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The Definitive Guide to Long-Tail Keywords: How to Find and Use Them to Boost SEO

• May 12, 2024
• by Steven Austin

What Are Long-Tail Keywords?

Long-tail keywords are extended search phrases, typically containing at least 3 words, that searchers use to find very specific information. While they have lower search volumes than generic "head" keywords, they are also much less competitive and tend to convert exceptionally well.

Here‘s the definition of a long-tail keyword in under 100 words:

A long-tail keyword is a search query that contains 3+ words, is highly specific, and often has lower search volume but higher conversion rates compared to broad, competitive "head" keywords. Long-tail keywords comprise the majority of searches and represent valuable opportunities to drive targeted traffic from searchers with clear intent.

Some examples of long-tail keywords include:

• "how to get red wine out of carpet"
• "best bluetooth noise cancelling headphones under $100"
• "what are the symptoms of gluten intolerance"

In contrast, here are the related head keywords:

• "carpet cleaner"
• "headphones"
• "gluten"

As you can see, the long-tail variations are much more specific and descriptive. A searcher using a long-tail keyword knows exactly what they are looking for and is thus more likely to be further along in the buying cycle.

The Untapped Potential of Long-Tail Keywords

While many marketers focus their efforts on ranking for broad, high-volume head keywords, the real opportunity often lies in the "long tail" of search. Consider these surprising long-tail keyword statistics:

• Long-tail keywords account for 70% of all search queries (Moz)
• The average conversion rate for long-tail keywords is 36%, compared to just 11% for head keywords (Moz)
• Pages optimized for long-tail keywords generate 3-5x more traffic than those optimized for head keywords (MarketingSherpa)
• Ranking in the top 10 results for a long-tail keyword is 2-5x easier compared to a more generic keyword (Backlinko)

The takeaway is clear – if you‘re not targeting long-tail keywords, you‘re missing out on a massive share of search traffic, conversions and revenue.

But long-tail keywords represent more than just an SEO tactic. They are a window into the needs, problems and desires of your target audience. Each long-tail search is a real person telling you exactly what they want in their own words. By listening to and addressing these hyper-specific needs with your content, you can build trust, authority and lasting customer relationships.

How to Find Long-Tail Keyword Opportunities

Now that you know the power of long-tail keywords, how do you actually find the right ones to target? Here are four proven strategies:

Use keyword research tools. Platforms like Semrush, Ahrefs and Moz provide robust keyword data to help you discover long-tail variations for any head keyword. Look for phrases with lower search volume (less than 500 searches/month) and keyword difficulty scores.

Mine your analytics. Your website analytics and Google Search Console data show the actual long-tail keywords that are already driving traffic to your site. Look for high-converting phrases you can optimize further.

Go beyond Google. Use alternative search engines like Answer the Public to find question-based long-tail keywords, or mine Wikipedia, Reddit and Quora to see how your audience discusses topics related to your business.

Get inside your customer‘s head. Put yourself in your ideal customer‘s shoes and brainstorm the questions they would search to find your product/service. Also, talk to your sales and customer service teams to find out the long-tail pain points they hear over and over.

To organize and prioritize your long-tail keyword research, it can be helpful to group them into buckets based on where they fall in the marketing funnel. For example:

Categorizing your long-tail keywords in this way ensures you‘re creating content that answers your audience‘s questions at every stage of their journey.

How to Optimize for Long-Tail Keywords

Finding the right long-tail keyword is just the first step. To rank well and pull in targeted traffic, you need to strategically optimize your content. Here are five long-tail SEO best practices to follow:

Target one long-tail keyword per page. Pick a single focus keyword and use it naturally throughout the page, including the title tag, header, and body content. Trying to stuff multiple long-tail keywords into one page will make the content feel unnatural and spammy.

Don‘t over-optimize. With long-tail keywords, less is often more. Include the exact phrase 2-3 times, but don‘t try to hit an arbitrary keyword density. Instead, sprinkle in semantically related phrases to build topical authority.

Emphasize readability. Write for humans, not search engines. Use the long-tail keyword to guide the content, but focus on providing real value to the reader. Break up long paragraphs, use descriptive headers, and include helpful visuals to make the content engaging and skimmable.

Build topical relevance. Use long-tail keywords as subtopics within broader pillar pages to construct a topic cluster. Interlinking all the pages in the cluster signals to Google that the content is semantically related and builds authority for the overall topic.

Amplify expertise, authority and trust (E-A-T). Since long-tail searches tend to be very specific, the content that ranks well must demonstrate real expertise. Cite authoritative sources, provide original data and insights, and make sure the author‘s credentials are highlighted.

Brands Winning With Long-Tail Keywords

Many of the world‘s top brands leverage long-tail keywords to drive massive amounts of search traffic. Here‘s how a few leading companies do it:

As the world‘s largest ecommerce site, Amazon gets a huge portion of its organic traffic from long-tail searches. By optimizing their extensive product pages for every possible long-tail variation, they are able to draw in shoppers searching for extremely specific items.

For example, a search for "mens nike running shoes size 10 wide" returns this perfectly optimized product page from Amazon:

By including the model, brand, size and width in the product name and description, Amazon has made this page hyper-relevant for the long-tail keyword. Multiply this by the millions of products they sell, and you can see how they‘ve built an SEO empire on long-tail phrases.

The Wirecutter

Product review site The Wirecutter has also made long-tail keywords a core part of their SEO strategy. They publish in-depth roundups targeting long-tail comparison searches like "best air fryer under $100" or "quietest window air conditioner".

In addition to traditional keyword optimization, The Wirecutter goes the extra mile to establish EAT with long-tail searchers. Their reviews include detailed product testing procedures, comparison charts, and extensive explanations of their top picks.

The result? The Wirecutter ranks in the top 3 search results for over 47,000 long-tail keywords and pulls in over 10 million organic visits per month. By combining long-tail relevance with industry-leading authority, they‘ve unlocked major SEO success.

WebMD is a master at covering the long tail of health-related searches. They‘ve built out an extensive library of content optimized for every possible long-tail symptom and condition, from "do i have strep throat quiz" to "natural treatments for restless leg syndrome".

One standout feature of WebMD‘s long-tail strategy is their use of question-based keywords. By monitoring forums, social media and "People Also Ask" results, WebMD identifies real questions their audience is searching for and creates comprehensive content to answer those queries.

For instance, a search for "how do i know if i have diabetes" returns this well-optimized WebMD article in the coveted featured snippet spot:

Not only does the article use the long-tail keyword verbatim, it also provides a clear, direct answer to the searcher‘s question. This type of intent-focused optimization has made WebMD an authoritative source for health seekers and a dominant force in organic search.

Long-Tail Keywords and the Future of Search

As Google‘s algorithm gets smarter and search behaviors evolve, long-tail keywords are becoming even more critical to SEO success. Here are three key trends making long-tail optimization essential:

Natural language processing (NLP)

With the rise of NLP technology like BERT, Google can now better understand the intent and contextual meaning of long, complex search queries. This means that marketers must move beyond exact-match keyword stuffing and focus on creating content that addresses the true meaning behind a searcher‘s long-tail query.

Voice search

The explosion of virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa has made voice search a major search trend. And voice queries are overwhelmingly long-tail by nature – in fact, the average voice search is 29 words long! Optimizing for common long-tail voice queries using a conversational question-and-answer format can help you capture this growing share of search traffic.

Semantic search

Google‘s shift toward semantic search means the algorithm no longer relies on exact keyword matches to provide relevant results. Instead, it looks at the overall meaning and context of a query to determine the searcher‘s true intent. By grouping long-tail keywords into semantically related topic clusters, you can build authority for an entire topic, not just a single phrase.

Go Long on Long-Tail Keywords

Long-tail keywords may not have the glamour or search volumes of broad, vanity keywords. But they represent an enormous untapped opportunity to drive qualified traffic, boost conversions, and build sustainable SEO success.

By focusing your content strategy on addressing the specific pain points and questions of your target audience, you can become the go-to resource they trust. And as you build out a diverse library of long-tail optimized content, you‘ll start to rank for more competitive head terms too.

The key is to prioritize relevance and intent with every piece of content you create. Listen to what your audience is searching for and craft content that directly meets those needs using the language they use. Give them something that‘s 10x more valuable and in-depth than what your competitors are offering.

That‘s the real secret to winning with long-tail keywords – creating content that puts your audience first. When you solve their problems and answer their questions better than anyone else, you‘ll earn their attention, their trust, and ultimately, their business.

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Long-Tail Keyword Strategy: Why & How to Target Intent for SEO

Learn the benefits of highly targeted search terms packed with intent. Here's how to find long-tail keywords and use them to your advantage.

Standalone broad keyword strategies belong to the past. In 2021, the combination of Google’s focus on user experience and intent, alongside the rise of conversational search and applications such as voice search, means that long-tail SEO strategies are more crucial than ever.

Years ago, hunting for long-tail keywords with low search volume might have seemed like a waste of time and effort.

However, according to ThinkwithGoogle :

“The long tail could provide an untapped opportunity to connect with potential customers. Invest in these areas and see volumes grow.”

If you don’t have a long-tail SEO strategy, you’re missing out.

It’s never been easier to research long-tail keyword opportunities , target low-competition keywords with high conversion rates, and use long-tail keywords to boost your content.

This guide will show you how to do just that.

What Are Long-Tail Keywords?

Long-tail keywords are highly targeted search phrases that specifically serve searcher intent. These keywords typically have low search volume, low competition, and high conversion rates.

We call these keywords long-tail because if you were to plot your keywords by their search volumes, these would be on the “long tail” end of the search demand curve, which means few people are searching for these terms each month.

However, despite the lack of search volume, long-tail keywords are often easier to rank for and result in higher conversions than seed keywords.

This is because long-tail keywords communicate a clear customer need that you can solve — they’re intent-driven.

When you understand search intent, you can create content that specifically addresses queries and converts.

For example, a user searching for [Nike Air Max 270] indicates a clear intent to purchase. Comparatively, a search for [shoes or trainers] is a lot less clear.

The user might be looking for more information about what’s on offer, searching for different brands, or just seeking out of interest.

Note that the actual length of these keywords technically doesn’t matter. Long-tail keywords tend to be at least three words long due to their specificity, but precise low-volume searches that are only one or two words long (such as many brand names) are also considered long-tail keywords.

Why Long-tail Keywords Are Important in SEO

Let’s do a social experiment: log into your Google Search Console account right now and scroll through the search terms. What do you see? I’m willing to bet that most of the terms you rank for are long-tail.

According to Backlinko’s analysis of 306 million keywords, 91.8% of all search queries are long-tail keywords.

Now imagine what you could do if all those highly-targeted queries funneled new leads directly to your high-converting assets.

There are three main benefits to targeting these precise keywords.

1. Less Competition

Long-tail keywords are specific to your business and your niche, and as a result, search volume is low.

The upside of this is that it doesn’t take nearly as much effort to rank well for your targeted long-tail keywords.

Some simple on-page SEO and link building should catapult your landing pages into a place of prominence if your targeted terms are specific enough.

2. Higher Conversions

A little long-tail keyword sleuthing will help you discover search intent.

With search intent, you’ll be able to identify queries that indicate buyer’s intent (e.g., [buy Canada 150 collector’s coins]) and a need for additional information (e.g. [how to target long-tail keywords]).

You can use this knowledge to usher highly qualified leads into your sales funnel and complement your content marketing efforts.

3. It Helps You Optimize for Semantic, Conversational & Voice Search

Long-tail keywords are an integral part of optimizing for semantic search .

We live in an age where 55% of millennials use voice search daily.

When these users query these platforms, they use long-tail keyword phrases such as questions ([what are the best sushi restaurants nearby?]) and commands with clear intent ([compare the price of the dresses from Blush and Sherri Hill]).

Try to predict the intent behind naturally spoken and voice search questions so that you can provide answers about your business and services and better target these long-tail keyword phrases.

Remember, if you target high-converting long-tail keywords even when search density is low, these keywords can still be incredibly valuable for your business.

How to Find Long-Tail Keywords

Ranking for the right long-tail keywords might be better than striking gold.

Discovering new long-tail keywords is easy, and you can create a substantial list in minutes.

First, grab the long-tail keywords that you know you rank from your Search Console.

Now download the same information for your PPC campaigns, Facebook page, Twitter account, YouTube videos, Instagram, and any other metrics you can think of that might reveal new terms.

Next, try to discover new long-tail keywords in your niche that you could rank for. Here’s how to create a list of potential long-tails manually:

Prepare a list of seed keywords. Use a keyword planning tool to generate a list of seed keywords but try to stay away from Google AdWords. While this free tool is excellent for developing a list of commercial terms to target, it intentionally steers away from long-tail terms with lower search volume, making it not very useful for our purposes.

Look at Google’s autocomplete suggestions. Type each seed keyword into Google and write down its autocomplete suggestions.

Rinse and repeat for Bing Search Suggestions and any other search engines you want to optimize for.

Add these potential long-tails to your target list. Group all your terms and get ready to start pruning your list.

Advancements in SEO technology make this entire research step easy!

• The best programs will even sort through multiple search engines for you, and they may discover long-tails you overlooked. Many other programs intuitively discover and sort through long-tail keywords on your behalf.
• Now that you have a comprehensive list of all of your potential keywords, it’s time to begin pruning your list. Weed out any terms that don’t clearly communicate user intent. For example, in the “long-tail keywords related search results” listed above, the query “short tail keywords” isn’t specific enough.

When you’ve trimmed your list down to the strongest candidates (anywhere from half a dozen to a few hundred long-tails), you’ll be ready to start optimizing your pages and adding them to your content.

How to Build Content Around Long-Tail Keywords

Now that you have a list of long-tail keywords you can optimize for, what do you do with that information? The answer depends on how many long-tails you’re targeting and how closely their topics intersect.

• Conventional wisdom dictates that you need to create a dedicated page per long-tail if you can, great! But this isn’t always feasible.
• When you have hundreds of long-tails to target, you need content other than dedicated landing pages that you can optimize for your long-tails.
• Break down your list of potential long-tail keywords into an easy-to-understand list organized by searcher intent.

For example, if you wanted to target keywords about [noise canceling headphones], your list might look like this:

Organizing your keywords by topic allows you to find natural places for them to live.

If this content already exists on your site, you might be able to insert these long-tails into your copy naturally. If not, you now have ideas for what your following pieces of content should focus on.

Whenever you publish new content, don’t forget about internal links . These are some of the best places for you to include some of the long-tail terms you so thoroughly researched.

Final Thoughts

Now you know how to discover long-tail keywords and use them to your advantage. But remember: Your long-tail targeting is only as strong as your content.

In 2021, if you aren’t recognized as an authority in your niche, it’s time to start creating high-value assets, blogging about your industry, and rewriting your web copy to communicate your unique value proposition (UVP) to your customers.

While you’re creating your content and optimizing your pages to include your new long-tail keywords, don’t forget to measure your rankings and traffic.

As you do so, you may discover even more keyword phrases you can target, and that will help you continue to build your reputation and improve your on-page SEO.

More Resources:

• Why Keywords Are Still So Very Important for SEO
• 6 Unique & Free Keyword Research Tools You Didn’t Know You Needed
• How to Do Keyword Research for SEO: The Ultimate Guide

Image Credits

All screenshots taken by author, June 2021

Aleh Barysevich is Founder and Chief Marketing Officer at companies behind SEO PowerSuite, professional software for full-cycle SEO campaigns, and ...

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Long-Tail Keywords: A Must-Have For Your SEO Strategy

Long-tail keywords should be a part of any SEO strategy .

From bringing relevant organic visitors to your site to getting your content to #1 spot on Google search results, long-tail keywords will help you level up.

In this post, we’ll get into what they are, how you can find them, and what you need to implement them to build a winning SEO strategy.

What are long-tail keywords?

Long-tail keywords are search queries that have lower monthly search volumes and tend to be longer and more specific than high-search volume keywords. Although each individual long-tail keyword may have a low search volume, collectively, they make up a significant portion of all online searches, making them highly valuable for your SEO efforts.

Now, you might be wondering why they’re called long-tail keywords. It’s a common misconception that the name is due to the length of the keywords, but, in fact, it’s because they are less popular terms that fall on the tail end of the search demand curve.

Why are long-tail keywords important?

Here are six benefits to using long-tail keywords in your SEO efforts:

1. Ramp up your conversion funnel

The more specific a keyword is, the more likely the searcher is further along the buyer’s journey. Someone searching for a highly specific term like ‘ best laptops for students on a budget ’ is likely closer to making a purchase than someone searching for a generic term like ‘laptops .’

While broader, higher-volume keywords may drive more overall traffic, the quality and intent of long-tail keyword searches often result in more effective lead generation and sales.

2. Lower competition

Unlike popular, high-volume keywords like ‘ shoes ’ (which currently gets 764,391 monthly searches), low-search volume long-tail keywords face less competition for the top search engine results. With fewer websites vying for these longer, more specific phrases, it becomes easier to achieve higher rankings, thereby increasing your website’s visibility in relevant searches.

3. More in-depth understanding of user intent

Use long-tail keywords to guide your content creation strategy. By understanding the specific searches your target audience is making, you can create content that directly addresses their needs. Because of the specific nature of this content, it’s more likely to resonate with your audience and establish you as an authority in your field.

4. Increased website traffic

As we mentioned above, individual long-tail keywords may have lower individual search volume collectively but represent a significant portion of all online searches. By strategically incorporating various relevant long-tail keywords, you can reach a wider audience interested in specific aspects of your offerings, leading to an overall increase in website traffic .

5. Support for your pillar content

As SEO has evolved, the focus has shifted from ranking individual keywords to ranking for broader topics. One approach to topical SEO is to create a topical map outlining your pillar content and supporting pieces. Your pillar content targets core terms, which are high-volume, short-tail keywords at the top of the demand curve.

However, ranking for these competitive terms requires supplementing the pillar pages with content that targets middle and long-tail variations. The more comprehensive your topical coverage with long-tail content, the higher your topical authority will be on the subject, increasing your chances of ranking higher.

6. Increase your topical authority

Google categorizes websites based on the topics they cover. This allows Google to rank sites with the highest authority for each topic higher in search results. To establish your site as the leading authority in your niche, you should aim to comprehensively answer more user intents than your competitors. By identifying and targeting as many long-tail keywords as possible, you can build your site’s authority and potentially achieve substantial improvements in rankings and organic traffic.

The 2 main types of long-tail keywords

Not all long-tail keywords are created equal. There are two main types: supporting keywords and topical keywords .

1. Supporting keywords

Supporting long-tail keywords fit into a bigger topic. For instance, if you were writing content about dog training, supporting long-tail keywords could be:

• dog aggression training
• training pads for dogs
• dog training harnesses

Since these keywords fit into a broader topic, you can use them to support your rankings for the topic in general. Add them to your blog posts if they fit naturally, or create new pages and add internal links to your head term content.

By doing this you are likely to rank both for the long-tail keywords as well as boosting your rankings for your short-tail head terms.

2. Topical keywords

Topical long-tail keywords are low-volume keywords that don’t fit into a broader topic. If you find topical keywords, we suggest targeting them, especially if your site is new. Due to their low traffic potential, they aren’t that competitive, but you can rank for them on the SERPs with relative ease. If you rank for enough of them, you can generate a significant amount of targeted traffic without many links.

How to find long-tail keywords

1. use your keyword research tool.

Using a keyword research tool is the quickest and most accurate way to find long-tail keywords because, with a few filters, you can find keywords at scale.

One example of a keyword research tool is the Similarweb Keyword Generator .

Let’s say you were trying to rank a short-tail dog training blog post by adding some long-tail supporting content. Instead of trying to imagine how your audience would search for long-tail phrases, just drop your head term (dog training) into the keyword generator. This will give you a massive volume of both short-tail and long-tail keywords to consider for your post.

Using the Similarweb Keyword Generator, we see the core keyword produces 70,828 related keywords, with a mix of both short-tail and long-tail.

As mentioned earlier, long-tail keywords have a lower search volume because they represent highly targeted keyword phrases – because of this, you can quickly find some easy-to-rank-for keywords using the Keyword Volume filter.

Below we set the filter only to show keywords that get between 0 and 500 searches a month, but this can vary depending on your industry.

Another filter (and general metric) to consider is Keyword Difficulty (KD) – this will tell you how competitive a keyword is by analyzing the backlink profiles of the top-ranking results.

Now you have a vast number of keywords to create supporting content or add to your short-tail blog post.

You can also use your keyword research tool to find:

• Question queries: which you can use for informational searches and FAQ pages
• Related keywords: have a similar search intent to the seed keyword and can be used to create supporting content for your short-tail content

2. Make the most of Google’s autocomplete

Google’s autocomplete is a great way to find keyword modifiers – how about we stick with our ‘dog training’ example and show you?

