (or number) of search queries for that particular keyword within a given timeframe. More often than not, you want a keyword that has a high volume so that you can be seen.
- Search Difficulty – Related to the competitiveness of the specific search term. In other words, the difficulty ultimately determines how easy it will be for you to rank for that keyword on the first page of search results. On a scale of 1-100, 0 would be easy and any keyword with a difficulty score between 70-100 is very hard.
All that to say, a long-tail keyword finds the “low-hanging fruit” medium of both search volume and search difficulty. By finding a search phrase that gets a large number of search traffic and a low difficulty score, you can easily start ranking for terms within your industry.
Pro Tip: Start using key phrases your potential customers would actually enter into search engines. While the intent may be similar, the actual verbiage of the terms can vary based on a customer’s point of view.
How to Find Long-Tail Keywords
Understanding what a long-tail keyword is vs how to find the most popular keywords are two different things. It’s important to understand that there are a number of keyword research tools that can be used for extra assistance, but the best tool might be Google itself. If you’re unsure of long-tail keywords that would be related to your business, pay attention to the related keywords or suggestions provided within search engines.
Winning with Search Engine Optimization
While there are a variety of reasons for users to search for your business, focusing your content marketing efforts on long-tail phrases is a sure way to help you become an expert in your field. By creating a campaign centered around a long-tail keyword, you’ll have the opportunity to share in-depth information that a user will find useful in the long run.
Are you using long-tail keywords in your content strategy? Connect with our SEO team to learn more sure-fire ways to optimize your website.
Ashlee Visser is the Content Manager at ITVibes, Inc. She holds a B.A. in Humanities from Thomas Edison State University. With a strong focus on organization, she excels in content management and website writing. Ashlee’s passion for writing is evident in every project she undertakes. When she’s not busy managing content, she enjoys spending time with her husband and their growing family.
