When it comes to getting your content to the top of the search rankings there’s a number of methods you can employ. But if there’s one constant that runs through them all then that would be the importance of keywords.
When it comes to getting your website ranked highly then keywords are still an essential part of Google’s ranking algorithm, they are the very backbone of search engine (even Yahoo) after all. But keywords aren’t what they might always appear to be.
When you think about keywords what are they really? It’s an interesting thing to think about isn’t it, for one thing, keywords are usually short and common. Because people won’t often type in long sentences into search engines.
However, over the past few years the way we use search engines have changed. We no longer just type words into search engines, we can speak to our phones and search by asking questions, or we can use smart assistants on devices such as Google Home to answer queries for us.
With this is mind, one of the best ways to increase your website’s content and traffic these days is by using long tail keywords as part of your SEO strategy. Long tail keywords are incredibly valuable when it comes to SEO but are often ignored, mainly because they dont have as much search volume which often puts people off targeting them, buts its not all about volume these days! When used right they can really make a big impact on conversions and give you the edge over your competition.
What Are Long Tail Keywords?
Long tail keywords are essentially longer more specific keywords that tie in directly to your content. For example, if you are selling woman’s shoes on your eCommerce website. The main keywords would likely be: “ladies shoes”, “woman’s shoes”, “girls shoes” and other similar words.
But a long tail keyword could be something like “woman’s high heel shoes” woman’s black shoes”. You are essentially saying the same thing but using a long string of keywords, long tail keywords and more precise and direct while regular keywords are more generic.
Now you’re probably thinking that long tail keywords aren’t going to be very common especially when compared to the shorter more common regular keywords, aren’t you? And you’re right they aren’t but that isn’t a bad thing.
If someone is more actively seeking something then it’s more likely they’ll search longer strings of words, meaning that you will target people who will be more willing to engage with your content. If you’re selling goods or services, then targeting long tail keyword can really make a big difference.
The other good news is that long tail keywords have much less competition when compared to the smaller more common keywords. Every travel or holiday site is going to be using travel as a keyword aren’t they?
But how many are going to be using “adventure holidays in America”, to give just one example? By targeting long tail keywords, you can get the edge on your competitors and of course, you can and should always use a combination of both types. Long term keywords are incredibly valuable when used correctly, you shouldn’t expect a huge number of visitors but you can get a lot more engagement.
So now that we’ve looked at the importance of long tail keywords how exactly do you go about finding them? Well there’s a number of ways and even a quick Google search can help, so let’s take a look at how you can find the best long tail keywords for your site.
Finding Long Tail Keywords
If you want an effective keyword strategy then you’re going to need long tail keywords, but how do you find the keywords you should use? Thankfully there’s a number of ways you can go about it and don’t worry it’s much easier than you probably think. Personally I prefer to use SEMrush and look in related keywords to find the best long tail targets to target within your niche.
Google Suggestions
Yes, it’s Google to the rescue once again! Google suggestions are a great way to quickly discover long tail keywords. Simply type one of your generic, short keywords into Google and see what variants show up in the search results box.
Whatever shows up in the search results box has been searched for before meaning these long tail keywords could be very valuable. But remember these just give you a starting point to work off, people have Googled some quirky things so don’t think just because something shows up that it will make a good long tail keyword. Google suggestions give you a great place to work from but shouldn’t always be taken at face value.
Related Searches
Another quick and easy strategy for hunting down long tail keywords again starts by searching one of your regular short, generic keywords. At the end of the search results page should be a list of related searches. These again can be used as long tail keywords themselves or used as suggestions for finding others.
Analytic Tools
Your analytic tools can be used to find the keywords people search for that lead them to your website. The majority of these will be the shorter keywords but you can also find long tail keywords as well. These long tail keywords will likely be relevant to your website in some way or at least an area of it but probably won’t actually be keywords you’ve actually targeted. So by using your analytic tools, you can uncover new long tail keywords, which will no doubt give you an edge when it comes to building your SEO strategy.
Do Your Research
Like all things when it comes to building an effective SEO strategy research is key! Don’t be afraid to check out your competitor’s sites and other similar websites to see what long tail keywords they’re using. This can give you a great springboard to base new ideas off and don’t be afraid of using the same long tail keywords either.
You should also monitor trends to see what popular long tail keywords people are searching for and make sure you monitor social media as well. There are numerous ways to monitor trends you can use Google’s own Trends search tool, YouTube’s keyword search tool and there’s many more methods you can use as well.
Building An Effective SEO Strategy
Long tail keywords might not have the popularity or perceived importance of regular keywords but they can be very effective when utilised correctly. Using long tail keywords can give you the edge over your competitors and there are numerous benefits to using them. Keep in mind you will rank faster for long tail keywords and these often result in higher conversions.
Because they’re so often avoided by using them you can access potential customers you would otherwise never attract. So if you want to build an effective SEO strategy make sure you research long tail keywords carefully, there’s plenty of ways you can go about that (as I’ve already mentioned) and don’t be afraid to implement them whenever possible.
The post How To Increase Traffic And Conversions With Long Tail Keywords appeared first on Matthew Marley.