What are longtail keywords?
These can more accurately be termed key phrases, as they consist of the sentences people type into search in search engines.
keyword:
jewelleryRelated long-tail keywords:
silver charms for bracelets
The above longtail key phrase could be the phrase for a single page on a jewellery website– a page which features silver charms and silver charm bracelets.
Why use long-tail keywords?
There are good reasons to use longtail phrases in your seo strategy, including the fact that longtail phrases are targeted and easier to optimise for than short terms consisting of two or less words.
Longtail phrases are targeted
The fact that longtail phrases have a narrower focus means benefits for web users and you!Benefits to web users:
A person searching with long-tail phrases is more likely to know what they want, because they are narrowing down their search. If they land on a page that offers exactly what they’re looking for, this provides a positive experience for them.Benefits to website owners:
Satisfied web users are more likely to buy from you or feel positive towards your website.People are often said to be further along in the buying process if they are using highly targeted longtail terms. Therefore, if they land on a page that matches their request, they are possibly already in a ‘buying’ frame of mind, rather than being in a ‘just browsing’ frame of mind. Which is good news for you!
Longtail phrases are often easier to optimise for
Although the keyword ‘jewellery’ is not targeted to any particular type of jewellery, it would be a highly sought after term because of the volume of searches each month for that term.Example Australian search volumes: (Rough estimates only. Not actual search volumes.)
jewellery: 100,000
silver charm bracelet: 1000
silver charms for bracelets: 100
Terms consisting of two or less words often have the highest search volumes. Competition is fierce for those keywords terms. Established and authority websites are often up there dominating the first few search results positions. It can be a very long and time-consuming road to building your website up to become an authority website. (Not to mention expensive if you are paying web optimisation experts!)
Optimising a longtail keyword can be like a backdoor into your website.
Note: Some longtail phrases also have hot competition, even with low search volumes (especially if they are for items with a high value.)
The 2 biggest mistakes you can make with longtail keywords
Mistake 1: Type the phrase into a search engine and then go by the amount of results returned as to how much competition there is for that phrase.In fact, for many longtail phrases, results past the first two pages are not even relevant– maybe even past the first page!
So if you see a figure like 108,965 results returned, don’t get scared! Actually look at the results and determine for yourself if there is decent competition for your chosen phrase.
With some simple and very basic search engine optimisation, you might be able to gain a page one position– even a number one position.
Mistake 2: Use a keyword finder (program that shows you the searches per month for a keyword) and get discouraged when you find that only 100 people search for your chosen term a month.
If you could gain the number one spot for that term, and gain even a small number of highly targeted customers/web users– isn’t that worth it?
The flip-side of longtail keywords is also this: Although 100 people may search per month using a particular search term, 500 a month may search for that same term, but use slightly different phrasing.
It is possible to gain thousands of web visitors to a web page per month, all searching for basically the same thing, but each using a unique phrase.
Staple that to your forehead! Many people new to website analytics don’t realise just how many people can arrive at a web page using a unique search phrase.
Of course, keywords consisting of three or less words remain the holy grail. But if you’re just starting out, or if your website is sinking more than swimming, you might want to look at expanding your keyword strategy.
And make sure you have great and targeted content to match your new longtail keywords!
Thanks helpful for me
as i was always running behind big keywords.
i made good content but later ended up realizinng my site stand nowhere in first 5 pages.
in google main search.
now i will be looking for targeted low searched keywords too
Vaibhav´s last blog ..How to make a website that makes you money?
Wishing you lots of good luck in your keyword strategy Vaibhav!
I recently did some research on long-tail searches and came to similar conclusions to yourself: that long-tails often have a higher conversion rate since people making long-tail searches are often further along in the buying cycle and more willing to part with their cash.
http://www.alanmitchell.com.au/techniques/benefits-of-long-tail-keywords/
I also found that since long-tail searches are usually more specific and qualified in their nature, long-tail keywords provide a great opportunity to write highly relevant ads and achieve a strong CTR.
Alan Mitchell´s last blog ..The 5 Benefits of Long-Tail Keywords
Hi Alan
Agreed! I’ve had a world-wide site for past couple of years – one of the longtail keywords I optimised for achieves a 30-40% CTR, and brings in many thousands per month (on dozens of variations of that one keyword)
WOW, on my way now to look at my title pages. thanks for the heads up!!
what are some good sites look for # of people searching on the terms?
thanks
Hi!
Just had a look at your site – it’s already really well optimised (if you didn’t do it – whoever did did a great job)
Other things you can do:
- search longer keywords on Google Adwords.
- try searching a term on Google, then click on ‘Show Options’ just above the search results.
Scroll down to click on the ‘wonder wheel’ option. This gives you lots of ideas on what people are searching for.
- try ‘Google suggest’
- try visiting body piercing forums to see what people want to know & are interested in the most