There are four ways to find keyword modifiers, including:

• Long-tail keywords: Type your head term into your browser and add any letter of the alphabet (eg. dog training b… )
• Longer-tail keywords: Type your long-tail keyword into your browser and add any letter of the alphabet (eg. dog training books g… )
• Pre-keyword modifier: Type a letter before your head term (eg. a… dog training )
• Google wildcard: Use an asterisk (*) as a wildcard to see a variety of random – but related – keywords to target

3. Find your keyword gaps

Another way to find an almost infinite number of long-tail keywords is through competitor keyword gap analysis .

With a competitive research tool , you can see:

• Which keywords do the top websites in your industry rank for
• Where your site is lacking
• What to target to grow your search market share

Using the Similarweb Keyword Gap tool , let’s take thesprucepets.com and three of its competitors as an example of what you can do with your own SEO competitor analysis .

The color of each circle represents the site, and the size of the circle represents the amount of keywords the site ranks for. The bigger the circle, the more ranking keywords a site has. The overlap of the circles represents where sites rank for the same keywords.

With the Keyword Gap tool , you’ll also find keyword lists that show:

• All keywords : Any of the keywords considered in the visual
• Core keywords: Keywords shared by all competitors
• Wins : Where your site wins the biggest share of traffic for a keyword
• Opportunities : Where your competitors are getting traffic, but you’re not)
• Losses : Where you get less traffic than you competition

The opportunities filter can be particularly interesting, and you can use this keyword data to build a content strategy that allows you to increase your search market share one keyword cluster at a time.

The opportunity keywords suggested for thesprucepets.com, using a lower search volume filter to produce more long-tail keywords.

4. Use Google’s People Also Ask boxes

Google creates People Also Ask boxes by compiling common queries that users ask about a topic. This means, in general, PAA questions are great ways to add topical relevance to your content, and they can be a great source of long-tail keywords.

You can find them on almost any keyword if you type it into your browser.

5. Examine the Google Search Console performance report

Search Console performance report data is powerful. It shows you all of the queries that your content is ranking on, which shows you how Google understands what your content is about. If you see keywords that are irrelevant to your content, you’ve confused Google, and you should rewrite it.

Taking this further, Google might rank your content on relevant keywords that don’t appear in the text itself. This happens more often than you think because Google analyzes the context of your content to determine its meaning . If Google believes your content answers a user query that isn’t explicitly mentioned, you’ll see unexpected queries in the Queries report.

Use this to your advantage.

Carefully review the report, starting from the bottom, with the aim of finding keywords that are tangentially related to your content. Don’t worry if the query is getting relatively few impressions. These tangentially related queries are often long-tail keywords that can be used to increase the relevance of a piece of content. If a particular query doesn’t fit into the content you’re analyzing, consider creating a new piece of content and include an internal link back to the original content.

For instance, in an article about situational awareness exercises, Search Console displays queries like:

• Challenges in achieving situational awareness
• Situational awareness training in the workplace
• Quotes about situational awareness

How to integrate long-tail keywords into your content

As we’ve mentioned before, there are, in essence, two approaches to integrating long-tail keywords into your content:

• Optimize existing content
• Create new content

1. Optimize existing content

As mentioned, adding long-tail keywords to your existing content is likely to improve the relevance of your content – but that’s not the entire story.

Understanding the user intent behind each keyword is vital to your content’s relevance.

This might mean targeting multiple but related user intents in your long-form pieces of content. Be aware that if you do target different intents, you should create a new section in your content and should try to include the query in the header.

For instance, if you were writing a blog post that answers the query ‘ dog obedience training, ’ you can add sections that answer long tail keywords like:

• stop dog from jumping on people
• teach dog not to bark excessively
• leash training for dogs
• housebreaking a new puppy
• how to stop dog from chewing furniture
• puppy socialization and obedience training

Since each of these keywords represents a user question that needs to be answered, you should include the query in a header and answer that query in the body text.

2. Create new content

New long-tail keyword content that you create should ideally be used to support your short-tail or pillar content, meaning – when you plan this content – you need to think about your content hierarchy.

Ask yourself:

• What topical cluster is this page supporting?
• Where does this content fit on your topical map?

This is important as you should already be planning your internal links and site architecture. The best way to do this is to mention these long-tail keywords in your pillar content briefly and then link out to the long-tail, more specified content.

Not only does this give readers the option to click through to find out more about a topic, but it will show search engines that these pages are related. You should also include a link from your long-tail pages back to your pillar page.

The best keyword data for the best SEO strategy

The key to finding the right long-tail keywords is to have the right keyword data. A high-quality keyword research tool will help you find a large volume of keywords that:

• Covers every aspect of your topic
• Brings your site traffic

Similarweb’s Search 3.0 keyword data combines real-user metrics with powerful SERP data to provide insight into keyword performance (including zero-click searches ), allowing you to target the right keywords for the right audience.

Outrank and outperform your competitors

Get the freshest, most accurate keyword data now.

Long-tail keywords are terms that have a lower search volume and are less competitive. For example, a short-tail keyword is ‘travel deals’, and the long-tail keyword would be ‘summer travel deals in LA’.

Why use long-tail keywords for SEO?

Even though long-tail keywords have low search volumes, they allow you to focus on the keywords that bring in high-quality traffic.

How do I choose long-tail keywords?

You can choose long-tail keywords with SEO tools. Similarweb’s keyword generator tool will collate a list of long-tail keyword suggestions specific to your strategy.

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Long Tail Keywords: How To Find Them + Examples

Learn what long-tail keywords are, how to find them, and how to use them to increase your search traffic.

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What Are Long Tail Keywords?

Long tail keywords examples, benefits of targeting long-tail keywords, how to find long tail keywords, how to use long tail keywords, getting started with your long tail seo strategy.

Long tail keywords are search queries that are longer and more specific than commonly used keywords. They usually contain three or more words that produce more specific results. Long tail keywords have a higher conversion rate but relatively low search volumes and less competition.

They are called “long-tail” because if you plot all the keyword searches on a search demand curve, these would appear at the “long tail” end of the graph, representing less common, more niche search terms.

For example, look at the search demand curve below. Long-tail keywords have low monthly search volume, but when combined, they represent billions of searches per month.

Here are some examples of long-tail keywords to help you understand the concept better. The first column shows very competitive head keywords, and the second column shows long-tail, less competitive keywords but with a very specific intent.

Notice that the long-tail variations include the head keyword and are longer in length.

Here is another example. Let’s take the keyword “SEO”.

This is a very popular keyword, and according to Semrush, it has more than 165,000 exact keyword searches per month. It is also a highly competitive keyword with an average CPC of 14.82 USD.

If you search for this term on Google.com, you will find websites like Wikipedia.org, moz.com, and Google websites in the first positions, making it almost impossible to outrank them with a normal website or blog.

So, if it is impossible to rank for “ SEO ” what is the next step?

You go one step further by adding tails or tails to the existing keyword to narrow your competition.

If you add the word ‘tips’ your keyword now becomes “SEO tips”, which is less competitive than the head keyword (SEO), but it is still very difficult to target.

The top results are dominated by large and well-known websites.

So, what do you do?

Add another word, and it becomes “ SEO tips for beginners ”.

Certainly, the number of people searching for this keyword per month is less compared to “SEO” and “SEO tips,” but the benefits gained from ranking long tail keywords are much more than the traffic difference.

Long-tail keywords are important because they allow you to target niche demographics. These keywords have less competition and a higher conversion rate than head keywords.

Other benefits of using long-tail keywords in your SEO strategy include the following:

Long-tail keywords match the user’s intent – To understand the benefits of long-tail keywords, you need to understand the concept of intent . Put yourself in the searcher’s shoes momentarily while you think about the customer journey.

A section of it might look something like this:

• The prospect becomes aware of their need and searches head keywords to find out more.
• The prospect becomes aware of a potential solution and searches a long-tail keyword with the intent to buy it.

This is a simplified explanation but nicely sums up the idea of intent.

For example, someone looking for ‘SEO’ is probably looking for a broad definition, while someone looking for ‘SEO Services’ intends to buy services from a provider.

For this reason, it’s worth targeting long-tail keywords because the traffic that they bring in is targeted and will be far more likely to convert. The searchers are no longer in the ‘discovery’ mindset. They’re ready to move into buying mode, and even though the volume won’t be as high, it’s well worth it.

Long tail keywords are easier to rank than non-long tail keywords – Provided you have a high-quality website, long tail keywords are easier to rank, especially if you choose low-competition keywords.

There are more long tail keywords than head keywords – There are nowhere near as many head keywords as long tail.

Long tail keywords have higher conversion rates – If you think about it for a second, those users that use long tail keywords to search for something can be considered more targeted because they already made an effort to make their search terms more specific.

If we are talking about ‘buying’ or ‘action’ keywords, those are more likely to convert or perform an action.

Long tail keywords help you build website authority and trust – A first-page ranking of any keyword indicates website authority and trust. One of the ways to get your website ready to target more important keywords is to get as many first placements as you can for long-tail keywords.

Of course, this is not the only factor that will help you build authority, but several first-place placements and a solid SEO strategy can work in that direction.

You will get more traffic than the suggested search volume – The various keyword research tools estimate the traffic you can get if you secure a top position for a specific keyword.

Regarding long tail keywords, their estimates are not 100% correct. This is because the volume for long tail keywords and their sampling are low, so they underestimate.

Here are the most proven techniques for finding long-tail keywords for your website.

• Utilize Google Search Features
• Try ChatGPT or Other AI Tools
• Use Keyword Research Tools
• Find Your Competitor’s Keywords
• Explore Popular Forums
• Try Google Ads Keyword Planner

1. Utilize Google Search Features

You can use certain Google search features to get ideas for long-tail keywords. Although the process is manual, it is still an effective way to understand your niche.

The first feature is the Google Autocomplete . Go to Google and enter your head keyword into the search box. While typing, you’ll get many ideas of related keywords.

Not all suggestions will be long-tail keywords, even though they might be over 4-5 words. The reason is that Google is showing suggestions based on what other people search, and you might end up with very competitive keyword phrases.

The best way to overcome this is to create a list of possible phrases and check their search volume and keyword difficulty using a keyword research tool .

People Also Ask – Another place to look for long-tail keywords is the ‘people also ask’ section. These are usually question-based keywords that are great candidates for targeting with content.

Use the dropdowns to analyze a keyword further and get more suggestions.

Related searches – Another nice Google search feature is the “Related searches”, shown further down the page. Google might show 6-8 searches related to your primary search.

2. Try ChatGPT or Other AI Tools

A faster way to find long-tail keywords is to use ChatGPT or other AI tools (like Google Bard). You can try different prompts to create a list and export them into CSV. You can then import them into a keyword research tool and see which AI suggestions are a good fit.

For example, we’ve asked ChatGPT to create a list of 10 long-tail keywords for “best dog food” and gave us the following suggestions.

We then analyzed them in Semrush. As you can see below, some have low keyword difficulty and a decent monthly search volume, making them ideal long-tail keywords for our campaign.

3. Use Keyword Research Tools

One of the easiest ways to identify long-tail keywords is to use a tool like Semrush or Ahrefs.

In the example below, we’ve used Semrush Keyword Magic Tool to search for “best dog food”. We’ve then selected “Broad Match” and used the “Advanced filters” to show search queries of 4 words or more.

We’ve also used the Keyword Difficulty (KD) filter to show keywords that have less than 40% KD and are thus easier to rank for.

As you can see below, all queries meet all the criteria for long-tail keywords.

4. Find Your Competitor’s Keywords

There is no niche without competition, so finding your competitor’s keywords is a good approach to understanding their tactics and strategies.

You can reverse engineer their rankings and find for which long-tail keywords they rank on Google.

The process is straightforward. You enter a competitor’s domain in a keyword tool and analyze the keyword rankings. You can use the advanced filters to see which long-form queries they rank for and how much traffic they get.

Once you identify these keywords, compare them to your content. Look for gaps where you could create content that’s more detailed, user-focused, or up-to-date. This approach can help you outrank your competitors on specific long-tail queries by offering better or more relevant information.

Remember, it’s not just about matching their keywords but about understanding the intent behind the search and addressing it more effectively in your content.

Here is an example of how to identify long-tail keywords by analyzing the domain of a competitor:

5. Explore Popular Forums

Another way to find question-based queries is by looking at popular forums like Reddit, Quora, or niche-specific forums. When you execute a search on Google, it displays popular questions in the  “Discussions and forums” sections.

A nice trick to find popular questions on individual forums is to perform a search using the “forum name target keyword.” Look at the example below. It shows the most popular Reddit questions related to dog food.

6. Try Google Ads Keyword Planner

Google Ads Keyword Planner

Once you’ve identified a list of long-tail keywords to use in your SEO campaigns, the next step is to incorporate them into your content strategically.

Target Long-Tail Keywords With New Content – Create content targeting each long-tail keyword. Ensure the content aligns with the search intent and addresses your audience’s queries.

For instance, if you have a long-tail keyword like “best organic dog food for allergies,” create content that uses this keyword and provides in-depth insights about organic dog food options, allergy considerations, and nutritional advice.

Group Related Content Into Topic Clusters – After creating content for each long-tail keyword, you can organize these pieces into topic clusters. Clustering helps establish authority on the subject, allows you to rank for head keywords, and enhances the user experience by providing comprehensive information in an organized way.

For example, let’s say you’ve identified several long-tail keywords related to SEO. You can create individual pages targeting each long-tail keyword like “Top Benefits of SEO,” “How Does SEO Work,” and “SEO Tips For Beginners.”

Then, you can create a pillar page titled “SEO Guide” to provide an overview of SEO and link to the cluster pages. Here is a visual representation of how to structure your topic cluster.

Use Keywords In Your Content –  Another essential strategy is to use these keywords in key areas of your content:

• Put the keyword at the start of the headline (and title tag!)
• Use the keyword in the URL.
• Make sure your title is in an H1 tag
• Use the keyword throughout your H2 subheadings
• Use the keyword in the first 100 words
• Use a few variations of the keyword throughout the body of the article.

What’s the next step you can act on right now?

Pick a head keyword, find the low-hanging long-tail fruit, and get targeting with content or ads that recognize the intent behind the search term .

There is no way to get traffic and good rankings for new or not-so-big websites than working with long-tail keywords. The competition for high-volume keywords is vast, and winning one of the top positions isn’t easy.

The best way to start building a solid website is to consistently provide top-quality content for long-tail keywords to gain rankings and traffic and then gradually move on to more general terms and establish your presence.

Alex Chris is a digital marketing consultant, author, and instructor. He has more than 18 years of practical experience with SEO and digital marketing. Alex holds an MSc Degree in eCommerce and has consulted with Fortune 500 companies in different industries. He blogs regularly about SEO and Digital marketing, and his work has been referenced by leading marketing websites. Connect with Alex on Twitter and LinkedIn .

Keep Learning

Learn how to do keyword research for an eCommerce website. Find which keywords can generate sales for your online shop.

Learn what SEO Keywords are and how to use keywords for SEO to improve your search engine rankings.

Explore what makes a good keyword search volume, including tips on choosing the best keywords for your SEO, looking at factors other than monthly searches.

Anything that people type into a search engine is considered a search term. Learn why they are important and how to differentiate them with keywords.

11 Comments

May 14, 2019 at 12:24 pm

I really love your explanation of Long Tail Keywords Alex. It’s well articulated and will help many bloggers get a clear definition of the words and their SEO implications.

May 14, 2019 at 4:00 pm

Thanks a lot for your nice comment.

All the best Alex

May 12, 2020 at 10:15 am

Excellent article about long tail keywords. Thanks for the post.

June 25, 2022 at 6:44 pm

Thanks for your comment.

September 2, 2021 at 7:37 am

Wonderful post about long-tail keywords. It was helpful to me. Great post sir keep uploading content!

Thanks for your comment. Glad I could help you understand what long tail keywords are.

July 5, 2022 at 5:33 pm

It’s SEO gospel that you use keywords in the title and once every 100 words after that. So do you do that with long-tail keywords? I think it would be overdoing it to keep repeating “SEO tips for beginners.”

July 5, 2022 at 6:22 pm

There is no need to repeat keywords once every 100 words, that’s actually the definition of keyword stuffing. Adding your keywords in key places (title, headings) and a couple of times naturally in the content is enough.

I hope this helps Alex

July 5, 2022 at 7:16 pm

Umm… Yes, actually, that is keyword stuffing. So how often should keywords be used, including the title and headings?

July 5, 2022 at 7:43 pm

I suppose I should mention that I’d like to know how often to do it for 500- and 1000-word pieces.

December 27, 2023 at 1:26 pm

Write naturally for your users and you should be okay. There is no need to overthink this.

Thanks Alex

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How to find long-tail keywords (and why they’re important)

Everybody wants to drive relevant visitors to their website.

One of the best ways to do it is to target long-tail keywords:  specific phrases your audience is already searching for.

In this guide, we’ll take a closer look at:

• What are long-tail keywords
• Why are they important for businesses
• 5 ways to do long-tail keyword research
• What makes a “good” long-tail phrase
• How to target long-tail terms on your website

What are long-tail keywords?

Long-tail keywords are search terms that are more specific (and usually longer) than a standard search query.

They tend to have a higher conversion because the search intent is more straightforward (e.g. a user searching for “best running shoes for kids” is more likely to buy than someone searching for “shoes” ).

The key characteristics of long-tail keywords:

• they consist of more words (which means they are more specific )
• they usually have lower search volume , but also lower keyword difficulty
• they tend to have higher engagement and conversion
• they are responsible for most of the organic traffic (about 70%)

People use long-tail keywords to find specific things online – like you, who likely searched “what is a long-tail keyword” , to find this post. Other examples of long-tail keywords include:

• “best charger for MacBook Pro”
• “how to change a tire”
• “women’s Nike running shoes size 12”

How many words does a long-tail keyword have?

Hands up if you’ve heard this phrase: A long-tail keyword means a phrase 4+ words long.

That’s not entirely accurate; a long-tail keyword just means a more specific search term than another. It doesn’t matter how many words it has.

Let’s put that into context. The phrase “men’s blue swimming cap” is more specific than “swim cap” – that’s what makes it a long-tail term. Granted, the fact it is longer in length is a common factor of a long-tail phrase, but not the defining factor.

Long-tail just means it’s more specific than a standard search term.

Tip: Don’t forget to check out our ultimate guide to keyword research where you’ll find everything about keyword research, inlcuidng a ton of useful tips and a quiz!

Why are long-tail terms important?

We’ve already touched on the fact that long-tail keywords are more specific than standard search terms. This usually means they have more attention invested in the search results and are thinking about doing something with their result.

For example: A person searching for the short-tail term “marketing blog” has much less specific search intent than someone searching for “how to set up a blog for free” .

The latter, long-tail version has more drive. They want to do something – be that start a blog, purchase a domain, or build an email list. The short-tail term is likely just someone searching for very top-level marketing advice.

So, why is this important for your business?

The answer is simple. By targeting these long-tail phrases on your site, you’re attracting people who want to take action , whether that’s:

• purchasing a product
• signing up to an email list
• visiting your brick and mortar store

This is likely to boost your content marketing’s ROI  – especially if you’re able to rank well for popular (and relevant) long-tail keywords.

How to do long-tail keyword research

Now we’re on the same page about what the term “long-tail keyword” is (and why it’s important to your business), it’s time to put the work in to find those you can target on your website. Here’s a simple five-step guide to long-tail keyword research:

1. Find your base term(s)

Let’s start with a simple question: What term best describes your website?

Your answer should be related to your product/service offering, such as “sales software” or “CRM” . This is your base term. (Or terms; you might have a handful depending on how many features or services you offer.)

All of your long-tail keywords span from this base term.

For example: From the base term “CRM” , you could target the following long-tail variations:

• “best CRM for small businesses”
• “how to add contacts into a CRM”
• “HubSpot vs [(YOUR COMPANY)”

Unsure what your base term(s) should be?

Shoot a survey out to your existing customers in their purchase confirmation emails. Ask for one word that best describes you or the word they think of when they see your product/brand.

This is usually your base term – and how people who’ve completed a huge goal (purchasing from you) would describe you.

Remember: Your goal is to attract more people similar to those who already are your customers. Take their input on board.

2. Use Google’s Related Queries feature

Let’s be sure we’re not missing anything by going straight to the horses’ mouth: Google. A suggestion box pops up when you begin typing a question into Google.

Add prefix/suffix to your base term, such as:

• What is (BASE TERM)
• How to (BASE TERM)
• Best (BASE TERM)
• (BASE TERM) for
• Why does (BASE TERM)

Then take a look at those suggestions. Make a note of the long-tail phrases your customers might be searching for:

You can also find long-tail keywords in the People also ask box for that base term:

Another source of related queries on Google’s results page is the bottom panel with related searches:

Tip: If you click on any of the questions in the People also ask box, more new questions will appear.

