We all know that choosing the right keywords is essential to increase traffic to your site. Long-tail keywords are the best way to be successful.
Getting the right long-tail keywords may seem more challenging, but our ideas can make it easier.
What are long-tail keywords?
Long-tail keywords are a group of between 3 and 5 words used in a search query to be more specific to the user’s intent.
They are more practical for smaller businesses as they are more niche and can reduce the competition in search rankings.
Even though the search volume for long-tail keywords may be lower than a single keyword, it can help put your website higher in the results.
Put simply, a long-tail keyword, consisting of 3-5 words, will have a lower search volume but will bring in more conversions.
Keywords are not the only thing that matters in SEO, but they are still vital for good SEO.
If you haven’t been ranking well for keywords, switching to long-tail keywords could boost your ranking and help you see an improvement in traffic.
Example
A head term keyword – Kitchens (Very high volume but not specific. Lots of competition in SERPS)
A long-tail keyword – Shaker kitchen showroom Essex (more focussed, less competition)
8 Ways to Choose Long-tail Keywords
Now we have established their importance, let’s talk about the ways you can choose the most effective long-tail keywords.
You may have to use trial and error to find out the most effective ones for driving traffic to your site and getting conversions.
1. What is your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)
Some simple questions can help identify what makes your business unique:
- What is it that makes your service/product attractive to customers?
- Who is your intended audience?
- What makes you stand out from the competition?
The answers to these questions should help inform your long-tail keywords and highlight what your business can offer potential customers.
The more unique the search query, the fewer people it will reach, but the conversion rate may be considerably higher.
2. What is your target audience’s intent?
Potential customers want or need something, and you must determine what that is to get your long-tail keywords right.
Get some clarification from people within your team who know the customers well. That might be the sales team or customer services. Ask them the following questions:
- What questions do our customers need answering?
- What problems do our customers experience?
- How can our business solve these problems for our customers?
- What are the main factors that influence our customers to buy from us?
3. Research Long-tail Keyword
Once you have the answers to your USP and customer requirements, you will need to research potential long-tail keywords.
The research will help you find the exact wording customers will use when searching. It will discover words or phrases unfamiliar to you and identify keywords used successfully by competitors.
4. Always focus on User Intent
Your research is likely to produce a list of potential long-tail keywords. Now you need to think back to the intent behind the queries using those terms.
- What do those searching hope to find?
- How close to buying are the searchers when they ask?
Your aim should be to provide content that gives answers to your audience’s questions. To be successful, you must stay focused on the search query when you write your content and don’t drift on to promoting a product.
Visitors to your site who do not get their questions answered will leave.
People will be disappointed if your site or product doesn’t address their needs or answer their questions when they get to your site. You can avoid this bounce effect by understanding and concentrating on user intent.
5. Using Tools to Find Long-tail Keywords
Tools can make the job of finding long-tail keywords much more manageable. You can search for keywords related to your speciality by choosing specific options.
There are some free tools available, while others require a subscription. Alternatively, you can use the services of an SEO professional to research for you.
They can focus on search volume and competition to find the best long-tail keywords for your business.
6. Google Search
Thanks to the autocomplete function, the Google search box can be a valuable way of poking further into the terms used to search.
You can start by typing some relevant terms into the search bar before scanning the drop-down list created. Adding extra words or even a single letter will generate even more long-tail potential.
7. Related Search Terms
Google helpfully suggests related searches whenever you enter a keyword or question into the search bar. You may find that some of these alternatives are helpful for your business.
8. Social Media and Forums
Look at social media and forums related to your topic and check out the questions people ask. For example, if you look at discussions about used Ford Transit vans, you will see “What are Ford Transit van common problems?” as a frequently asked question.
