Targeting the Long Tail Keyword
To make the most of your SEO methods, you need to think like a search user. For example, most searchers are not looking for “computer services”, they are searching for “computer repair services in [your location here]” or “help my computer won’t turn on”. Longer search phrases, called long tail search keywords, don’t receive half of the recognition they deserve. It’s easy to target short keyword phrases; they don’t require as much thought as the longer phrases. But they also don’t have the same impact on search engines.
Long tail keywords, by definition, are any keyword phrases with at least three words. They move beyond general phrases into a much more specific search query. They also almost always have less competition for rankings than single or double word keywords. Targeting long tail keywords improves the chances of ranking for what people are actually searching for, and it improves the chances that your site is what people want when they find your listing in the SERPs.
To create long tail keywords for your site, start with your current keyword list, and then get specific. Instead of “SEO” use “SEO website services”, “SEO for websites” and “Use SEO to improve search rankings”. For each keyword, you should be able to come up with several long tail keyword combinations. Out of those, select the ones that best fit the purpose and content of your site. You should also look at the competition for the keyword phrases; some may have a better combination of monthly searches vs. competitors.
The rules for using long tail keywords are the same for using shorter keywords. Use them in your content, in your page descriptions, in your links and in your titles. Use them with your shorter keyword phrases. Use permutations of the long tail keywords to use, as well. Just be sure that you’re not unintentionally keyword stuffing; don’t use so many keywords that your content becomes unclear or awkward to read. Focus on quality first, and worry about keywords second.
Long tail keywords are often more effective than shorter keywords, thanks to the higher accuracy of the search and the lower number of competitors. People who search using longer search queries often know exactly what they are looking for, and the results their searches bring up are much more accurate than the searches with a shortened search query. Long tail keywords allow you to target traffic with a higher conversion rate, as well as improving the findability of your site on the search engines. Used correctly, these longer keywords can make a radical difference in the amount and quality of the traffic on your site. And who doesn’t want that?
Do you see more traffic on your website from shorter keywords or from long tail keywords?