Both of these methods show you what other questions/search terms people usually search before or after the SERP you’re viewing.

Think about whether you can add these to your target list.

3. Plug the base term into a long-tail keyword research tool

How do you go from those basic one-word phrases to a bunch of long-tail variations?

Head to our keyword finder tool – KWFinder and enter your base term. You’ll see a bunch of related keywords alongside important keyword information, like search volume and a list of competitors currently taking the top spots in a Google search result for that phrase.

Scroll through the list and tick any phrases that are:

• Relevant to your base term
• Likely to be searched by your target customer

Here’s what that looks like for the base term “CRM” :

Besides the main suggestions, you can use the “Autocomplete” or “Questions” tab to show more relevant long-tail keywords containing your seed keyword.

Google limits autocomplete to a maximum of 10, so you’ll need to play around with it to get a decent amount of suggestions. However, KWFinder shows them all in one list:

In the example above, you can see how the base term can be used to find new long-tail keyword opportunities by adding a prefix/suffix – we used the seed keyword “best crm for” .

Alternatively, you can find long-tail keywords using free keyword research tools . However, they only serve as keyword suggestion tools, you don’t get any metrics like search volume or keyword difficulty.

My personal favorite is AnswerThePublic . Follow the same process and plug your base term into the tool. You’ll see a list of popular questions that people search for, containing your base term:

4. Dig through your site’s analytics

You don’t have to start targeting long-tail keywords with a new piece of content from scratch.

Find what you’re already ranking for, and the terms people are searching to find your website, using the performance report inside Google Search Console .

Head to Performance > Google Results , then organize your rankings by position.

Click through until you’re viewing keywords you’re ranking on page two (and beyond) for:

Granted, you’re already ranking for those long-tail terms. But import them back into your long-tail keyword research tool and see what keywords would be worth pursuing (more on that in the next chapter ).

Here’s what that looks like for the keywords from the previous screenshot:

5. Look for long-tail terms in customer feedback

Customer feedback is invaluable to businesses.

Ask yourself: What terms or phrases do your customers ask during the sales process, or after they become a customer? We want more people like them to arrive on our website, solve their problems, and give them a spot on our purchase list.

Tip: Put together a quick survey that you can include in automatic email confirmations.

Ask questions like:

• What were you looking for when you decided to search for a product like ours?
• Which terms did you search for to find us?
• Which piece of content did you read before purchasing?

You might find answers like “I searched for ‘best CRM for small businesses’ ”, or the fact they read your comparison guide before becoming a customer. Whatever you find, plug those terms into a keyword research tool. You might find similar, related phrases you can target to attract more potential customers to your website.

What makes a “good” long-tail keyword?

There are billions of long-tail keywords you could pick from, as you’ll see during the keyword research process.

How do you know which you should hone in on; those with the most value?

Generally, a “good” long-tail keyword considers these three things:

• Popularity (search volume)
• Keyword difficulty

1. Search volume

The search volume of a keyword tells you how many people search for the phrase each month. It’s shown in most long-tail keyword research tools (including KWFinder.)

The tricky part?

A “good” search volume depends on the industry you’re in. (For example: 3,900 people search for “b2b marketing strategies” versus 450k for “how to lose weight”.)

Generally, for keywords with a search volume of…

• <50: Avoid or group together (unless you’re trying the Keyword Golden Ratio technique)
• 50-250: Group similar terms together
• 250+: Use as a standalone focus keyword

Let’s put that into practice and say you’ve got these keywords with search volumes:

• “Blogging tips for beginners” (10): Merge with similar phrases like “how to start a blog” and “blogging advice” .
• “Grow your email list” (180): Merge with similar phrases like “email list builder” or “ways to grow your email list”.
• “How to start a blog” (116,000): Create a standalone guide to target this long-tail keyword

2. Keyword difficulty

Keyword difficulty is an SEO metric that describes how hard it will be to rank for a specific keyword.

Each phrase has a score out of 100, with the low end indicating it’s easy to rank for it. Keywords on the higher end of the scale indicate you’ll need to put more effort into SEO optimization to rank on page one for.

So, what keyword difficulty score should you aim for?

Just like any SEO answer, the truth is: It depends.

Your approach to this depends on the size and authority of your website.

Smaller sites without much authority should start small with low keyword difficulty. It’s low-hanging fruit – there aren’t many other websites trying to rank for the term, so it should be relatively easy.

Large sites with SEO weight can start tackling the phrases with a medium/high difficulty score. They’ve already built some trust with Google, and they’re able to outrank some of the competition, so it’s more likely they’ll rank well for the term…

3. Relevance

If you don’t offer a product/service that someone searching a long-tail keyword would be interested in, don’t pick it.

Sounds obvious, right? But it can be harder than it sounds.

For example: If you’re a car mechanic, “why isn’t my AC working ” is a more relevant long-tail keyword than “how to become a car mechanic” –  even though the latter is an exact-match term.

The first is something a potential customer would search for. The latter is likely being searched by a student who doesn’t need a service the mechanic offers, so it doesn’t make sense to target it on your website.

You’re able to find this by taking a look at what Google already thinks a keyword means, and the companies behind each spot.

Search your long-tail keyword and analyze the top results for it.

Let’s look at that using the “why isn’t my AC working” long-tail keyword example:

The three organic results are from home service companies that offer this as a service.

Plus, we can see that two of the high-ranking results are question-based; the other is a listicle. Consider following the same format with content. (Those formats are ranking well for a reason.)

Now, let’s take a look at how to work with the search intent…

How to use your long-tail keywords

You’ve whittled down your list of long-tail keywords, and are confident that your ideal visitors are searching for them.

The next step is using them on your website. This tells Google that you’re talking about something related to that long-tail keyword, increasing your chances of ranking well for it.

Tip: Never try to use the keywords artificially in your content only to rank for them. Google is clever enough to find out. Instead of keyword stuffing , write the best content on the topic and write naturally.

Use the focus keyuword wisely in the main elements (like title, heading, paragraphs, alt text ) but don’t forget about the common sense. If you focus on a super long-tail keyword like “the best content management system for small businesses” it would be unnatural to use it 5x in a short blog post.

We talk about the focus keyword optimization in our guide to on-page SEO .

Think about search intent

The biggest mistake when you’re targeting long-tail keywords is to assume a blog post is the answer. All you need to do is pick your term, write a 1,000-word post and publish it to your blog, right?

Not necessarily.

The absolute first step in targeting your long-tail keywords is to decide on the type of content you’ll use, based on the intent behind the phrase.

Search intent describes the motivation of the person searching for the term. It can tell you how to package your content, and is usually broken into four categories – know, go, do, and buy – as explained by Google :

Here are some long-tail keyword examples alongside the search intent, and the content you might create for each:

1. I want to buy

Example: “men’s black vans sneakers discount”

Long-tail keywords that are specific to a product or service, like the example above, show a searcher’s intention to buy.

They usually consist of a (PRODUCT/SERVICE)  +

They’re probably not looking for a blog post that collates the best shows, so in this case, it’d be best to target the phrase on your product page. This is where you want people searching this term to end up, and likely the best way to give them what they’re looking for.

2. I want to go

Example:  “best Chinese food in LA”

Location-based long-tail keywords show an intention to go somewhere. Again, the ideal place for these keywords might not always be a blog post.

For example: If you think you offer the best Chinese food in LA, add this to your homepage or title tag.

But what if you’re a food blogger without a physical restaurant in LA for people to visit? In this case, you could create a round-up of best restaurants to rank for that term.

The searcher wants to go somewhere; they’re looking for information that gets them there. Tie this in with the product or service you offer.

3. I want to know

Example: “what’s the best CRM for small businesses”

The person searching for this keyword wants to find the best solution for their problem. They want to compare different CRM software, so a comparison guide is likely to help them get what they need to know.

Put together a comparison post that compares your CRM to other popular options. What features do you have that they don’t? How does your pricing compare? How many team members are allowed an account?

These are all questions the searcher would likely be interested in when searching for “what’s the best CRM for small businesses.” If you can answer all of them in one comprehensive guide, there’s no reason why you couldn’t impress Google and potential customers.

4. I want to do

Example: “how to train for a hike”

This person – or anyone searching for “how to…” –  wants advice on doing something.

They’re high on the sales funnel and don’t necessarily have an intention to purchase a product even if you’re recommending one in the content.

So, you could package your advice in an easy-to-digest piece of content, such as a:

• detailed step-by-step guide
• video tutorial

Group similar long-tail terms keywords

What happens if you’ve got a list of long-tail keywords that all have the same intent, similar search volumes, and ask the same question?

Creating a single post for each long-tail keyword wouldn’t make any sense.

Let’s put that into practice. The long-tail keywords “how to set up a blog” , “how do I start my own blog ” and “how to create a free blog ” all have a similar intent.

If you were to target them with three separate blog posts, you’d likely use all three terms in each piece. Because you’ve got three pages essentially discussing the same topic, Google wouldn’t know which to rank highly – so all three are pushed down.

However, if all three terms were bundled together in a single blog post, Google knows exactly what they should rank you for.

Their LSI algorithm works by finding relevant terms to the page’s main keyword. If they can find multiple related long-tail keywords in a single post, it increases the chances of ranking for more long-tail phrases.

Improve keyword rankings on already-published pages

Remember how earlier, we mentioned you don’t need to start from scratch when doing keyword research? You can dig through your Google Search Console data to see what you’re already ranking on page two (and beyond) for.

A similar concept applies to content creation; you don’t need to create a brand new blog post for each long-tail keyword you’ve already got on your list … Especially if you’re already ranking for it.

Here’s what that looks like for Mangools’ SEO guide . It covers the basic terms like “what is SEO”   but has a separate section targeting the long-tail keyword “how can I learn SEO ”:

And here’s the SERP for that keyword:

So, instead of creating a brand new blog post, edit the page’s content to reference the new long-tail term. This can be as simple as adding a short section answering the question.

But because Google knows you’re answering that on a page about a relevant topic, there’s a high chance they’ll bump up your rankings for that phrase.

There are hundreds of long-tail keywords your audience is searching for.

Follow the steps we’ve shared in this guide to find them, then start targeting them on your website to tell Google (and your customers) that your information is valuable to anyone searching for them.

You’ll soon start to see steady growth in organic traffic.

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Three good reasons to target long tail keywords!

Seasoned professionals in the arena of online marketing know it's clever to use keywords that target potential customers who are "late" in the buying cycle. So, how do you find out what these keywords are? ...and why are they so important?

In professional terms, what we are talking about here is the concept of targeting so-called long tail keywords.

Long tail keywords are those three and four keyword phrases which are very, very specific to whatever you are selling. You see, whenever a customer uses a highly specific search phrase, they tend to be looking for exactly what they are actually going to buy. In virtually every case, such very specific searches are far more likely to convert to sales than general generic searches that tend to be geared more toward the type of research that consumers typically do prior to making a buying decision.

To help illustrate this phenomenon, let's take a look at the typical step-by-step buying path that a customer travels on the way to a making a purchase.

• Consumer becomes aware of a product.
• Consumer seeks information about that product in preparation for possible purchase.
• Consumer evaluates alternatives to product (features, pricing, etc...).

Consumer makes their purchase decision.

• Consumer pulls out their credit card and completes the transaction.
• Consumer then evaluates the product after buying it and decides if they want to keep or return it.

Using the above six step path to a purchase as our model, you can probably already see that you want to target the consumer who is somewhere around step four...

...because once they have made their decision to buy something, that's when they start using very specific search phrases to seek out their target purchase.

Now for the good news...

Highly specific multi-word phrases tend to be far easier to rank well for than the more generic single keyword or double keyword phrases.

Here's a specific example. Let's say your site sells guided mountain climbing tours in California. At first, you might consider targeting a generic phrase like travel . After all, an adventure tour is generally the type of excursion people like to participate in while traveling on vacation.

However, if you tried to go after that phrase, you'd be facing direct competition from big sites like Yahoo.com, CNN.com and Travelocity.com. It's unlikely you'd be able to knock any of those sites out of the top ten unless you're willing to invest a pile of money and a mountain of time.

But, even more importantly, travel isn't the best phrase for you to target anyway. That's because many people who search using that phrase are looking for items such as plane tickets, ocean cruises or just doing very general research on where they might like to go. They're probably not saying to themselves...

"I'm looking for someone who sells guided tours for beginners to climb Mount Shasta so I can take my family on a fun trip this summer."

If they were, they'd be entering something other than travel.

Even if you were to target a more specific phrase like mountain climbing you'd still be up against heavy hitters like About.com, Wikipedia.org, and the USDA forest service. And, unless you sell everything related to mountain climbing for every mountain around the world, the traffic you'd get for that keyword isn't likely to convert to many sales.

So let's look at some of the keywords that are specific to what you're selling — keywords that you can start ranking for and generating traffic and sales right away.

Here are a few highly specific keyphrases that relate to customers who are much later in the buying cycle — at least at step three, probably at step four and possibly step five:

• california mountain climbing tours
• beginner mountain climbing in california
• guided mountain climbing tours
• mount shasta family climbing tours

Of course, these are just a few examples. I'm sure you could think of many more. However, the point is twofold;

• The long tail keywords are much easier to rank for.
• People who search by using long tail keywords are far more likely to become buyers!

More good news...

Of course this suggests that you should be creating pages that zero in on snagging searchers who use long tail keywords. And, since there are potentially so many different long tail combinations that searchers may use to buy what you offer, that means you'll likely be creating more pages.

Well, the goods news is that Google likes sites that have more pages . It makes the site look more substantial, more natural, and even more real in the eyes of the world's most popular search engine. Bear in mind that your "unique" pages need only be variants of your main offering(s) but focused on a specific long tail niche.

Therefore, each and every page will have a unique title, description meta tag, h1 header tag, and body content that emphasizes your offering by using the long tail keyword that you choose for each specific page. It isn't rocket science, but it sure does work well to snag consumers at the optimum stage of the buying process!

So, instead of focusing on just two or three highly competitive general keywords, target the dozens or even hundreds of easy-to-rank-for long tail keywords.

Also bear in mind, however, that the downside of focusing too much effort on the long tail is, if you target phrases which are too specific, you might not get enough traffic to sustain your business. That's why it's best to have:

• a few pages sending you large amounts of less targeted traffic, and
• a large number of pages with each sending you small amounts of highly targeted traffic.

But overall, it's best to think of it this way; would you rather rank for one keyword which sent you 1000 visitors a day or 200 keyphrases, half of which sent you 1 buyer a day ?

After you do the math you'll see that 100 buyers are much better than 1000 site visitors who are only doing research. And there is no question that the use of ultra-specific keywords demonstrate a greater intent to buy on the part of the customer. This simply leads to more sales which is, of course, what you are really after.

There's just no substitute for research

In the end there is no substitute for doing your keyword research and determining which keywords have enough traffic to make them worth going after. And this effort must be dovetailed with doing your competitive intelligence research to determine which keywords you'll be able to rank for based on the sites you'd have to compete against.

Of course, Wordtracker is the hands-down best place to find a huge list of related keywords as well as learn how much traffic each is likely to provide your site. For many of the sites we manage, at least half of our customer traffic comes from these longer, more specific phrases — and such traffic tends to convert at a much higher level than generic one or two-word keyword phrases.

So, now you have the tools it takes to get...

• easier rankings
• higher sales conversions
• and many more pages indexed in Google

...all of which will certainly lead to a much more profitable bottom line!

Looking for long-tail keywords?

Wordtracker's long-tail tool will help you:

• Find more of the three and four keyword phrases which are very, very specific to whatever you are selling.
• Dig much deeper into the long tail of a primary phrase: for every search, Wordtracker gives you 1,000 keywords.
• See competition data for each keyword, enabling you to cherry-pick the most promising keywords.

Subscribe to the Keywords tool and you'll get the best service and support available, including:

• Live chat or a call with a member of our knowledgeable support team
• Free online training videos
• A wealth of how-to articles and advice in our free Wordtracker Academy

Here's what top online marketers are saying:

"In just two and a half years, we've seen well over a 150% increase in traffic. The more traffic we get, the more subscriptions we sell. Wordtracker is a fundamental tool. The data that's available gives you a better insight than ever before into your audience."- Dan Roberts, Senior Analyst, Hearst Publications

"One of my favorite keyword tools is Wordtracker. For most any term, it gives you 200-300 related words and phrases that real people have recently typed into search engines. Wordtracker gives you profitable keywords you'd never have thought of on your own."- Perry Marshall, best-selling author and leading authority on Google advertising

Get a free 7-day trial

A subscription to Wordtracker's premium Keywords tool will help you to:

• Generate thousands of relevant keywords to improve your organic and PPC search campaigns.
• Optimize your website content by using the most popular keywords for your product and services.
• Research online markets, find niche opportunities and exploit them before your competitors.

Take a free 7-day trial of Wordtracker’s Keywords tool  

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Long-Tail Keywords: What They Are And How To Use Them For SEO

Including long-tail keywords in your SEO strategy is key to effective keyword research . Targeting long-tail keywords is vital because they don't need high domain authority or thousands of backlinks to rank well in search engines. I'll show you what long-tail keywords are and how to choose the correct long-tail phrases for your content marketing strategy.

• Long-tail keywords are phrases that have at least 3-5 words and usually have low search volume. These phrases are more specific and have higher search intent than short keyword phrases.
• Long-tail keywords tend to be less competitive and have higher business value because they indicate transactional user searches.
• There are several ways you can find and analyze long-tail keywords - from using SEO tools to Google Search Console, and even your competitors' pages.

What are long-tail keywords?

Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific search phrases, usually with relatively low search volumes. They are typically at least 3-5 words long, and often have higher conversion intent.

Adding keyword modifiers to long-tail keywords helps narrow down how specific and targeted they are. Keyword modifiers are words that you add to your seed keyword for a more precise search.

For example, "jeans" is a broad head term but "black skinny jeans for women" is a long-tail keyword query with modifiers. Or take "Abraham Lincoln" and turn it into a long-tail keyword with "Abraham Lincoln birthplace."

It's important to understand that all search terms with 3-5 words aren't long-tail keywords. Long-tail keywords must constitute a more specific search intent.

So-called head keywords invite the most search traffic and are difficult to rank for because every web page is going after them. Medium-tail keywords are more specific and generate a decent amount of monthly traffic. Long-tail keywords in comparison, have the lowest monthly search volume and are hence, easier to rank for since most websites want to focus on keywords with large search potential.

The graph below depicts how keyword length impacts search volume.

But the number of long-tail searches is the highest because of keyword modifiers that can generate many of them. The overwhelming majority of 95% of the keywords researched online have a search volume of up to 10, according to Ahrefs.

Long-tail queries generate a limited amount of traffic but can add up because many people are still searching for them. This way, you can rank for less competitive keywords while still reaching your target audience.

Your content strategy should target keywords with low search volumes rather than only trying to compete for more popular queries. The purpose of choosing these keywords is to find niche queries that are lower down the buyer's journey and have high commercial search intent.

Why are long-tail keywords important for keyword research?

Your keyword research process should consider all search opportunities; however, long-tail phrases should always be a part of a comprehensive keyword strategy . Below, I will discuss two main reasons why long-tail keywords are important .

Long-tail keywords are less competitive

long-tail keywords are easier to rank in the search results for several reasons. First of all, there's an infinite number of them. In every niche, you can find several of them with relatively low search volume but still generate relevant traffic that can add up.

As opposed to short and medium tail keywords, they aren't targeted by companies with lots of resources to create content. For example, using Keyword Surfer, we can find that there are 2900 monthly searches for the broad keyword "learn SEO' in the USA.

A long-tail keyword variation of the same term, " learn SEO for free " has only 320 searches.

Long-tail keywords also have lower keyword difficulty scores. Keyword difficulty can be helpful in judging how hard it would be to rank for a specific search query.

In Surfer's Keyword Research tool , you can see the MSV (monthly search volume) and personalized keyword difficulty for every keyword. Considering both metrics together can be useful in judging your potential to rank for a particular keyword.

For example, the broad-level keyword "best instrument" has a medium keyword difficulty and an MSV of 1020.

Whereas a long-tail keyword like "musical instrument for 5 year old" has a much lower search volume but an easy keyword difficulty rating.

This tells us that pages targeting a head term are more challenging to rank for than long-tail variations.

It's important to note that not all long-tail keywords will be easy to rank for. For example, phrases like "how to buy bitcoins" are popular competitive search queries even though they are long-tail keywords.

It would be challenging to rank them. Alternatively, long-tail keyword phrases are much better to target, such as "ways to buy bitcoin" or "how cryptocurrency wallet works."

