Why You Should Focus More on Long Tail Keywords in SEO

Long-tail keywords are held in high repute by SEO experts in all niches and for a good reason. The competition in SEO is growing exponentially. In the past, where one human resource was enough to get a result, you now need to employ more people, more resources to get the same results. An increase in costs is something off-putting for a lot of businesses when it comes to SEO.

Using long-tail keywords in your SEO strategy is a great way to get results for relatively low costs. Using and targeting these keywords also helps you to create valuable content. Targeted, valuable content is something that is going to help differentiate your website from the competition and will keep your audience coming back.

Here are the top reasons why you should focus more on long-tail keywords in SEO:

Search intent is all the rage these days

Google and other search engines like Bing, Yahoo, etc. have started to pay more attention to search intent.

All good search engines want to provide value to people who use them while simultaneously making sure that the user experience provided is nothing short of incredible. You can understand this by seeing Google’s popularity among people and its widespread use worldwide.

Different people at different times use search engines differently. If someone wants to get a general idea about a topic, they are most likely to type in. When people search for something that they are slightly more invested in, they will type in a relatively long search query.

Search intent is something that you should always think about when building a website and identifying keywords you can rank for. To understand search intent, you might even want to talk to your audience through a live chat app or chatbots.

By focusing on long-tail keywords, you will create several content resources that people will be more willing to check out. Make sure that your core target audience is more than interested in your chosen long-tail keywords. By taking note of how your audience thinks and uses the internet in your SEO strategy, you will ensure that your site gets to the first page ASAP.

It’s relatively easier to rank for long-tail keywords

A high ranking is essential for websites. If a website has low domain authority, it won’t get the traffic it needs to stay functional. There are literally millions of websites today, but only a few can take their place in front of their target audiences.

Shorter, to the point, keywords are harder to rank for. Do a little research and analyze the top results of any head keyword. The websites that rank for these search terms are generally well established, have high domain authority, a loyal following, and not to mention hundreds if not thousands of backlinks.

A new website without dedicated digital marketing teams cannot compete with these websites. The financial investment and the human resources to rank for most head keywords are not justified.

You should use shorter keywords less because the kind of audience they bring is harder to convert. People who search using head keywords are generally the kind of people who may or may not be interested in that term.

These people have a somewhat higher bounce rate. Higher bounce rates and low dwell times are super destructive for a new, small website. By utilizing long-tail keywords your website will be able to rise in the SERP (Search Engine Results Page) for those terms, and might even start to rank for other not-targeted keywords on its own.

You can increase your conversions

Long-tail keywords can increase your conversions, and I’ll tell you why.

We have discussed how search intent is growing in importance with each passing day. Search engines, as well as your core target audience, expect you to focus on intent. If your website doesn’t provide your audience with what they are looking for, they will bounce immediately and not return.

Long-tail keywords are great at bringing conversions. The main reason they can do this is that people use long-tail keywords when they are further along in their buyers’ journey.
Think about it. Which searcher will be more likely to make a conversion “best t-shirts” or “best website to buy t-shirts.”

The second searcher is in a purchasing mode, which is why they are using long-tail keywords. People who search like this are far more likely to convert. You wouldn’t even need to go to extreme lengths in getting them to convert to your site.

All you will need to convert these engaged searchers is good content, visuals, and text. You also need to make sure that your website is geared towards providing value while ensuring that you reach your conversions and business goals.

Voice search is increasing in popularity

You might be thinking, what does voice search have to do with long-tail keywords. The simplest way to understand this is to know how people are using it for voice search.

First off, more and more people are using their mobile devices to use the internet. Secondly, the voice search is more convenient than typing in your search query.

When people are using voice search, they are more likely to speak the search term more conversationally. This means that they are more likely to use long-tail keywords. As things stand currently, voice search is only projected to grow. To take advantage of this rising voice wave, you should start including long-tail keywords as quickly as possible.

Target long-tail keywords that you think are more conversational. Gradually, you will start to notice that your searches will increase over time, and the traffic that comes to your site will be more conversion-friendly.

Conclusion

Long-tail keywords are a great way to reach your audience. Using them is not only cost-effective, but it is also easier to rank for these keywords.

As more time progresses, you can only expect competition to increase in SEO. It will be mandatory for you to rank on a few more long-tail search terms in this scenario. Take your time and do adequate SEO research first if you want to get the most out of your SEO efforts.