Long-tail keywords have higher business value

Broad keyword searches tend to result in generic content which is fine if you are looking for general information. However, users looking to make a purchase have already acquired basic information and want to seal the deal. 

Long-tail keywords are more likely to reflect commercial search intent , meaning that the person using such phrases wants to buy something. And most of the time, the person already knows what they're searching for.

Using the Keyword Research tool, we can see this in practice. For example, the generic search term "what instrument should I play" has informational search intent; folks here are looking for general information early in their buying journey.

A more specific ask, "best ways to learn guitar" signals a more aware potential customer investigation from someone who has identified their choice of instrument and is closer to taking action.

You can pick up clues from the SERPs too. For example, if someone wants to buy an iPhone, they probably already know exactly which one they like and would search for "iPhone 14 pro max 128Gb deep purple" rather than just "iPhone 14." to finalize the transaction.

While the search results for "iPhone 14 pro max 128Gb deep purple" are dominated by e-commerce stores, the query "iPhone 14" generates articles like release date announcements or reviews.

How to find long-tail keywords

Long-tail keywords that are worth targeting can be tricky to find. Below you'll find tips for identifying long-tail keywords that support your SEO strategy.

1.Use Surfer Keyword Research Tool

When you want to generate any keyword ideas, it's worth taking help from keyword research tools. Surfer Keyword Research, for example, provides semantically related keyword suggestions and organizes them by topic clusters to make finding long-tail keywords easier.

Let's take an example to see how it works in real life. Let's say you want to create content around the keto diet , and this is the keyword you put in Surfer Keyword Research. 

Surfer will provide you with dozens of related keyword clusters grouped by their head topic, such as "keto for vegans" or "keto fruits."

Select any generated keyword cluster for a detailed view to uncover long-tail keywords related to the main keyword. For example, clicking on the keyword cluster for "keto fruits" reveals many long-tail keyword ideas.

As you can see, these queries are much more specific – they are long-tail keywords. You can also see that most of them have lower search volume than their primary keywords. The Keto diet is a highly competitive niche; hence the keyword difficulty is still challenging for long-tail terms.

Since each keyword cluster is a topic by itself, you can use them to create pillar pages and topically related supporting content. In addition, all the supporting keywords in a topic cluster are linked to each other and the parent topic, establishing topical authority .

2.Find keywords your competitors are ranking for

Analyzing the competition can be a great way to find long-tail keywords. Such analysis can reveal phrases that your competitors rank for but you don't. 

Use a tool like Surfer Audit to find long-tail keywords your competitors use on an existing page. For example, say you want to write an article about the head term "choose enterprise CMS" and Webflow already has a page on the keyword.

Enter the page URL and its primary keyword.

Click Create Audit after selecting your country and device preference.

Then go to the Terms To Use section and choose Phrases to reveal a report that lists long-tail keywords for the page.

You can also find keywords used by your competitors by analyzing the search engine results with Surfer SERP Analyzer .

Just enter your primary keyword.

On the report, scroll past the graph to click on the new Keywords tab. You'll find a list of long-tail keywords here.

Clicking on the Popular phrases report will show you several long-tail terms grouped by your competitors' pages in the search rankings.

3.Use Google Search Console

Google Search Console is the best tool to monitor the keywords your content is ranking for. After all, the data comes straight from Google, so you can safely assume it's the most accurate. 

After setting up Google Search Console for your domain, go to Performance > Search Results in the left menu. In the Queries tab, you can see a list of keywords your content already ranks for. 

You can sort them by the descending number of clicks or impressions to uncover the most searched queries your content appeared for in the SERPs. Use the Top queries filter and tap your spacebar once to find the most long-tail keywords you rank for.

You'll find many long-tail keywords for which your pages already appear in search engines. Using these, you can find even more similar long-tail topics to add to your content writing .

For example, if your pages already rank for "intercultural communication practices," you can add modifiers to find similar long-tail keyword variations. Examples like "why is intercultural communication important" or "cultural differences in communication."

4.Use Google's SERP data

It's always worth checking out the SERP data . In the case of long-tail keywords, pay attention to People also ask , as questions are great long-tail keyword material. 

Also, look at the Related searches section at the bottom of the page. For example, if you research the term "learn SEO," you'll find the "SEO free course with certificate" in the related searches section, which is already a long-tail keyword.

Some folks recommend looking at Google autocomplete ; however, they are primarily broad-level competitive terms. In addition, because the feature is designed to give you quick access to popular search queries, these terms will have high search volumes and keyword difficulty.

Google autocomplete serves the same terms to many people, so these queries are more competitive than other long-tail keywords.

5.Browse forums and online communities

It's helpful to have a hand on the pulse of your audience and know which terms they use. Forums often provide insights into what terms people are using to search for specific topics. This can help you identify opportunities to use those same phrases so your content resonates with potential customers.

By joining conversations in these spaces, you can find long-tail keywords for your website or blog. Online forums and communities like Reddit or Quora will help you extract popular questions and common phrases to use as your long-tail keywords. It's also worth checking out Facebook groups, social media, and comment sections as well as websites like Ask The Public and Wikipedia.

By reading through comments, feedback and discussion threads, it is possible to gain a better understanding of what people really think about those topics. This can help you decide how to craft content around those terms accordingly.

6.Talk to Customers

People often research the solutions to their problems on the internet, and their questions are great long-tail keyword material. Pay attention to the most common terminology in support tickets and sales queries to find specific long-tail keywords for your web pages.

Talking to customers is essential to content research and strategy. It will help you understand customers' needs and preferences better, which can influence product development and marketing campaigns. By engaging with customers directly, businesses can also gain valuable insights into what type of content resonates best with their audience.

Long-tail keywords and short-tail keywords

Here are several areas in which long-tail keywords differ from short-tail keywords.

Low search volume vs. high search volume

Short-tail keywords generally have high search volumes. For example, the keyword "Facebook group" has a monthly search volume of 12,100, according to the Keyword Surfer Chrome extension. On the other hand, the phrase "how to create a group on Facebook mobile" has 90 monthly searches.

High business potential vs. low business potential

Targeting long-tail keywords with purchase search intent can make a massive difference in conversions. For example, a search for "kindle" generates rankings, reviews, and even book recommendations. However, the phrase "kindle paperwhite 5 signature edition" shows mostly e-commerce stores.

Low competition vs. high competition

Long-tail keywords, in comparison to short-tail keywords, are less competitive. This is because companies with lots of resources efficiently target short keyword phrases. There are also much fewer of them than long-tail keywords.

If you look at the search term "healthy food," you'll see that it has 246,000 MSV and the first page includes mostly renowned magazines or government sites. However "healthy food eating chart" has only 40 MSV, and the SERP consists mainly of blog posts, so it would be easier to rank for.

Specific search queries vs. generic search terms

Short-tail queries are more generic than long-tail keywords. As a result, they don't provide a lot of information. For example, if you type in "protein powder" in the search bar when you want to, you probably won't find what you're looking for quickly. 

Instead, search for "vegan protein powder" to see relevant results. These longer phrases are much more specific and help you find the answer you're looking for.

Unlike other SEO trends , finding long-tail keywords are crucial to a keyword research process that brings results. All too often, head terms grab the attention because they are the most popular. But everyone is going after them, and unless you have a ton of resources - they can be tough to rank for.

Instead, build your SEO strategy around targeting long-tail keywords that are easier to rank for and can help boost your conversion rates because of higher user intent. Then, as your blog grows in stature and you notice more first-page rankings, aim for keywords higher in the buyer funnel.

Let me know which keyword strategy you prefer and why in the comments below. 

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How to Effectively Conduct Keyword Research for Long-Tail Keywords

Are you tired of seeing your website buried in the depths of search engine results? It's time to give your online presence a boost by understanding the power of long-tail keywords. These hidden gems have the ability to drive targeted traffic to your site and skyrocket your search rankings.

But how do you effectively conduct keyword research to unveil these elusive phrases? Fear not, because we're here to guide you through the ins and outs of finding those precious long-tail keywords that will unlock the full potential of your online success. So grab your detective hat and let's dive into the world of keyword research!

Understanding Long-Tail Keywords

Understanding long-tail keywords is crucial for effective keyword research . These keywords are longer and more specific phrases that target niche topics and have lower search volume. They are important because they help businesses reach highly targeted audiences and improve conversion rates.

For example, instead of targeting "running shoes," a long-tail keyword could be "men's trail running shoes for flat feet." By incorporating these keywords into your content and SEO strategy, you can attract more qualified traffic and increase the chances of converting visitors into customers. Remember to focus on relevance and user intent when selecting long-tail keywords.

Importance of Keyword Research for Long-Tail Keywords

Increased relevance and targeted traffic.

Using long-tail keywords in keyword research can lead to increased relevance and targeted traffic. Long-tail keyword s are specific phrases that have lower search volume but higher conversion rates. By incorporating these keywords into your content, you can attract users who are actively searching for a particular product or service.

For example, instead of targeting "running shoes," you can use a long-tail keyword like "women's trail running shoes with arch support." This way, you narrow down your audience to those who are more likely to convert. By focusing on long-tail keywords, you can improve the effectiveness of your SEO strategy and drive relevant traffic to your website.

Lower Competition and Cost-Effective Advertising

When conducting keyword research, it is important to consider long-tail keywords . These keywords are more specific and typically have lower competition. This means that it is easier to rank for long-tail keywords and attract relevant traffic to your website.

Additionally, advertising with long-tail keywords tends to be more cost-effective as the competition for these terms is lower, resulting in lower advertising costs.

For example, if you are selling running shoes, targeting the long-tail keyword "best long-distance running shoes for women" will likely yield better results and cost less than targeting the broader keyword "running shoes."

Improved Conversion Rates and User Intent

Improving conversion rates and user intent is a crucial aspect of keyword research. By targeting long-tail keywords, you can attract highly motivated users who are more likely to convert. Long-tail keywords are more specific and less competitive than generic keywords, allowing you to better match user intent.

For example, rather than targeting "running shoes," you could focus on "women's trail running shoes with arch support." This not only improves your chances of attracting relevant traffic but also increases the likelihood of users taking the desired action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter.

Step-by-Step Guide to Conducting Keyword Research for Long-Tail Keywords

Define your goals and target audience.

Before diving into keyword research for long-tail keywords, it's crucial to define your goals and target audience. This step will help you identify the specific keywords that will be most relevant and useful for your content. For instance, if your goal is to attract more organic traffic to your blog, you need to understand who your target audience is and what they are searching for.

By knowing your audience's interests, demographics, and pain points, you can tailor your keyword research to effectively reach and engage them. This will ensure that your content aligns with their needs and helps you achieve your goals.

Understanding the Purpose of Your Website

Understanding the purpose of your website is vital. It determines what your website aims to achieve and who it caters to. By knowing your purpose, you can tailor your content and design to meet the needs of your target audience.

For example, if your purpose is to sell products, your website should be designed to showcase your products and drive conversions. On the other hand, if your purpose is to provide information, your website should focus on delivering valuable and educational content. Understanding your website's purpose allows you to align your goals with your audience's expectations, leading to a more effective and successful website.

Identifying Your Target Audience

Identifying your target audience is vital for effective keyword research. Understanding who you are targeting will help you choose the right long-tail keywords to reach them. Start by creating buyer personas, detailed profiles that represent your ideal customers. Consider their demographics, interests, and pain points. Use tools like Google Analytics or social media insights to gather data about your existing audience. Analyze this information to identify common characteristics and preferences.

For example, if you sell fitness products, target fitness enthusiasts who prefer home workouts or seniors looking for low-impact exercises. Knowing your target audience ensures your keyword research is precise and helps you create content that resonates with them.

Brainstorm Seed Keywords

To begin your keyword research for long-tail keywords, it's important to brainstorm seed keywords. Seed keywords are the foundation of your research and act as a base for generating more specific and targeted long-tail keywords. By brainstorming seed keywords related to your topic, you can uncover new keyword ideas and potential niches to focus on.

For example, if your topic is "healthy recipes," some seed keywords could be "easy healthy recipes," "quick healthy meals," or "low calorie dishes." These seed keywords will then serve as a starting point for expanding your keyword list and optimizing your content.

Identifying Broad Themes and Topics

• Begin by conducting thorough research to understand your target audience and their interests.
• Analyze existing content in your niche to identify common themes and topics that resonate with your target audience.
• Look for patterns and recurring keywords within popular articles, blog posts, social media discussions, and customer feedback.
• Use keyword research tools to identify long-tail keywords related to these broad themes and topics.
• Long-tail keywords can help you discover specific subtopics that may have less competition, allowing you to target a more specific audience.
• Use these broad themes and topics as a foundation for creating valuable and engaging content that meets the needs and interests of your target audience.

Using Tools to Generate Initial Keyword Ideas

One of the first steps in conducting keyword research for long-tail keywords is to use tools that can generate initial keyword ideas. These tools provide valuable insights into what people are searching for, helping you identify relevant keywords to target.

For example, keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush Keyword Magic Tool, and Moz Keyword Explorer can provide a list of related keywords along with important metrics like search volume and competition. By exploring these suggestions, you can uncover unique, specific, and less competitive long-tail keywords that have the potential to drive targeted traffic to your website.

Expand Your Keywords with Long-Tail Variations

When conducting keyword research, it's important to consider long-tail variations. These are longer and more specific keyword phrases that target a niche audience. By expanding your keyword list to include long-tail variations, you increase the chances of attracting highly targeted traffic to your website.

For example, instead of targeting the broad keyword "running shoes," you could also include long-tail variations like "best lightweight running shoes for women" or "affordable running shoes for beginners." This helps you reach users who are more likely to convert into customers or take the desired action.

Using Keyword Research Tools to Identify Long-Tail Keywords

Keyword research tools are invaluable for identifying long-tail keywords. These tools provide data on search volume, competition, and variations of keywords. By analyzing this data, marketers can uncover specific and niche keywords that have lower competition but higher conversion potential.

For example, a keyword research tool might reveal that "best noise-cancelling headphones under $100" has a decent search volume yet low competition compared to more generic keywords like "headphones." By incorporating long-tail keywords into their content, marketers can attract highly targeted traffic and improve their chances of converting visitors into customers.

Analyzing Competitor Keywords for Inspiration

Analyzing competitor keywords can provide valuable inspiration for your own keyword research. By examining the keywords that successful competitors are using, you can gain insights into what works in your industry. Look for patterns and common themes among their keywords to identify opportunities and generate new ideas for long-tail keywords.

For example, if you notice that multiple competitors are targeting a specific niche within your industry, you can consider including related long-tail keywords in your strategy. This approach can help you stay competitive and improve your organic search rankings by leveraging the success of others in your industry.

Assess Keyword Metrics and Relevance

When conducting keyword research for long-tail keywords, it is important to assess their metrics and relevance. Metrics like search volume, competition, and cost-per-click can help determine the potential value of a keyword. Relevance, on the other hand, ensures that the keyword aligns with the content and intent of your website.

For example, if you're a fitness blogger, targeting long-tail keywords like "best at-home workout routines" or "healthy meal prep ideas" would be more relevant compared to generic keywords like "fitness" or "nutrition." Assessing these metrics and relevance will enable you to prioritize and target the most beneficial long-tail keywords for your website, ultimately improving your search engine visibility.

Evaluating Search Volume and Competition

To effectively conduct keyword research on long-tail keywords, it is important to evaluate search volume and competition. Search volume helps to identify how often users are searching for a particular keyword or phrase. This information allows you to prioritize and focus on keywords that have a higher search volume, indicating more potential traffic. On the other hand, assessing competition helps to determine the level of difficulty in ranking for a specific keyword.

By analyzing the number andquality of competing websites for a keyword, you can make informed decisions on which keywords to target. For instance, a keyword with high search volume and low competition is generally more favorable for optimizing your content.

Determining Keyword Relevance to Your Content

When determining the relevance of keywords to your content, consider the following:

• Search Intent : Understand what users are looking for when they use specific keywords. Tailor your content to match their intent.
• Content Alignment : Ensure that the keywords you use align with the main theme of your content. Relevance is key to engaging your target audience.
• Topic Coverage : Optimize your long-tail keywords to cover various aspects of the main topic, providing a comprehensive resource for users.
• Competition Analysis : Analyze how your competitors incorporate keywords into their content.

Find ways to stand out by offering a unique perspective or more detailed information.

Remember, relevance is crucial in attracting the right audience and driving organic traffic to your content.

Organize and Prioritize Your Keywords

To effectively conduct keyword research for long-tail keywords, it is crucial to organize and prioritize your keywords. Start by grouping similar keywords together based on relevancy or intent. This will help you identify patterns and themes in your keyword research. Once you have organized your keywords, prioritize them based on their potential impact and relevance to your target audience. Consider factors like search volume, competition, and user intent.

For example, if you have an e-commerce website selling shoes, prioritizing keywords like "affordable running shoes for women" over generic terms like "shoes" can lead to more targeted traffic and conversions. Remember to update and refine your keyword list regularly based on changing trends and market dynamics.

Grouping Keywords into Categories or Themes

Grouping keywords into categories or themes is a fundamental step in long-tail keyword research. By organizing your keywords, you can identify patterns, uncover user intent, and create targeted content. Start by analyzing your keyword list and identifying commonalities or shared characteristics. Group related keywords together based on their topic or meaning.

For example, if you are researching keywords related to gardening, you might group keywords such as "how to grow roses," "best fertilizer for tomatoes," and "container gardening ideas" together. This approach helps you prioritize content creation and ensures you are addressing the specific needs and interests of your target audience.

Prioritizing Keywords Based on Potential Impact

When conducting keyword research for long-tail keywords, it is important to prioritize based on their potential impact. Here are some practical ways to do this:

• Consider search volume : Focus on keywords with higher search volumes as they have the potential to attract more overall traffic to your website.
• Analyze competition : Look at the level of competition for each keyword. Lower competition keywords can offer higher chances to rank well in search results.
• Evaluate relevance : Choose keywords that are highly relevant to your content and audience to ensure you attract quality traffic.
• Assess intent : Understand the search intent behind a keyword. Opt for keywords that align with the goals and objectives of your website.
• Analyze conversion potential : Identify keywords that have a strong likelihood of converting visitors into customers or achieving your desired outcome.

By prioritizing keywords based on their potential impact, you can optimize your long-tail keyword strategy for better results.

Create High-Quality Content Optimized for Long-Tail Keywords

To rank higher in search engine results and attract targeted traffic, it's important to create high-quality content optimized for long-tail keywords. Such keywords are longer and more specific phrases that users typically search for. By targeting these keywords and incorporating them naturally into your content, you can increase the relevance and visibility of your website.

For example, if you have a website about gardening tips, optimizing your content for long-tail keywords like "how to grow tomatoes in small spaces" or "organic pest control for roses" can attract users searching for these specific topics. This approach not only improves your search engine rankings but also ensures that you're providing valuable information to your audience.

Crafting Compelling Headlines and Meta Descriptions

Crafting compelling headlines and meta descriptions is crucial for effective keyword research. A catchy headline grabs the reader's attention and encourages them to click on your page. It should be concise, keyword-rich, and provide a clear preview of what the content offers. Similarly, meta descriptions provide a brief summary of the page's content and entice users to visit. Use action words, relevant keywords, and a sense of urgency to make your meta descriptions compelling.

For example, "Discover the best tips for keyword research and boost your website's visibility in search results." In short, writing engaging headlines and meta descriptions can significantly improve your click-through rates and attract more organic traffic to your site.

Integrating Long-Tail Keywords Naturally in Your Content

• Incorporate long-tail keywords seamlessly to enhance the relevance of your content.
• Use these specific phrases in a way that flows naturally, without compromising the readability or user experience.
• Ensure that the content provides value and answers the user's query, while including long-tail keywords in headings, subheadings, and throughout the body.
• Avoid keyword stuffing and focus on creating high-quality, informative content that resonates with your target audience.
• Conduct thorough research to identify long-tail keywords that align with your content goals.

Monitoring and Refining Your Long-Tail Keyword Strategy

Regularly tracking keyword performance.

Regularly tracking keyword performance is important for effective long-tail keyword research. By monitoring how well your chosen keywords are performing, you can make data-driven decisions to optimize your content strategy. Here's why it matters:

• Identifying high-performing keywords : Tracking keyword performance allows you to identify which long-tail keywords are driving the most organic traffic to your website.
• Refining your keyword strategy : By analyzing the performance data, you can refine your keyword strategy and focus on the keywords that are generating the most conversions or engagement.
• Tracking competitor keywords : Monitoring keyword performance also helps you stay updated on how your competitors are ranking for relevant long-tail keywords, enabling you to adjust your strategy accordingly.
• Adapting to changes : Regular tracking enables you to adapt your keyword strategy quickly in response to shifts in search trends or algorithm updates.

Remember, tracking keyword performance provides valuable insights to improve your long-tail keyword research efforts and achieve better visibility and traffic for your website.

Adapting to Changes in User Behavior and Trends

Adapting to changes in user behavior and trends is vital for effective keyword research. By staying up-to-date and responsive to how users are searching, you can uncover valuable long-tail keywords that connect with your target audience.

For example, the rise of voice search has prompted a shift in keyword strategies towards more conversational and natural language queries. Similarly, the growing popularity of mobile browsing necessitates considering shorter and more concise keywords. By understanding and adapting to these changes, you can optimize your content and stay relevant in an ever-evolving digital landscape.

Experimenting with New Long-Tail Keywords

Experimenting with new long-tail keywords can provide valuable insights and opportunities for improving your keyword research strategy.

• Start by exploring variations and combinations of existing primary keywords to identify potential long-tail options.
• Utilize keyword research tools to find long-tail keywords that have decent search volume and low competition.
• Analyze competitor websites and content to discover long-tail keywords they may be targeting and find gaps to capitalize on.
• Consider user intent when selecting long-tail keywords, ensuring they align with the specific needs and queries of your target audience.
• Monitor and track the performance of your chosen long-tail keywords, making adjustments as needed to optimize your strategy.

Key takeaways

Keyword research is a crucial aspect of SEO strategy, especially when it comes to long-tail keywords. Long-tail keywords are more specific search terms that generally have lower search volumes but higher conversion rates. To effectively conduct keyword research for long-tail keywords, start by brainstorming potential search terms that relate to your content. Utilize keyword research tools to analyze search volumes and competition for these keywords.

Look for keywords with low competition and high relevancy to optimize your content. Long-tail keywords can help drive targeted traffic to your website and improve your overall search engine rankings.

The step-by-step guide to finding good long tail keywords for your business

Lukas Rasmussen

Unlike other SEO activities, keyword research is one of those things that’s worth spending the time upfront. And that’s mainly because for tasks like link building you can actually see the backlinks , track KPIs, and make quick adjustments. Keywords, however, require a longer period to display their full effect, and it might even take a new website some 6 months to properly rank for a keyword. Additionally, although it might not feel like a complicated task to many, it is one of those things that you can easily get wrong without even noticing. But chances are, you won’t rank for most head terms because of the competition. That’s where long tail keywords come in.

Feel confident and want to skip ahead? Use this table of contents to jump to any section of this guide:

• Brainstorming
• Industry-leading websites
• Competitors
• LSI keywords

Ubersuggest

Keywordtool.io, google trends, google suggest.

• Answerthepublic
• Limitations
• Good filters
• Keywords everywhere
• Filtering in Excel
• SERP metrics

Implications of Keyword Research & Using Long Tail Keywords

First off, let’s start by clarifying WHY good keyword research is CRUCIAL to SEO. Here are some of the main implications:

• Mediocre keyword research will only bring you mediocre results
• Poor research will waste you a TON of time (a couple of months best case scenario)
• Strong keyword research will boost all of your other SEO activities
• Proper keyword research brings a unique understanding of your target market and their problems, questions, and ideas
• You will never run out of content ideas if and when you find a good source of keywords
• Proper keyword research helps you present your products and build profitable offers

As you can see, there’s plenty of benefits (or otherwise downsides) of putting in the time for keyword research upfront. Now that we have that covered let’s take your SEO to the next level with these few actionable steps.

1. How to find seed keywords

To have a good search engine optimization process, you need to start by finding seed keywords first. Your task here is to generate a big list of words that are related to your industry. For this guide, we’ll be using an example of a graphic design website. Following these steps, you will see that for many of our tasks, we use free tools. However, for this one, it is critical that you begin by brainstorming. That’s because those tools come with certain limitations that we’ll cover a little later in this section.

Don’t know what seed keywords are? We got you covered. Learn more about what keywords are here .

Brainstorming seed keywords

When brainstorming, it’s important to understand one simple yet core principle – there are no perfect keywords. Everything you come up with that’s somewhat related to your business might help you fill that content gap and gain valuable visitors. If you are having a hard time identifying any, you can insert generic keywords into a keyword research tool to get ideas to work with.

Here’s how:

• Make a new excel document
• In the first column, write down as many one/two-word phrases that are used in your industry
• Save that document as you have to continue adding to it in the next steps

Brainstorming example for our design business:

After that process, it’s time to find some sweet niche terms with the help of a couple of tools and websites. Here are some ideas where you can find words that you could have never thought of:

Amazon – Find head keywords by exploring products related to your niche

Take a look at the description — here you can see that we are able to uncover keywords right away. In this example, I found the seed keyword “ creative thinking ” in the second sentence.

To emulate my success, try:

• Go to amazon.com
• Type in your keyword
• Scan through the products for potential keywords
• Open some of the products
• Read the description
• Add the good keywords you find to the spreadsheet

For additional in-depth research, you can check out the review section and see some of the keywords customers use when they’re communicating.

Clickbank – Search for seed keywords by offers in your niche

Another great source for keywords is Clickbank because of the hot products people might be searching for.

To find the best keywords for you:

• Visit clickbank.com
• Explore the niches (you might find hidden gems in different sections)
• Click on a product and read the description – In this example, I found the keyword “ portfolio ” which I had initially missed out
• Add them to the spreadsheet
• Explore the related products and keep adding keywords

Remember that this is the discovery stage and there are no bad keywords – you will have to confirm them in your research in any case.

Reddit – find a niche subreddit, sort by top & all time

Next up is Reddit. This is an excellent place for finding keywords, and I tend to recommend it every time someone is in need.

To make the most out of Reddit do this:

• Head over to  reddit.com
• Type in your industry in the search bar to the right (“design” in this case)
• Open the Design Subreddit (usually the first one, typically looks like “r/industry”)
• Look through the latest posts – as you can see, I already stumbled upon a great keyword here – “revisions”)
• Now navigate to the top posts and set the date range to “all time” as shown in the image below
• Add them to your list

Immediately, I was able to find what I was looking for — the keywords “ redesign ” & “ poster .”

Lists from industry-leading websites (e.g., list of exercises)

This example might be harder to mimic in your industry, and you’ll probably have to put in some creativity.

This is how you can get started:

• “Your keyword” + list
• List of + “your keyword”
• Types of + “your keyword”
• “Your keyword” + types
• Open one of the websites in the search results
• Read through and mark some good keywords that you find relevant.

For our design example, I searched for “types of graphic design,” and I was able to find “ typography ,” “ layout ,” and “ composition ” right away.

Browsing your competitors’ websites

If you’re just starting out, this step might be harder as you still might not have the full knowledge of who your competitors are. However, if you’ve been in business for some time, this should come naturally.

For this example, I stumbled upon the website Onextrapixel.com which turned out to be a great source of keywords.

Here are the steps to replicate my success:

• “Your topic” + blogs
• Top + “your topic” + blogs
• Open one of the results
• Go through the list and open some of the blogs (tip: good keywords hide where you don’t expect them to be – in other words, don’t judge the book by the cover in this step)
• Read through headlines (and even the posts if you have the time)
• Collect all keywords that seem relevant — I found “ footer ” & “ design thinking ” in my case

Selecting the right competitors for your business is very important. A good rule when you are starting off is to stick to the major websites in your industry.

Seed Keywords Examples

To sum up, here’s the list of keywords I’ve found so far from all types of sources:

• illustration
• color palette
• graphic design
• creative thinking
• footer design
• design thinking

2. Generating Long Tail Keywords From Tools & Main Limitations

Once you have a good list of seed terms, it’s time to generate some long tail keywords. In this step, we’re aiming for quantity rather than quality (this part comes later), and therefore it’s best to utilize a tool to help us out. Because of that, there’s really not that big of a difference when it comes to free vs. paid tools in this step. Where paid tools might prove useful is in the next step where we are going to explore how to filter your keywords effectively.

In this guide, we’re using free  keyword tools which work great, but if you’re a more advanced user feel free to use your own (paid) sources.

Good practice for this step is to look for sources that provide you with keywords appended not only after the seed keyword but also at the beginning because often users will organize the words in different ways when searching.

After getting familiar with these tools, we’re going to look at some of their limitations.

Here are some of the best free tools online:

LSI Keywords

This is an incredibly simple and useful tool.

All you have to do is:

• Visit lsikeywords.com
• Type in your keyword (or keywords – up to 10)
• Select a country
• Select type of keyword you’re after — Long tail in this case
• Click “Generate Keywords”

• Download the list of long tail keywords as either Excel or CSV through one of the buttons in the middle

Some users have experienced issues in the past so make sure you select both the country and type of keyword in any search. Alternatively, if this doesn’t work, try opening the tool in an incognito mode in your browser.

Ubersuggest recently got acquired by Neil Patel who is one of the best digital marketers in the world.

With this makeover, the tool works smoother than ever, and you can generate thousands of keywords in a matter of seconds.

• Go to neilpatel.com/ubersuggest/
• Enter your keyword
• Select the type of resource that the keywords should be extracted from.
• Select a country & language
• Click the white “Look Up” button
• Go to the bottom of the page
• Click the “Export to CSV” button to get a file containing all keywords

Keywordtool.io is a simple and powerful tool for keywords which can be used both as a free or paid version. Similarly to the rest, this tool provides an extensive list of long-tail keywords related to your search query. The only downside, in this case, is that you won’t be able to see search data about the keywords unless you have the paid version.

• Visit keywordtool.io
• Type in your seed keyword
• Select a search engine of choice (or just keep it as Google if you feel intimidated)
• Pick your language
• Click the search icon
• Click the Export All button to the right to get your long tail keywords suggestions (and/or questions)
• Once ready, download them as a spreadsheet

Google Trends is an excellent tool in the sense that it provides you not only with keyword suggestions but also queries that are rising in search volume. This means that you can uncover trending topics for your content strategy that might simultaneously not have a very competitive environment.

• Go to trends.google.com
• Select the country of choice & time range
• Go to related queries right below the map

Most of the tools you find online will offer keyword suggestions based on the Google Suggest queries. That’s because it’s so good – and free. In fact, I am sure you’ve “accidentally” used it in the past when browsing.

• Go to google.com
• Search for your keyword
• Navigate to the bottom of the page
• Collect the search suggestions
• Open some of them and repeat the process

Answerthepublic – Find questions related to your niche

Answerthepublic is a very, very powerful tool. As you already know, search queries are formed differently than everyday writing and speech (if you feel like you’d like to refresh your knowledge on the topic, read chapter X). This tool helps you find some of the most common questions and phrases once you enter your keyword of choice.

• Go to answerthepublic.com
• Click “Get Questions” and hold still for it to load
• Once loaded, scroll down to the first section (don’t get scared — yet)
• Explore the tool by clicking on “Data” in the upper left corner (of each section)
• Once you’re done, you can download the data by clicking on “Download CSV” in the upper right corner

Main limitations of keyword research tools

Now let’s look at some of the main limitations when it comes to using keyword discovery tools:

The main issue with using such tools is the fact that they are limited only to your imagination. This means that if you take the time to brainstorm good keywords, you’re going to get relevant results.

The opposite is also true, and you will find keywords that you expect. In our example of the design blog, looking for suggestions based on “color palette” will return results containing the seed keyword almost exclusively.

For that reason, brainstorming and using tools are actions that should be combined if you want the best results — neither will work on its own.

Two main factors will determine the quality of results you get from research tools:

• you need good seed keywords as a starting point
• you need good filters for your keywords

We already covered the first one. Let’s look at how to set up good filters for your keywords.

3. Setting up good keyword filters for effective research

Don’t know how to set up filters for your keywords correctly? Don’t worry — we got you covered. There’s plenty to be done after reading this sections.

What are good keyword filters in SEO and how to set them up?

Being able to filter and sort out your data properly is a skill you must develop if you want to do effective keyword research for your business. Fortunately, all you have to know to get started is covered in this guide. There are two ways to make use of filters – before and after downloading your keywords. For more advanced users, I always recommend starting by filtering your keywords before you download the spreadsheets because it will save you a ton of time. However, if you’re just getting started, feel free to filter your freshly generated long tail keywords only after downloading. For this guide, we’re looking only into filtering after you download the spreadsheets.

Before we begin, you need to understand what a good keyword looks like so that you can set effective filters.

Two main factors come into play when you’re looking for good keywords:

• You have a chance to rank for that keyword
• It will bring the right people (a.k.a. your target audience)

Keywords Everywhere

Let’s begin by collecting all of our keywords in one place and getting accurate metrics for them.

To do that, we’re using the free tool called Keywords Everywhere:

• Go to this bulk upload page
• Enter all of your keywords (quite speedy processing, go ahead)
• Click on Get Metrics
• Export your file

Sorting in Excel

• Open a spreadsheet with the keywords you just downloaded

• Monthly Volume – Number Filters – Between
• More than 50 searches/mo
• Less than 1000 searches/mo

• Competition – Number Filters – Less Than
• Less than 0.3
• Repeat for all seed keywords you have extracted (the rest of the spreadsheets)

4. Analyzing the Search Engine Result Pages (SERPs)

For this step, you’ll have to use some tools and your intuition. Below you can also find the most important metrics that you need to be looking at if you want to have a guarantee of success.

The Moz Bar

Now continue by installing the MOZ Bar Chrome Extension.

Follow these steps:

• Go to the chrome extension store
• Search for “Moz Bar”
• Install and enable the extension
• Make an account with Moz once you’re prompted
• Search for your keywords
• Look for weak sites – few links, low Page Authority and Domain Authority (see below for explanation) or Pinterest, Quora, Yahoo Answers, etc.

Search Engine Result Page (SERP) Metrics

It’s time to look at the several factors that would help you determine and rank for those potentially successful long tail keywords.

We’ll look at these 4 factors:

• Page Authority
• Domain Authority

Page Authority (PA)

Although this metric is not entirely precise, it can give you a good rough idea of whether you have a chance of ranking for the particular keyword you’re looking for. Since we’re focused on getting the most out of our SEO , it’s best that you look only at the PA of the results on the first page.

Domain Authority (DA)

Your best-case scenario here would be to see domains that have low domain authority. Sometimes Google prefers very authoritative domains for some queries, and you’ll meet massive websites. But don’t give up just yet. By being more relevant and acquiring more page-specific backlinks , you can often beat those large names.

Here, the main question you should ask yourself is – are the results relevant. Are the results that you find in the SERP answering the search queries? Chances are, the less relevant the results are, the higher the chance you have for beating them by answering precisely.

This factor means you should look for pages that resemble yours – if there are more small pages that rank for a particular keyword, it’s highly likely you can rank for that keyword as well.

That’s it for now, folks. Keep an eye out for some of our other guides that are about to come soon if you’d like to learn how to actually implement those keywords in your content strategy. Meanwhile, we’ll try to keep this guide up to date and add some more information from time to time.

Oh, and if you’d like to start implementing this knowledge, head over to https://morningscore.io and start your free trial.

I have been working with SEO for +6 years now. I love seeing top rankings being conquered and helping users get solutions for their search queries. It’s not just about selling, but also helping.

SEO doesn’t have to be complex. For most types of businesses, you don’t have to be an SEO expert to succeed.

How long does SEO take to work: Stats from 75 experts [2024]

Inbound links - the backbone of your seo success.

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Sven Radavics

How to use long-tail keywords and why you should

Author: Crystal Carter

You’ve done your keyword research, you’ve got a good understanding of what long-tail keywords are , but how do you actually use them?

The basic idea here is to create content that answers the niche questions your audience is asking. There are multiple ways you can do this, from on-page tactics to creating various page types to strategic content refreshes. 

Let’s learn how you can apply long-tail keywords to improve your SEO and provide users with a path to conversion.

Table of contents:

Where should you use long-tail keywords on your website?

On-page seo and meta tags, targeted blog posts, faq pages & product guides, dedicated landing pages, multimedia content, optimized product & category pages, content refreshes.

Why you should use long-tail keywords

Lower competition

Better conversion rates, better click-through rates, personalized search experience alignment, semantic variety, generative search alignment, considerations for your long-tail keyword strategy.

Long-tail keywords can show up in any part of the marketing funnel , making them suitable targets for many different types of webpages. 

At the top of the funnel, these terms support highly engaging informational blogs. At the bottom of the funnel, programmatic SEO techniques make it easy to create product pages for specific queries. Top uses for long-tail keywords include:

On-page SEO  and meta tags

First things first: Cover the basics by integrating your long-tail keywords into your on-page SEO. Whether you use programmatic methods , settings with bulk SEO tools, or carry this out manually, do not overlook these optimizations. 

It’s important to place your keywords in a few strategic places, including:

Title tag:  Tempt users to click through from the search results by addressing their niche intent in your title tag . This also helps Google better understand your long-tail content.

Meta description:  Ensure that people know exactly what your page is about by including your long-tail keyword in your meta description .

URL:  The essence of long-tail keywords should appear in your  URL . Make sure to remove unnecessary prepositions.

In the main content:  Your long-tail keyword should appear in the first paragraph of your main content, and variations thereof should appear at least two or three times in your content.

Link anchor text:  The anchor text for your internal links  provides important information to search engines. Use long-tail keywords in anchor text pointing to the long-tail content you’ve created.

Headings : Whether the long-tail keywords are the main topic of the page or a subsection of the page, include your long-tail term in H1s and/or H2s  for your page.

Now that we’ve gone over the basic on-page usages, let’s look at the types of content you can create with these long-tail keywords that will add value for your website and its users.

A blog is the most natural way to use long-tail keywords and it will become the home of the majority of those detailed terms and phrases. 

Let’s say you own a beauty parlor. Your blog can include an array of relevant topics, ranging from the best products to use, to hairstyle tutorials, and more. 

Start by jotting down all the broad topics your audience is likely to care about. Next, identify subtopics  (based on your broader topics), either using search tools or your own knowledge of your audience.

Not everyone will know exactly how to use your product or service. And perhaps, they’re looking for this crucial information online. 

Let’s say you run a pilates studio and offer special classes for pregnant women or the elderly. Potential customers might ask, “Can I do pilates after the age of 65?” or “Is pilates safe if you’re pregnant?” All of these questions can be translated into a neat FAQ page that deals with these topics.

Or, perhaps you sell a certain product that comes with a detailed installation process. You can create a dedicated product guide that provides users with the exact information, which can help you convince customers to buy while improving your website’s SEO.

Google Search Console  can help you find all the questions searchers are asking related to your offerings. If your website doesn’t cover all the topics searchers are coming to you for, consider creating that long-tail content for them.

Create dedicated landing pages for long-tail keywords to add some extra flexibility to your digital marketing approach.

If you are incorporating PPC or other paid media into your marketing mix, then you can create dedicated landing pages for long-tail keywords to improve the quality of your ad campaigns, reduce ad spend, and improve your conversion rates. This is because you can focus your ad spend on highly targeted queries rather than broader terms (which may bring in irrelevant traffic). 

Similarly, local SEO  teams can create long-tail keyword content with location modifiers to connect with users that have needs that are specific to their area. 

For instance, you may have discovered that a lot of people are getting to your website by searching for [vegan pizza delivery in Brooklyn after midnight]. You can take this query, create a landing page and perhaps even create a special offer for these searchers. This page could be shared on highly targeted social media channels, as a GBP post , or even as targeted ads for users that match the affinity, intent, location and time frame for that query.

Content like podcasts , videos, webinars, and infographics create lots of opportunities to explore long-tail topics. This kind of content opens up new distribution  channels to connect with audiences in additional ways. And, using multimedia also means that you can easily embed this content into related content. 

For instance, if you had a blog post about chocolate ice cream, you could create an infographic about organic sugar-free chocolate ice cream that would enhance the main article but also address the long-tail keyword.

If you had an article for the long-tail topic, you could use the infographic on that page as well.

Product pages are highly targeted, making them a great place to include long-tail keywords. It's not uncommon on Amazon and other top-ranked eCommerce websites to see a product description or title that is extremely specific and includes lots of different attributes for the product.

These product descriptions tap into long-tail keywords and help ensure that users that are looking for something highly specific are able to discover these unique products.

Long-tail content for eCommerce is often done via programmatic SEO methods, which allow pages to be created at scale. Not only does this make for more precise product landing pages, but it also means that programmatic SEOs can respond quickly to emerging product trends and client needs.

When you discover long-tail keyword opportunities via user-first research , site search, or other methods, you don’t always need to create a brand new page to satisfy the user’s needs. 

Incorporating long-tail keywords into your content refresh  plans can help you keep your content relevant and connect with new users. 

Long-tail keywords often focus on specific aspects of a topic or product, so they can inform product description sections, new header tags on blog posts, or even your about page. Update your content with long-tail keywords to add new relevance to existing content, which not only refreshes the page, but can help signal new relevance to Google, too.

Why should you use long-tail keywords?

You should include long-tail keywords in your SEO content strategy because they help you target more specific topics and high-intent users. This has a number of benefits for your business and its SEO.

Most people researching keywords for their pages try to catch the big fish (i.e., big search volume ). Generally speaking, this is the best way to get more impressions from search results. 

If you’re an established brand with a seasoned domain name, this can be an option for you. But as a small business owner with a fresh new site, it may be harder to take on that challenge. However, the game changes when there are fewer players involved. 

Because long-tail keywords have a lower amount of monthly searches (sometimes this can even be zero, according to SEO tools ), they can be much easier to rank for. This strategy, blended with trending keyword topics , can yield significant gains.

You know that every conversion counts. And to a certain extent, the more “niched down” the query is, the more qualified the user is as a potential customer (meaning that web traffic to long-tail content may be lower than for head terms, but these searchers are more likely to know what they want). 

For example:

Scenario 1 — Let’s say that your website attracts 100 people per day from search results for broad keywords. Out of those 100, about three people purchase a product or send an inquiry email. Your conversation rate would then be 3%.

Scenario 2 — Twenty people find your page by searching for long-tail keywords that you rank for. Out of those 20, three people convert into paying customers. Just like that, your conversion rate becomes 15%. In this situation, every 100 people that arrive on the site would generate 5x more conversions than for the more broad term. 

This improved efficiency can help you reach your business goals without having to necessarily create and maintain large amounts of content.

Ranking is only one part of the equation—you also need to convince searchers to click through on your listing from the search results.

By addressing very specific topics (using precise long-tail keywords in your content, page titles, and meta descriptions), you can filter out searchers with less relevant keyword intent , therefore increasing your click-through rate.

Whether Google looks at CTR as a signal of whether your site matches a given query (which is contentious), it’s better to focus on click-through rate as a measure of proper intent matching than it is to prioritize it in order to increase rankings.

Recently, more people are treating search engines like personal advisors, seeking answers that are specifically tailored to their needs. So instead of someone searching for information anonymously, people are using words like “me” and “I,” with mobile searches including the qualifier “for me” growing over 60% between 2016–2018, according to Google .

Along with more personalization comes a notable increase in keyword length. Searchers want answers as fast as possible, without putting too much effort into getting them. Therefore, by simply lengthening their query, they know they’ll find the best and most relevant answer, which is all the more reason for you to focus on those longer, more specific keywords.

Another valuable characteristic of long-tail keywords is that there can be many variations of a search term:

[how to find long-tail keywords]

[how do I find long-tail keywords]

[can I find long-tail keywords] 

Semantic advances  in machine learning help Google understand topical relevance, so by targeting just one of those long-tail queries, you are automatically targeting plenty of other, similar queries. The sum of those small volumes combined can actually amount to a large volume for your topic. 

Additionally, the specificity of the term can make it much easier for search engines to recognize the entities within the keyword and send more relevant traffic to you for related terms.

Generative search (e.g., Bing’s CoPilot, Google’s Gemini, Perplexity, and even Google’s SGE ) thrives on long-tail terms.

This means that these tools encourage longer queries. In the case of Bing CoPilot’s, the search bar allows for up to 4,000 characters per query. 

Users adapt to the technologies available to them, so it makes sense that they will change the way they query information around the web to get the most out of these tools. As a result, websites that are able to better address long-tail queries are more likely to thrive.

Long-tail keywords can be an incredibly effective part of your overall SEO strategy; however, there are some challenges that you should take into consideration when adopting this approach.

For those who want to achieve high velocity of traffic (i.e., gain a significant amount of traffic in a short amount of time), long-tail content can be challenging because:

You may need a large volume of content to get traffic that is relevant enough to push you into the SERP  in a meaningful way. Publishing a few blogs on long-tail topics per month may not yield results immediately. However, this approach can be an essential part of a long-term SEO content strategy.

Creating long-tail content may require a lot of time and resources. Even with the aid of automation techniques  and generative AI tools like ChatGPT , you will need to ensure each piece of long-tail content plays a strategic part in your user journey  in order to manage your resources efficiently.

Pairing long-tail content with additional SEO and marketing strategies (like topic clustering  from large volume head terms, search ads, and/or content repurposing) can help you get impact more quickly.

Essentially, the nature of long-tail keywords is that they are not a sprint but a marathon, so it’s worth setting the proper expectations for clients and stakeholders.

The future is long tail

Google has repeatedly stated that 15% of all queries are brand new  (never been searched before), with long-tail keywords making up the vast majority. That means that these niche queries represent fresh opportunities for your brand to sidestep big competition, increase conversion rate, and achieve better SEO without necessarily having to create volumes and volumes of content.

Crystal Carter - Head of SEO Communications, Wix  

Crystal is an SEO & digital marketing professional with over 15 years of experience. Her global business clients have included Disney, McDonalds, and Tomy. An avid SEO communicator, her work has been featured at Google Search Central, Brighton SEO, Moz, DeepCrawl, Semrush, and more. Twitter  | Linkedin

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Long-Tail Keywords: How to Research and Use Them For Blog’s Traffic Growth

Written by Ankit Singla

3K Followers

Last Updated on:

by Ankit Singla

Here, I will tell you all about long-tail keywords .

What are they and what makes them different from short-tail keywords?

I will teach you their benefits, how to find and use them, and more.

Let’s begin!

Comprehensive Guide To Long-tail Keywords

• 1. What are Long-tail Keywords?
• 2. A Quick Comparison Between Long-tail and Short-tail Keywords
• 3. Benefits of Long-tail Keywords (and Why You Should Use Them)
• 4. How To Find Long-tail Keywords
• 5. 6 Best Long-tail Keyword Research Tools
• 6. Template For Keyword Research
• 7. How To Use Long-Tail Keywords
• 8. Conclusion

What are Long-tail Keywords?

Long-tail keywords are keyword phrases that contain four or more words .

“Best fps games for ios” is an example of a long-tail keyword.

You will see later on the value of optimizing your site using this type of keywords. Without giving much away, their biggest advantage is their more specific nature compared to other keyword types.

A Quick Comparison Between Long-tail and Short-tail Keywords

Short-tail keywords have less than three words in their search phrase.

“ Best fps games ” counts as a short-tail keyword .

Unlike long-tail keywords, this type is much broader . It also has a higher search volume than its counterpart in general.

However, don’t write off long-tail just yet!

Here’s the thing:

If users search for this phrase, they will get pages about the best FPS games from all gaming systems.

This makes optimizing your content for short-tail keywords very difficult.

You’ll have to go up against pages that discuss the best FPS games for PS4, XBox, Nintendo Switch, Android, and more.

This reason is what makes long-tail keywords more valuable!

Instead of optimizing for the best FPS games in general, “best fps games for ios” lets you focus your energies on a specific gaming platform .

Therefore, you don’t have to compete with other pages covering different systems. All you need to worry about are pages talking about the games exclusive to iOs.

Therefore, ranking on top of organic search for long-tail keywords is much easier due to lower competition.

According to Advanced Web Ranking, the first three positions on organic search generate 29.48%, 14.69%, and 10.15% click-through rates on desktop, respectively.

So imagine if you rank on top of organic search, you can generate almost 30% of clicks to your site!

Therefore, long-tail keywords are the better option.

Benefits of Long-tail Keywords (and Why You Should Use Them)

There are other reasons why you should optimize for long-tail keywords. As if the explanation above shouldn’t be reason enough.

Did you also know that long-tail keywords are behind 70% of all web searches ?

So, if you don’t want to miss out on the massive group of web searches, you know what to do.

WPBeginner researched for the best long-tail keywords to optimize their site.

After two months, their site increased its organic traffic by 20% .

Its secret, of course, is the use of long-tail keywords. With HitTail on its side, it bathed in success!

You can also take it from KISSmetrics.

It received 142,149 visitors because of long-tail keywords!

But, the benefits of long-tail keywords do not end there.

Here are some more:

1. Better Targeted Traffic

For an artist to sketch a picture of what you have in mind, you give him a description. And as you talk to him, you get down to the details and use the most specific words .

The better you are at describing, the better the results get.

That’s how long-tail keywords work, too.

They come with more relevant keywords, and therefore, are more descriptive .

If you want to target specific people, it should come easy.

What you need to do is optimize your site for those specific long-tail keywords.

For example , you want to target new lifestyle bloggers in California. So, your keywords, in this case, should be something like:

“new lifestyle bloggers California”.

Now, if your keywords are “new bloggers”, do you think you can reach the people you’re after?

2. Better Conversion Rates

The reason?

People who search the web using long-tail keywords are in the brink of making a final decision .

Here’s an example:

Let’s say you are in the business of selling water bottles. You need to optimize for keywords with a transactional search intent.

Ultimately, your goal is to sell water bottles. In leveraging organic search, you can drive highly-targeted visitors with the intention of buying your site. And it all boils down to your choice of keywords.

Because of this reason, optimizing for the keyword “water bottle” won’t suffice.

From here, you can tell that the user doesn’t know what he wants to buy yet. He may still be looking for the right size, color, kind, and brand of water.

There’s even a possibility he doesn’t want to buy a water bottle at all! For all you know, he’s just bored and googled for a random item.

Meanwhile, the second searcher used the words “5L blue reusable Outland water bottle for sale”.

From this search phrase, you can tell he already knows what he wants. And by the looks of it, he’s looking for a store where he can buy the product!

So, if your site is optimized for said key phrase, you got yourself a customer!

3. Perfect for Competitive Niches

As mentioned, long-tail keywords are less competitive because they are more specific.

For instance , you own a restaurant in San Francisco. It’s a new one and you want to it to make a name for itself online.

The problem is you have competitors. You’re up against famous and big names such as Cala and Tartine Manufactory.

You can compete against them, of course. But, the odds of you winning is small .

There are two reasons for that.

The restaurant industry is highly competitive. And you’re in the best food city: San Francisco!

So, you have to accept the fact: you can’t beat the competition .

You’re going on a match with names who have thousands – if not millions at their disposal.

But, you don’t give up.

The solution is to optimize your site using long-tail keywords!

For example, forget about “San Francisco restaurant”.

You can rank for “new San Francisco [seafood] restaurant” instead.

4. Optimize for Short-tail Keywords

It’s like hitting two birds with one stone!

When you use long-tail keywords, you are already using short-tail keywords.

For instance, my short-tail keyword is “cute puppies”. And my long-tail keyword is “Bichon Frise cute puppies for sale”.

Notice how the keyword “cute puppies” is still in there?

How To Find Long-tail Keywords

You can search for long-tail keyword suggestions from a short-tail keyword related to your niche.

For this example, we’ll be using the tried-and-true free keyword tool for ages: Google’s Keyword Planner .

Here’s a step-by-step tutorial:

Step 1 : Go to Google Keyword Planner. Choose Find new keywords .

Step 2 : Use your seed keyword. Example is “freelancing”.

So, type it in and click GET STARTED.

Step 3 : On the results page, choose a relevant keyword idea. In this example, I will choose freelance projects .

Step 4 : Search for that keyword idea to expand on it.

Step 5 : Now, you have long-tail keyword variations!

6 Best Long-tail Keyword Research Tools

While Google Keyword Planner is sufficient enough to help you come up with different ideas, it’s not the best out there.

There are two primary reasons why:

• It only shows the range of the average monthly search volume, i.e. (1k – 10k)
• It doesn’t compute for keyword difficulty or competitiveness.

To help you conduct your keyword research effectively, it’s time to use premium tools that possess the features above and then some!

Enter these tools:

If you want “ all the essential keyword research tools one could ever ask for in one place ”, turn to this.

For starters, its Keyword Magic Tool is, for a lack of a better word, magical !

A seed keyword is all you need.

And you can already build a keyword empire based on it!

For example , here’s what you’ll if you enter “freelancer” as the keyword:

On the left sidebar, you can filter the results to contain the words in the list. This is useful if you want to narrow down your search and group long-tail keywords together.

On the right, you will see the keyword data of each result. The most important to look at are the Volume and KD (Keyword Difficulty) column.

Ideally, you want to choose keywords with relatively high search volume and low competition. Both columns make choosing which long-tail keywords to target much easier.

Another great thing about SEMrush is its Content Template feature.

It helps bloggers optimize their content by analyzing their competitors’ content!

It does so by indicating useful information such as:

• Recommended word count
• Recommended LSI keywords
• Readability
• Backlink sources

Here’s an example of SEO Content Template in action for the keyword “security guard services:”

Another feature to look into SEO Content Template is the text length .

It provides the recommended number of words based on the average word count of the top ten results for the keyword.

Seriously, I could go on and on with SEMRush. It’s really that great of an SEO tool.

However, we’ll have to stop here for now and introduce other tools. It wouldn’t be fair to equally great tools.

But if you are interested in learning more about SEMrush, then read this in-depth review and tutorial (free 30-day trial included).

Its Keywords Explorer tool can lead you to a gold mine of long-tail keywords!

This is what you do:

Step 1 : Launch Keywords Explorer and type in your seed keyword. In this example, the seed keyword is “ blogging. “

Step 2 : You will land on a page with keyword ideas and an overview of your keyword.

Focus on the left and choose a report.

Here, I went with All .

Step 3 : You will get thousands (or more) of keyword ideas.

You can use the filtering system to narrow them down to only include long-tail keywords.

In this example, my seed keyword “blogging” got 50,025 hits.

Then, I used the word count feature to include results with 3 to 6 words. So, from 50,025 keywords, it came down to 37,364!

It also features a Content Explorer tool .

It lets you dip your toe into a pool of the best and most shared content .

All you need to do is enter your keyword in Content Explorer .

Here, I’ll go with “ how to start a blog ”.

You will then land on a page with the top content revolving around that keyword.

For my chosen keyword, there are 28,424 results !

3. Keyword Revealer

If you’re after the global search volume of long-tail keywords, this is the tool!

It means that with Keyword Revealer , you can get the data on the amount of searches all over the world!

This is useful for bloggers who want to target a wider audience.

Here’s how you use it:

Step 1 : Launch Keyword Revealer. Then, enter your keyword and hit Search .

Step 2 : Set the Search Location to All Locations .

This is what I went with because I’m after the global search volume of my keyword. If you want to set it to a specific location, go ahead.

Step 3 : Once you get to the list of results, use the filter to only include a certain number of words in them.

Here, I will go with a minimum of 4 words and a maximum of 6.

Step 4 : Choose your long-tail keyword from the list!

Keyword Ideas are not the only results you will see. There’s also the number of monthly searches, Cost Per Click, Profit, and more!

To learn more about Keyword Revealer, consider reading its review here .

4. AnswerThePublic

It’s a visual keyword research and content ideas tool.

It will help you find potential questions that you can use to optimize your content with.

Its approach is rather different from the tools mentioned above. And this unique angle that AnswerThePublic shoots for is the reason why it’s such a hit .

Sure, it’s not the most advanced keyword research tool . But, no doubt, it’s clever.

According to the rules of SEO, keywords are best inserted naturally , right?

Well, is there any “ more natural ” than using questions that actual people are asking?

No, there isn’t.

So, if you want to start finding questions using this tool, let me help. I will show you a step-by-step process.

Step 1 : Launch AnswerThePublic.

Then, type in your keyword on the search bar and click Get Questions .

In this example, I’ll go with “blog” as the keyword.

Step 2 : Choose a question from the list of results.

Here, I’ll go with “what is a blog.”

As a keyword research tool, AnswerThePublic helps you unearth possible questions to optimize for your blog.

However, it doesn’t provide SEO data like search volume and keyword difficulty. Therefore, you have to depend on any of the tools above to get these data.

Once you picked the question, you need to verify it with the keyword tool of your choice.

If you’re wondering whether this is necessary, the answer is “YES ”.

This approach is how you can understand your keyword-based question, SEO-wise.

Like I said, AnswerThePublic is not an advanced tool . That is why another tool should come into the scene.

You can use any tool you want. But, I’ll go with SEMrush .

SEMrush makes for more effective keyword research.

It goes deep into keyword analysis. And it also identifies new keyword opportunities.

Step 3 : Enter a keyword into the Keyword Magic Tool .

Again, my keyword is “blog”.

Step 4 : On the results page, click the Questions tab.

There, you can verify if your chosen question is one of the top question-based keywords.

Now, back to the example.

According to SEMrush, the question “what is a blog” fits the description!

You can also view relevant data for that question. This includes Volume, Keyword Difficulty, Cost Per Click, and Competition .

Again, it’s off to the questions that people are asking.

And Quora is one of the most popular Q&A sites .

What you do is search for questions about your seed keyword.

I’ll show you with this step-by-step process.

Step 1 : Enter your keyword in the search bar.

In this example, my keyword is “ newbie blogger ”.

Step 2 : From the results, choose some questions that you can expand on with a keyword research tool later.

Here, I’ll go with “ What is your advice to a newbie blogger? ”

Now, I’ll expand on it.

Step 3 : I copy that exact question from Quora to another tool. Again, I’ll go with SEMrush .

A brilliant thing about it is its filtering system. You can use it to find long-tail keyword combinations with the matches that you want.

You can choose whether you want broad, phrase, exact, or other related matches.

And if you want to analyze your keyword more thoroughly, SEMrush also has your back.

On the same page, a bit to the upper right, you can choose to Go to Keyword Analyzer .

The Keyword Analyzer is some sort of keyword repository.

It not only offers the benefits of deep keyword analysis to you. This feature also lets you integrate with other tools.

6. Ubersuggest

If you’re looking for more ideas for your long-tail keyword, use this tool. Neil Patel recently purchased it.

Ubersuggest provides lots of keyword ideas and suggestions using Google search.

Beyond that, it also gives you other important data about your keyword.

This includes search volume , Cost Per Click, and Google SERP results!

And it’s free!

Want to see it in action?

Just enter your keyword in the search bar.

In this example, I’ll use “ what is a blog ”.

And voila! You’ll get results.

FREE Template To Manage Your Keywords

Keyword research should be vital to your content and marketing strategies.

They shape the articles you write and content you create. They also empower your marketing efforts!

And that is why you need to track and organize your list of keywords.

If you’re using any of the suggested tools above, there’s an option to export the data and save it for future reference. From there, you can organize the data to help you group common keywords and identify low-hanging fruit keywords.

But what if you’re using multiple tools?

Exporting and organizing all the sheets on a single sound like a nightmare!

However, it doesn’t have to be.

All you need to do is make sure the vital information is found on the site like:

• Search Volume (indicate location if necessary)
• Keyword Difficulty

For the keyword difficulty, you can break them down according to tool. Not all will provide you the same score for each.

But instead of creating this template from scratch, you can download the sheet here !

All you need to do is paste the data there and compare the results from the different tools you’re using.

How To Use Long-Tail Keywords

Once you’re done gathering the keywords to optimize for your blog, it’s now time to let them work their magic.

Here’s how you could do that:

1. Create a Brand New Blog Post Using Long-tail Keywords

Start fresh!

You have the long-tail keywords that can help you draft your content.

This is important : make sure not to optimize for only one long-tail keyword.

It’s an old method you can’t get much from.

Nowadays, it’s best practice to let loose. And it’s by optimizing for as many long-tail keywords as you can in one post!

The surefire approach is to focus on your topic and not on your keyword.

Take it from Brian Dean.

Sure, he was targeting a particular keyword. But, he knew better than lose sight of the topic.

The result?

Search traffic increased by 348% . And he made it happen in just seven days!

So, do the same. This way, you can optimize your content for multiple long-tail keywords.

To do this, you need to implement topic clusters .

These are content pieces in a group. And they all relate to a central topic.

Topic clusters are good for SEO.

They let you take matters with a proactive approach.

Know how Google needs to understand your relationship to a topic?

By using topic clusters, you are giving it what it needs !

There are benefits for you, too.

You can showcase your expertise with this approach. And you get to reach more people while at it!

It’s an incredible time-saver, too! You research once and you can already get going.

So how do we pull out topic clustering using long-tail keywords?

Let me just start off by saying this:

Don’t optimize your content with just one long-tail keyword.

Considering that this keyword type have a low search volume, it’s best to optimize as many keywords as possible.

This way, you’re optimizing your blog post for different long-tail keywords at once.

This also means you have to identify keywords related to each other.

Manually parsing through your list will eat lots of your time.

So instead, use SERanking’s Keyword Grouper feature.

Here’s how the tool explains this feature:

“Keyword grouping is automatic distribution of keywords into groups based on SERPs results similarity. Keywords are united into clusters if these are delivering similar URLs in Google top 10 SERPs. Keyword grouping allows distributing keywords wisely across the pages of the website which is particularly important for landing pages’ SEO and contextual advertising.”

Once you’ve signed up for an account, click on Tools > Keyword Grouper.

Upload your list and the tool will jump straight to grouping your keywords.

It’ll take time for the tool to group the keywords together. Once done, you’ll see something like this:

As you can see, the tool groups together similar keywords. Using this information, you can create a guide about “how to start a blog” as your main keyword. Then include the other related keywords in the post to optimize your content and help generate more organic traffic.

2. Update Old Blog Posts

Focus on every part of a blog post. From your title, meta description, and subheadings to your content and images.

And sprinkle a few long-tail keywords into them all!

This technique will boost your ranking and traffic.

I will break this down for you.

Step 1 : Choose a well-researched long-tail keyword.

Here, I’ll go with “how to start a blog”.

Step 2 : Study the most popular and viral titles.

What are the types of headlines that most people seem to like and share with others?

Your job is to observe and notice the number of shares for a particular post.

Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter are some places to do this.

You can also use Buzzsumo for this.

Head over to its website.

Then enter your keyword on the search bar and hit go.

As you can see, among the most popular hits for my keyword are these two:

Step 3 : Use these titles as the basis for your own title.

Find out what is common in them.

In this case, they both talk about how to make money . And they also feature the year .

Step 4 : Create your title!

My choices are as follows:

• How to Start a Blog to Make Money in 2024
• 5 Smart Ways on How to Start a Blog and Make Money in 2024
• The 2024 Guide: How to Start a Blog and Make Money

Meta description

You can use almost the same process above for this.

You shouldn’t go overboard with meta descriptions. Their function is to serve as an advertising copy.

Besides, if you go beyond 160 characters , Google tends to truncate them.

So, you need to be wise in choosing the words you will include.

Go with informative words.

And be short and sweet, and clear and concise.

Here’s how LinkedIn approached this matter:

Now, here’s another example:

My keyword is still “how to start a blog”.

And I went with the title “5 Smart Ways on How to Start a Blog and Make Money in 2024”.

Content/body

It’s no secret that content is king .

In fact, people share a whopping 27 million pieces of them every day !

So, if you want your blog post to rule , you need to be an expert when it comes to content creation . And incorporating your chosen long-tail keywords!

And if you want to fuel up your game in this area, go for long-form content.

The logic behind it is like the logic behind the effectiveness of long-tail keywords.

Like long-tail keywords, long-form content is also more descriptive. And a person who’s serious about a keyword will want that .

It contains in-depth information, that’s why!

Backlinko can support me on this. It found out that the more words a blog post contain, the better.

And of course, it means that its chances of ranking is higher!

In the same study, it also discovered that the average top results are posts that contain 1,890 words.

So, make your content long and informative as you add your long-tail keywords.

Remember, though, avoid keyword stuffing.

Use them as alt tags!

You can also refer to these “tags” as alternative texts, alt attributes, or alt descriptions.

They are important because they make for an accessible web design .

Let’s say your visitors are unable to identify your blog’s visuals. Well, with alt tags, they can still appreciate its content.

By reading what these alt tags say!

They are the solution to browsers and screen readers that block images.

Not only that, they also add points to image SEO .

Sure, search engines can “see” images well due to technological advancements. But, you can’t say the same for search crawlers.

And if search crawlers can’t see your site, it’s not your problem – not theirs.

It’s possible that this can be the cause of a missed opportunity for ranking.

So, edit your images before letting them go live. And add your long-tail keyword.

You can do this manually. It’s so easy to do!

Just click on a picture to edit it.

Or, you can upload a new one.’

Either, you will land on a window where you can edit the Alt text.

But, if you have a hundred images, the manual way is time-consuming . It means you have to go through them one at a time.

So, to come to your rescue is a plugin like Media Library Alt Fields .

This tool is an open source software. It lets you edit image alt text in batches!

Subheadings

Inserting long-tail keywords into them is one thing.

Writing them using intent-based keywords is the other important one.

This means you should craft your subheadings by targeting the right intent.

You see, most people scan a blog post before reading an entire article.

It’s only practical. It’s an easy way to avoid wasting time on an article that does not contain what they need.

And apart from the title, what do you think is the first thing they see?

The subheadings!

Of course, it’s because subheadings tend to be bolder and bigger than the normal texts.

Let me show you an example. It’s from The Ultimate Keyword Research Checklist at the SEMrush blog.

You can spot a subheading more easily, right?

So, the idea here is to write subheadings that appeal to your target audience.

The simple way of doing this is to make sure they are relevant to your topic.

For example , your blog post’s title is the one above:

Your subheadings, then, should highlight those “5 Smart Ways”. If not, they should, at least, have something to do with how to start a blog.

Another way is to incorporate LSI keyword phrases.

These keywords, short for Latent Semantic Indexing, are “the other words”. They are somehow the synonyms of your original keywords.

For instance, you are targeting the keyword phrase, “make money with your blog”.

So, the examples of its counterparts should be these:

• Can you generate income with your blog?
• How will your blog make money for you?
• Who are the famous people who made money with their blog?

So, that’s what long-tail keywords are. And that’s how you can make the most out of them!

If you’re new to this whole blogging industry, these keywords will help you start on the right foot .

In particular, they can help you familiarize yourself with how things work. And that they do work , if you put it in the effort!

With lots of established bloggers out there, you can’t expect to outrank them at your level.

What you can expect, though, is to find the information you need to help you.

Once it’s in your hands, you’re free to learn the craft!

So, be willing to learn. And don’t be afraid to approach matters rather differently.

A great starting point?

These long-tail keywords and there are plenty of data to back it up!

Disclosure: This article includes affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting us.

Ankit Singla

Ankit Singla is a full-time blogger, YouTuber, author, and public speaker. He founded and leads Master Blogging . With over 13 years of blogging expertise, he has assisted numerous aspiring bloggers in achieving their dreams of creating successful blogs.

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How to do Long Tail Keyword Research (Easy to Rank Keywords)

Do you find yourself constantly fighting to rank on the front page of Google? I know how frustrating it can be. You are not alone in this struggle, and from what your competitors are doing around you, they too have a hard time ranking high competition keywords. That is why today we’ll be talking about using long tail keyword discovery for competitive terms!

What are Long Tail Keywords?

Long tail keywords are words or phrases that have a low volume of searches and little competition. These can be very specific to what you’re selling, resulting in more targeted potential customers for your product!

Why Should I try to Rank for Long tail Keywords?

Customers who use specific keywords when they search for a product are more likely to buy than people doing generic searches. When you want people to find your website or purchase something from it, using words that will attract their attention is key in boosting business and converting customers into sales leads.

Searching for long tail keywords is much easier than searching the common ones because fewer websites compete to get high rankings and your audience will be able to find you more easily. If you want quick traffic, it will also help if you focus on some of those specific niche keywords that are not as popular but still need attention and get decent traffic.

Finding your niche is important for your online business. One must carefully identify their audience and use more specific terms to get in front of their potential customers searching online.

For example, if you are the owner of a furniture recycled goods shop, it’s best to rank with “furniture made from reclaimed materials” because that phrase targets customer’s furniture made from reclaimed material, not something vague such as “furniture.”

How to Research Long tail Keywords

This is by far the trickiest part of any SEO campaign. If you’re not careful, it can easily turn into a black hole that sucks up all your time and energy without delivering anything in return.

We’ll walk through how to do this process by focusing on “keyword discovery and research” that is fast and works.

• The first thing to do is head over to do keyword research using  keyword tools  like the SEO tools listed in the next section.
• You will want to use one of them to start doing keyword discovery. For each tool listed below, we will provide the pros, cons, and features.

SEMrush has the Keyword Magic tool which can generate a ton of new ideas for keywords to research. The keyword generator is constantly being updated with more words, so you’ll never run out of options.

“SEMRush assembles all your favorite SEO tools (search engine optimization) in an easy-to-use interface that takes minutes instead of hours or days.” With over 18 billion different keywords generated by these 118 databases, there’s no way any marketing professional could ever find themselves at a loss when conducting long tail keyword discovery!

You can use the SEMrush by entering your keyword in its search bar, and then the interface will present you with a keyword overview report.

You can then locate all the data SEMrush has about the keyword you have entered.

The information provided includes:

• Monthly search volume
• Cost per click
• Number of search results
• The competition level of the keywords you entered

Questions, keyword variations, and related keywords are previewed and give you a more comprehensive range of keyword ideas. A click on any one of these widgets will open for you the keyword magic tool.

• Provides a lot more detailed information about traffic, competitiveness, and other factors than Google Keyword Planner
• Checks for broken links on a domain or page in seconds. It also shows if there is anything that could be improved like images, content
• You can search for keywords without having to go through a process of elimination
• The tool is fast and reliable, with keyword suggestions coming in seconds
• SEMrush offers traffic estimations, estimates on how much traffic a keyword receives, and where that traffic is coming from
• Competitive intelligence allows you to know who you are competing with
• Helps you to figure out what keywords you can rank for in the search engines
• SEMrush does require a monthly subscription to use their service – but they do offer a 15-day money back guarantee if you do not like what you see after that time
• Pricing also starts out rather expensive at $99 per month

Google Keyword Tool

The Google Keyword Tool is a vital tool for all marketers. It’s an important part of the AdWords advertising platform and it also makes keyword analysis easy to do on top of helping you with your SEO goals!

This tool is a part of the AdWords platform and proves to be an invaluable SEO research resource. It also provides insight into pay-per-click advertising campaigns, which you can use for competitive analysis as well as cost-per-click information.

With this one program, you can analyze large volumes of monthly searches, determine competition levels in your own industry for PPC marketing, or even get real-time data on what people are searching for near where they live!

You can do your searching based on websites, keywords, or a category. You will be able to get numerous alternative terms instead of just one search volume from the single term you are given relevant to your keyword research.

Google Keyword Tool has become an invaluable resource for marketers who want to learn more about individual words or products before starting a campaign or writing anything online.

• You can explore related long tail keywords and phrases
• Discover what volume of searches each word gets on a monthly basis
• Get comparable search volumes from other countries (e.g., how many times per month does “car” get searched in Germany?)
• Using the tool is free
• Does not provide negative keyword list
• Search volume estimates you can’t trust
• Other tools show keyword difficulty where Google Keyword Tool shows keyword difficulty for ads

Long Tail Pro

According to renowned SEO experts, Long Tail Pro is one of the best long tail keyword search tools in the market. First launched in 2011, long tail pro works by generating a list of particular long tail keywords based on the root keyword suggestion you are looking for.

By proposing a single keyword or several root keywords related to a topic or niche, the system automatically generates a list of long tail keyword suggestions for you to use.

Using Long Tail Pro is advantageous because it offers suggestions based on what people have already searched for online. It saves time by not having to figure out which words or phrases would work best.

• Finding low competition but highly targeted long tail keywords for your business
• Generating new content ideas quickly with their brainstorming feature (Make sure you check out all the different ways they can help generate blog post content!)
• You can get keywords suggestions in bulk to make things quicker
• Really cool is the competitor analysis screen helps you to see what it will take to outrank your competitors
• They have a score for keyword competitiveness that is extremely helpful
• It would be great if they increased the limit on manual and seed keywords
• There is also an annual fee and monthly subscription fee once you have reached certain levels in the program
• Does not have an intuitive interface for newbies

Searching for keywords manually can consume so much time. Ahrefs is a professional SEO and keyword search tool that helps you find keywords that you can target to rank for quickly.

Ahrefs is one of the most popular tools out there for online marketers that want an easy way to find new keywords without having to do a lot of manual work. With Ahrefs’ Keyword Explorer tool, it only takes about 15 minutes from start to finish (depending on how many keywords you’re looking up) in order to come up with 100+ long tail keywords related to your topic or niche site.

You can also use Ahrefs for SEO purposes – including backlink analysis (which tells us who’s linking to our competitors), their unique Rank Tracker tool (which tells you what keywords are ranking for any given page), and the ability to see which pages on a site have broken links.

• AHREFs has a large database of keywords
• The company is extremely responsive to customer feedback, which helps them keep up with the latest trends and changes in SEO best practices
• It can take a while to weed through all the keywords and find what you need
• There isn’t any prediction on how well a particular site will rank – only search volume and difficulty score information is provided by AHREFs’ Keyword Tool

The Growthbar keyword tool is a simple to use and robust piece of software. It helps you find the most profitable keywords online. The software was created by an SEO expert who wanted to bring some consistency back into his life when marketing products or services.

GrowthBar Keyword Tool works by doing all the hard work for you behind the scenes so that anyone – be they marketers, bloggers, journalists, new business owners with little experience developing content.

• The interface is pretty easy to use
• Has a Chrome extension that is very helpful
• GrowthBar is a simple keyword tool that can be used by beginners
• Great software to do short tail keyword and long tail keyword research
• Growthbar is a slimmed down version of other keyword tools
• Other SEO tools have more analytics capabilities

This SEO tool called MOZ has been around for over a decade and is one of the best-established companies, with their search engine optimization tools. Moz Pro can provide you access to keyword research software, competitor analysis features, detailed reporting capabilities, and backlink analysis data.

You also have an extension that displays keywords on your computer screen when browsing online or using Google organic search – making it easier than ever before to see what is being searched!

The keyword and SEO tool remain one of the oldest providers in this industry they have had plenty of time perfecting their product line. There is something great for everyone at every level here: whether you want some basic SEO reports (free!) or if you need more advanced features such as rank tracking.

• You can access the short tail keyword and long tail keyword research tool, a competitor analysis tool, detailed reporting features, backlink analysis, and rank tracking software
• There is also a free chrome extension that displays keywords and competitor analysis data
• The interface is easy for beginners and very simplistic
• Limited integration capabilities for blogging platforms like WordPress or self-hosted blogs
• Pricing options limited and cost is high

How to Write Content Using the Selected Long Tail Keyword

Writing to target long tail keywords is a surefire way to get ranked on the internet. Here are some tips for writing effective content that will rank highly and be relevant:

• Use simple, declarative sentences; this makes it easier for your reader’s brain to process information quickly
• Write concisely with clear instructions or explanations if necessary so there’s no confusion over what you’re trying to say

Define the Purpose of Your Content

Do you know what makes a blog post successful? Well, the answer is so easy: it is engagement. No one wants to read boring things over and again without any reason or meaning behind them. There should be something that piques your curiosity in each paragraph of every story, if not then there might as well have just been an essay with no real point!

The secret to keeping people’s attention spans for long periods of time lies within captivating headlines that make your readers want more than ever before (check out these 10 tips).

Don’t forget about asking questions too – they’ll keep people on their toes, waiting eagerly until someone answers those burning issues which can also increase comments because let’s face it, we all like some form of validation.

What is the purpose of your content to provide instructions on how to do something, an opinion, or a story? Make the content engaging and fun but also make sure it is content your readers would be interested in reading.

Understand Your Buyers

Know your target audience. Writing will be meaningless if you don’t know who you are writing to. This will also determine whether they read your blog posts as your topics may or may not be relevant to them.

• Know your buyers, you are not writing for yourself.
• Do market research and find out what is trending at the moment in order to stay relevant.
• Tap into information that people want or need (or both) so they will be more likely to read it rather than skip over it.

Research on Long Tail Keywords

It is essential that you select the correct long tail keywords if you want your search traffic to grow.  If you don’t know what long tail keywords are, they’re simply the more specific and in-depth long tail keyword phrases that will help people find your site.

For example, if you wanted to create a website about “dogs,” it would be a good idea to include long tail keywords and answer questions like “best small dogs” or even just “do golden retrievers shed.”

People who search for these terms on Google might end up at your small dog niche blog website!

In order to rank well within Google, make sure not only do you have the basic keywords in your site’s content, but also include long tail keywords that are specific to what you are talking about!

How to get Tons of Search Traffic from Long Tail Keywords

Using long tail keywords that have decent traffic and producing content that helps the user find what they are looking for will help drive traffic.

For example, the term “best restaurants to visit in Salt Lake City” generates around 540 searches monthly on Google while its more specific counterpart of “restaurants with gluten-free menus in Salt Lake City” gets only one or two per month.

Researching and using the right long tail keywords can get you some easy traffic. Using a long tail keyword that does not have any volume will get you no traffic.

Understand Your Unique Selling Proposition

First, you need to understand how your business is different from all the others. What do you offer that they don’t? Why should customers choose what you have over everything else out there?

The long tail keywords in your content will help define these differences and provide a better understanding of why people should be spending their money with you instead of bothering with someone who just does “good enough.”

Know What Your Target Audience Wants and Needs

To get anyone interested in what you are selling, it is important to know their concerns and pain points. Asking these questions is the first step before deciding on any solutions or strategy for your business’ marketing plan.

Knowing this information will also allow you to strategize well with long tail keywords that are going to be most effective when writing articles and blog posts.

Do Research on Long Tail Keywords

Searching for the perfect words to capture potential customers can be tedious and time-consuming. Fortunately, you do not have to search too far when doing keyword research.

Just think of what kind of long tail keywords would attract your target customer base and plug those into one of the keyword tools in this article. You can also research the phrases your competitors use so that you’re able to get an edge on their marketing strategies as well.

Keep User Intent in Mind

Once you have come up with a list of long tail keywords that you want to use, think about why people would like to use them in their search. What needs do they hope to satisfy, at what stage of buying are they?

Once you use a keyword, ensure that the answers to those long tail keywords are provided in your article. You are likely to lose potential clients if they visit your site and find that your content does not meet their needs.

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How to Do Keyword Research [Video Tutorial]

Unlock the secrets to effective keyword research with our step-by-step guide. Discover how to find the right keywords to boost your SEO, drive traffic, and increase revenue. Watch this video tutorial to learn about the best tools and strategies to dominate search engine rankings!

Introduction

What is keyword research, why should we care about keyword research, step #1. create a list of seed keywords, step #2. choose seo tools to use, step #3. generate your keyword list, step #4. filter your data, step #5. prioritize your keywords, step #6. build a keyword map, step #7. monitor the results and adjust your strategy, video transcript:.

Good keywords are hard to find. For every keyword that works, there are hundreds that don't. And if you make the wrong choice, you are stuck creating content that'll never show up in search. We can’t let that happen!

This is why I want to carefully navigate you through the seven steps of keyword research and focus your efforts on those keywords that really count and can bring you more traffic and revenue in the future. Keep watching!

Hey everyone, it’s Mary from SEO PowerSuite, the all-in-one toolkit that covers every aspect of SEO.

Before we move to the practical part of how to do keyword research, I want to make sure that you know the theory.

Keyword research is the process of finding and analyzing search queries that people enter in search engines. Search engines correlate these words with your content and then show it to users. This is how they promote your site and put it in a better rank position.

Keyword research is not about a thoughtless gathering of all words more or less related to the topic of your business. It is about in-depth analysis and the right further use of the keywords.

In brief, keywords are used for:

• On-page optimization
• New content ideas

The first is about making your landing pages and content visible. The second one is about finding new topics for your blog and ideas for new pages. Once your landing pages are well-optimized, Google ranks them higher in search results, which means that users can find your business much easier. You get the visibility you deserve, drive more traffic, get more visitors, more clients, and more revenue.

So, without exaggeration, keyword research is the cornerstone of search engine optimization, as it impacts every other SEO task you perform. Continuous keyword research helps you keep up with the latest trends in your industry, realize what your real and potential customers search for, what your competitors publish, and therefore try to make even better content.

Steps to Effective Keyword Research

Seed keywords broadly describe your niche. They are short, typically one or two words, like "dance school" or "car repairs". Seed keywords are used to kickstart the process of developing more keyword ideas. Identify them by breaking your business down into general topics and picking valuable keywords for each.

For example, if you own a travel agency, your seed keywords can be:

• Travel agency
• Vacation packages
• Plane tickets
• Budget travel
• Last-minute travel
• Travel agent
• Tour agency
• Travel consultant

Another way to collect seed keywords is by going through your website’s navigation and looking for keyword terms.

There is a huge range of SEO tools on the market, both free and paid. For this video, we will limit ourselves to a handful of the most popular and reliable keyword research tools:

• Google Ads Keyword Planner: Generates a huge list of similar words and phrases based on your seed keywords.
• Google Search Console: Used to search for those keywords that you already rank for.
• Google Trends: Checks the popularity of a specific keyword over a selected time period.
• Rank Tracker: Offers nine different SEO keyword research methods, over twenty keyword research tools, plenty of metrics, unlimited filtering options, and position tracking.

Now that you've got your seed keywords, let's explore some of the keyword research methods in more depth and see how to use Rank Tracker for this purpose. Start with related searches to see what users search for on Google. Use the TF-IDF Explorer to find the most frequently used keywords of top SERP competitors. Check your competitors’ ranking keywords as well.

At this point, you need to clean your keyword list to exclude useless results. Analyze your keywords based on metrics like keyword length, search volume, difficulty, expected traffic, and cost per click.

Segment and prioritize your final selection of keywords so that they are easier to manage and implement in your SEO strategy. Universal criteria for SEO segmentation are semantic similarity, search intent, search volume, and competition.

Keyword mapping is a process where you assign the researched phrases to specific pages on your site. This helps you avoid keyword cannibalization and ensures that the keywords are used consistently. Group them into sets you can target on one page according to their topic and intent. Assign each group to a page on your site.

Track the performance of your keywords over time. Adjust your strategy based on ranking changes, updating content with new keywords as needed.

Let's quickly recap:

• Generate as many keyword ideas as possible.
• Filter the researched terms.
• Prioritize the remaining keywords.

The keyword research process can be summarized in three words: generate, filter, prioritize.

I hope you guys enjoyed this guide and found it helpful. If you did, give it a thumbs-up and subscribe to our channel! See you in the next video. Bye!

More From Forbes

Seo strategy: a guide to seo success in 2024.

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Co-Founder of fishbat media, LLC. , Keynote Speaker, SEO Specialist. Featured in Newsday, Street Insider, and hundreds of other publications.

I still remember how exciting it was when I finally figured out how to use SEO for a local bakery I worked on back in the late '90s. Their website was barely visible on page 10 of the search engine results. But with a concentrated SEO strategy, we ranked them on the first page for "best cupcakes in Long Island." This increase in website traffic and client inquiries proved SEO's revolutionary impact.

So, what is SEO? It means optimizing your website for search engines and making your website visible to the right people at the right time. This is why, no matter the size of your business—whether it's a local bakery or a full-size food manufacturer—you need an effective SEO strategy to compete in today's information-savvy digital market.

My intention here is to help you create a successful 2024 SEO strategy. I'll cover the latest trends, key processes and actionable recommendations to help you navigate SEO's ever-changing landscape.

Understanding SEO In 2024

In SEO, it's important to always be one step ahead of the competition. As an example, one big trend that is changing the digital world right now is the rise in popularity of voice search. According to a 2018 Backlinko study , snippets provide an astounding 40.7% of the results returned by voice searches. As a result, it's no longer optional to optimize your website for voice search. To help achieve this, use long-tail keywords and natural language. And keep your site secure—the same study shows that 70.4% of the results pages for voice searches have HTTPS links.

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Video is also becoming more popular as a means to get information, which makes it a useful tool for making content more interesting and better for users.

Of course, it's important to put the user experience (UX) first in any SEO plan. Google and other search engines favor user-friendly websites with good interface design. Part of this is making sure the website loads quickly, works well on mobile phones and is easy to use.

Building A Successful SEO Strategy In 2024

In addition to keeping up with SEO trends, there are steps you can take to make your SEO strategy work in 2024.

Step 1: Set your goals.

Having well-defined goals helps you laser-focus your SEO efforts. In fact, determining what constitutes a successful SEO campaign is a powerful but often overlooked step. Is it bringing 20% more people to your website? Boosting your visibility for local search terms? Getting more online sales? If you have clear goals, you can track your progress, measure how well you're doing and change your plans as needed.

Step 2: Do your (keyword) research.

You need to conduct keyword research to find out what your ideal customers are looking for online. To do this, you can use SEMrush and Google Keyword Planner, among others, to find profitable keywords, research their search volume and assess the competition.

Say you have a website with baking tips and are having trouble with your next blog post. You found that a lot of people search for "easy cake recipes" every month through keyword research. These keywords can then be used in the post's title, headers (H1, H2) and meta description. This will make it more likely that your content will show up in search results for key terms your target customers are looking for.

Step 3: Optimize your on-page content.

The next step, after deciding which keywords to utilize, is to make your website user- and search-engine-friendly. Among these are:

• Page Titles: Create short, descriptive page names that describe the page's content accurately and include relevant keywords.

• Meta Descriptions: Create compelling and useful page descriptions to encourage users to click on your website.

• Headings: For better reading and content organization, use descriptive headers (H1, H2, etc.).

• Image Alt Text: Put descriptive keywords in the alt text aspect of the images you're using.

• User Experience (UX): Ensure your website is responsive, loads quickly and is easy to use on mobile devices to provide a pleasant experience for your users.

Step 4: Create content.

Good content is the bedrock of an SEO strategy in 2024. Your content should do three things: inform, engage and set your website as an authority in the field.

When evaluating a website's content, Google emphasizes E-E-A-T—expertise, experience, authoritativeness and trustworthiness. Because of this, it is critical to make an honest attempt to be creative.

Think beyond the box, do your own research, and sprinkle in some tales where appropriate to offer fresh perspectives. Moreover, acknowledging the author and their qualifications helps establish credibility and trust with your readers. By following Google's guidelines and writing content that people want to read, you could boost site traffic and establish yourself as an industry expert.

Step 5: Build backlinks.

Think of building backlinks—that is, links from other websites to yours—as gathering recommendations. These increase your website's trustworthiness and ranking potential by showing search engines that people are confident in you.

For example, I helped a local eco-friendly apparel manufacturer boost their web presence by concentrating on quality information rather than unethical approaches. We created a blog post about sustainable fashion to demonstrate the brand's environmental responsibility. This automatically drew backlinks from eco-friendly blogs and online magazines with similar opinions. This method generated high-quality backlinks, boosting authority, traffic and brand exposure.

Keep in mind that if you concentrate on making content that is worthy of links, the backlinks will come.

Optimizing For SEO Success In 2024

Staying on top of SEO trends and algorithm changes is imperative. But remember that SEO is a long-term process. By following the above tactics, having clear goals, and monitoring and altering your strategy, you can unlock SEO's power and succeed against continually changing SERP algorithms.

You can stay ahead by subscribing to industry magazines, following Google updates and attending pertinent webinars or conferences. However, if you feel overwhelmed, do not hesitate to consult a seasoned SEO agency for assistance.

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How to train your ChatGPT: powerful prompts for marketers 

Generative AI is creating a lot of buzz in the marketing world. Tools like ChatGPT, have the potential to transform how we market, interact with customers, and automate tasks.

To leverage this technology effectively, it’s important to understand how to train your ChatGPT. You’re in the right place for that.

In this post, we’ll guide you through training your ChatGPT and provide specific prompts that you can use to maximize the benefits of AI technology.

ChatGPT for market research

ChatGPT can help you learn important information about the people you want to reach, the latest trends in your industry, and the other brands you’re up against. This can include analyzing social media conversations, conducting surveys, or even generating insights based on existing market data. By using ChatGPT for market research, you can gain a deeper understanding of your target audience and make more informed marketing decisions.

Identifying your target audience

“Describe the ideal target audience for our [ product or service ] in terms of demographic, behavioral, and psychographic characteristics.”

Competitor analysis

“Analyze the marketing approach of our top three competitors in [industry]. Provide insights about their strengths and weaknesses, and areas where our brand could differentiate itself in the market.”

Trend forecasting

“List the top five emerging trends in the [industry] that could potentially impact our marketing strategy in the next 12 months.”

ChatGPT for email marketing

By using ChatGPT, you can enhance your engagement, click-through rates, and connect with your subscribers. With the right prompts, you can create attention-grabbing subject lines and optimize your content for better open rates.

For cold outreaches

“Create a cold outbound email to a potential customer for our product [X] (e.g., organization, company, service, or product).”

Welcome emails for new subscribers

“Write a warm and engaging welcome email for new subscribers who just joined our mailing list. Briefly introduce our [product/service] and guide them on how to get started.”

Follow-up emails after product demo

“Craft a follow-up email to be sent after a product demo, recapping the main features and benefits we discussed and providing the next steps for interested prospects.”

Re-engagement emails for inactive subscribers

“Design a re-engagement email targeting subscribers who have been inactive for the past six months. Incorporate special offers or incentives to encourage them to re-engage with our brand.”

Upsell and cross-sell emails for existing customers

“Develop an upsell or cross-sell email promoting a related[product/service] to our existing customers who have already purchased product [X]. Highlight the value and benefits of the new offering.”

Change email for desired audience

“This email is to [audience]. Please rewrite it with[another audience] in mind. Their pain points are[pain points.] Be sure to keep the tone similar.” 

CTA optimization

“Suggest three different call-to-action (CTA) phrases for our[product or service] landing page that effectively encourage users to complete the desired action.”

ChatGPT for content marketing

ChatGPT is a powerful tool for enhancing your content marketing efforts. It can help by creating compelling meta-descriptions that grab the reader’s attention, finding trustworthy statistics to back up your content, and inspiring creativity in the brainstorming and ideation process for your content. With ChatGPT, you can take your content marketing to the next level.

Generating meta-descriptions

“Write a 160-character meta description for the blog post below.”

Adding statistics to a blog post

“I need statistics from credible reports for a blog post. List [number] websites that publish[industry] reports.”

Brainstorming

Are you struggling with blog post ideas or facing writer’s block? Stop staring at a blank page. Here’s how to leverage ChatGPT for brainstorming:

“Based on current industry trends and recent competitor content, list ten blog post topics relevant to [your industry]. Each topic should address a specific pain point faced by [your target audience].”

ChatGPT for SEO

ChatGPT is a valuable resource for streamlining and enhancing various SEO tasks. You can conduct audits, create blog outlines, generate keyword lists, and optimize long-tail keywords using effective prompts.

Conducting SEO audits

“Conduct an on-page SEO audit for this webpage [URL].”

Creating blog outlines

“Create a detailed blog outline on the topic [insert topic title] with H2, H3, subheading, and bullet points.”

Generating a keyword list

“Generate a list of [number] keyword ideas on the topic [insert topic] for [target audience].”

Generating long tail keywords list with search intent

“Provide [number] long tail keywords related to [topic]. Match each keyword with any of the four types of search intent.”

ChatGPT for advertising

ChatGPT can help you save time and effort by creating compelling ad copy. You can also create corresponding landing page content that boosts conversions and aligns with your marketing goals.

Keyword research

“Identify the top ten high-performing keywords for our [product or service] to use in our PPC campaigns targeting [target audience].”

Writing ad headlines and descriptions

“Compose three eye-catching headlines and two engaging descriptions for a Google Ads campaign promoting our [product or service] to [target audience].”

Crafting display ad copy

“Develop a concise and compelling display ad copy for our[product or service], targeting [specific audience segment], focusing on the unique selling points that would appeal to this demographic.”

ChatGPT for social media marketing

You can utilize ChatGPT’s capabilities to generate engaging and targeted content for your social media platforms. It’s a great way to keep your audience engaged and interested in what you have to say.

Planning a social media campaign

“Craft a[number of months] social media campaign calendar for our [name of product] with the goal of [Y] and mention the relevant channels to focus on .”

Crafting Facebook ad copies

“Write a compelling Facebook ad copy for our [product or service] targeting [target audience], focusing on the unique selling proposition and benefits.”

Generating tweet ideas

“Create five tweet ideas highlighting the key features and benefits of our [product or service], targeting [target audience].”

Influencer outreach

“Draft a personalized message to [influencer’s name], a top influencer in our niche, inviting them to collaborate with our brand on a promotional campaign.”

ChatGPT for event marketing

ChatGPT can assist in creating compelling event descriptions, drafting engaging promotional materials, and even providing real-time support during the event itself. Its ability to understand and generate human-like text makes it a powerful tool for enhancing all aspects of event marketing.

Event planning and concept development

“Create a unique and memorable event concept for our upcoming product launch, which will excite and engage our [target audience].”

Email invitation

“Draft a captivating email invitation for our upcoming marketing event, targeting [target audience]. Highlight key event details and benefits for attendees.”

Post-event follow-up

“Compose a thoughtful post-event follow-up email, thanking attendees for their participation and summarizing the key takeaways from the event.”

ChatGPT for video marketing

With ChatGPT, you have the power to streamline your video marketing efforts. By effortlessly generating compelling scripts and extracting valuable insights, you can enhance your marketing campaigns and captivate your audience.

Video content ideas

“Generate five video content ideas that promote [product or service], targeting [target audience], and showcase the product’s key benefits.”

Creating video introductions

“Create an attention-grabbing video introduction that will leave a lasting impression on viewers.”

Generating YouTube video titles

“ Generate a list of catchy YouTube video titles for [topic of your choice].”

Writing video scripts

“Write a brief two-minute video script explaining the features and advantages of our [product or service] to [target audience].”

Creating video ad campaign concepts

“Develop a high-level concept for a video ad campaign to promote our [product or service] to [target audience], focusing on emotional appeal and storytelling.”

ChatGPT for branding and messaging consistency

You can utilize ChatGPT to ensure that your marketing messages consistently embody your brand’s tone and values across all communication channels.

Developing a brand mission statement

“Craft a powerful and concise mission statement that captures the essence of our brand and reflects our values and purpose.”

Creating a brand voice and tone guide

“Design a voice and tone guide for our marketing communications, setting the tone and style for different types of content and channels.”

ChatGPT for marketing analytics and reporting

With ChatGPT, you can gain valuable insights and make informed decisions based on data-driven analysis. Whether it’s understanding customer behavior, tracking campaign performance, or uncovering market trends, ChatGPT can help you extract meaningful information and streamline your reporting process. 

Analyzing marketing KPIs

“Evaluate the performance of our recent marketing campaign by analyzing key KPIs such as conversion rate, cost per acquisition, and ROI.”

Generating insights from data

“Based on the data from our latest customer survey, identify potential areas of improvement for our [product or service] or marketing strategy.”

Creating actionable reports

“Summarize the performance of our Q2 marketing initiatives and provide actionable recommendations for Q3 based on the analysis.”

How to utilize AI prompts

Now that you have a comprehensive list of ChatGPT prompts across different marketing disciplines, let’s look at how you can put these powerful prompts into action.

Step 1: Choose your prompt

Identify the specific outcome you want to achieve and choose the appropriate prompt from the list above. Customize the prompt by replacing placeholders, like [product or service] and [target audience], with information that is specific to your brand or industry.

Step 2: Input the prompt into ChatGPT

Open up your chosen AI platform and input the customized prompt. Depending on the platform you use, you may be able to set parameters, such as temperature and maximum tokens. These settings determine the level of creativity and the length of the response. You should play around with these settings to achieve the desired outcome.

Temperature 

A higher value (e.g., 0.8) will result in a more creative output, while a lower value (e.g., 0.4) will produce a more focused and deterministic response.

Maximum token

This determines the length of the response. Adjust the value according to your specific requirements.

Step 3: Review and refine the AI-generated response

After submitting your prompt, ChatGPT will quickly generate a response based on the given instructions. Review the output to ensure it meets your expectations and aligns with your marketing objectives. 

Edit the response. You should make adjustments to grammar, structure, tone, or any other aspects you find necessary to improve the overall quality and effectiveness of the content.

It’s essential to remember that while ChatGPT can generate powerful and useful content, it requires some tweaking and customization on your part. Make sure to check for accuracy and relevance before implementing the generated output in your marketing campaign.

Step 4: Apply the response in your marketing strategy

Once you’ve reviewed and refined the AI-generated content, you’re ready to implement it in your marketing campaigns. Use the optimized output, whether it’s an ad copy, a social media post, or a meta description, to enhance your marketing efforts and achieve better results.

How does Dotdigital use generative AI?

Dotdigital uses generative AI to offer a helping hand throughout your marketing workflow. Our WinstonAI is designed to free up your time for creative thinking and strategic planning by tackling repetitive tasks with superhuman speed and accuracy.

Generative AI for effortless email and SMS

Say goodbye to writer’s block and hello to faster, more effective campaigns. We all know crafting compelling copy takes time and skill. WinstonAI in Dotdigital acts as your personal copywriting assistant, supporting you throughout the entire process – from subject line creation to crafting the perfect campaign message.

Here’s how Dotdigital’s WinstonAI streamlines your workflow:

• Subject line magic: Stuck on a subject line? No problem. WinstonAI analyzes your past campaigns and suggests tailored options that resonate with your audience.
• Content curation: Need a spark for your email body? Generative AI provides suggestions and tips to keep your message on point.
• Flawless grammar and tone: Ensure your copy is always polished and professional with built-in grammar and spell check.
• Versatility at your fingertips: Fine-tune your message by rewriting copy in different tones or expanding or shortening it for optimal length.
• Emoji power: Add a touch of personality with emoji suggestions that complement your text.

By analyzing up to 25 of your previous subject lines , WinstonAI tailors suggestions specifically for your campaigns and target audience. This translates to faster campaign creation, improved accuracy, and messages that resonate with your subscribers.

In short, our WinstonAI gives you back precious time to focus on the creative aspects of your marketing strategy, while ensuring your campaigns are always error-free and deliver results.

Start using generative AI to streamline your workflow

So there you have it. You’ve just learned how to use generative AI for your marketing strategy. Keep experimenting with different prompts and make adjustments along the way. This will help you use AI tools to support your marketing efforts effectively. As you get better at using AI, you’ll find that it becomes really helpful in making your marketing work smoother and getting better results.

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Redefining digital experiences: Merging marketing and web development

5 best practice tips for email marketing

Why do Dyeing poison frogs tap dance?

The toe tapping behavior of various amphibians has long attracted attention from researchers and pet owners. Despite being widely documented, the underlying functional role is poorly understood. In a new paper, researchers demonstrate that Dyeing poison frogs modulate their taps based on specific stimuli.

Dyeing poison frogs, Dendrobates tinctorius , have been shown to tap their posterior toes in response to a range of prey sizes, from small fruit flies to large crickets. In the present study, the researchers hypothesized that if the tapping has a role in feeding, the frogs would adjust their behavior in response to different environmental cues.

To test their hypothesis, the researchers recorded the frogs under varying conditions. "I used the slow-motion camera on my iPhone to take minute-long videos of the frogs tapping. Afterwards, I went back to each video and counted the number of taps on each foot and how long they were visible since they were often hidden behind a leaf or the frog itself. I used those two numbers to get a "taps per minute" on each foot and added them up," said Thomas Parrish, a former undergraduate student in the Fischer lab (GNDP), and the first author on the paper.

The researchers first tested whether the frogs tapped their toes more when they were feeding. To do so, the researchers fed the terrariums with half a teaspoon of fruit flies and recorded their hunting.

"We already knew the answer to this, but it was great to see that the tapping increased in the presence of the prey," said Eva Fischer, an assistant professor of integrative biology. "We wanted to ask 'Why?' and we wondered whether it had a function in prey capture or it was just a excitatory response like how dogs wag their tails because they are excited."

The researchers then used different surfaces to see whether the tapping behavior changed when the frogs could see the prey but not feed on it. They placed the fruit flies in small, clear Petri dishes in the frogs' home and measured the rate of toe tapping. They found that the frogs had an average of 50 taps/minute when they couldn't access the flies compared to 166 taps/minute when they fed on free-moving flies.

"The idea was that if they're excited, we might see something different based on whether they can catch the flies," Fisher said. "These results suggested that since they kept trying to eat in both cases, the tapping was not just out of excitement."

The researchers wondered, then, whether the toe taps were a form of vibrational signaling where the frogs used it as a way to startle or distract the prey before they fed. They used four different surfaces to test this question: soil, leaf surfaces, gel, and glass.

"Soil and leaves are natural substances, but soil is not very responsive while leaves are. On the other hand, gels are responsive and glass is not, but they are both unnatural surfaces to frogs," Fischer said.

They found that while the tap rate differed depending on the surface, with leaves being the highest at 255 taps/minute and glass the lowest at 64 taps/minute, there was no difference in the total number of feeding attempts or success.

"Although we saw that the frogs ate in every context, it was exciting to see that they changed their behavior based on what they're standing on," Fischer said. "We were surprised, however, that we didn't see a difference in how successful they were at eating. It's possible that the experiment is like sending them to a buffet instead of what happens in the forest where the tapping may help in stirring the prey."

The researchers are now hoping to understand what other stimuli might trigger this behavior. "Although we've conclusively shown that it is important in feeding, it could also be important in other contexts. For example, we have seen that the frogs tap more when there are other frogs nearby, so there may be a social aspect to it," Fischer said.

They are also interested in studying the underlying biomechanical aspects of the muscles. "It would be cool to look at the anatomy and see how the muscles work," Fischer said. "Ultimately, we could ask whether all frogs can tap their toes if they have the right muscles or whether there's something special about the anatomy of poison frogs."

• Frogs and Reptiles
• Wild Animals
• Behavioral Science
• Agriculture and Food
• Frog zoology
• Dog intelligence

Story Source:

Materials provided by Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign . Original written by Ananya Sen. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Related Multimedia :

• Toe tapping behavior in poison frogs

Journal Reference :

• Thomas Q. Parrish, Eva K. Fischer. Tap dancing frogs: Posterior toe tapping and feeding in Dendrobates tinctorius . Ethology , 2024; DOI: 10.1111/eth.13465

Cite This Page :

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