Long-tail keywords are longer, more relevant keyword sayings that viewers are more likely to utilize when they are nearing a point of purchase or using voice search. The search volume for most long-tail keywords is lower than for short or “head” keywords. They appear counterintuitive initially but can be extremely valuable if used correctly.

How do Long-Tail Keywords Operate?

Consider this: if you sell classic furniture, chances are your pages will never show up near the top of google results for “furniture” because there is too much competitive pressure (this is especially true if you are a smaller business or a start-up). However, if you specialize in contemporary art-deco furniture, keywords like “contemporary Art Deco-influenced semi-circle lounge” will consistently bring you customers who are looking for exactly that product.

Free Keyword Tool can help you find the best long-tail keywords

Handling long-tail keywords is merely a matter of improving communication between your company and the clients who are already out there looking for what you have to offer.

Consider this: what are the possibilities that if you try googling the word “sofa” (a really broad keyword occasionally referred to as a “head term”), you’ll end up users to click through to purchase? But if you google “elm wood veneer day-bed,” you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for and are probably willing to pay for it immediately.

You’ll get less traffic from a long-tail keyword than from a more prevalent one, but the traffic you do get will be stronger: more concentrated, more committed, and more interested in your services.

The 80/20 rule applies to long-tail keywords

The term “long tail” refers to the visual representation of the form of a scatter chart. If we made a graph of web-wide search term prominence, a few words or phrases (Facebook, physical intimacy, Justin Bieber) would garner massive searches.

The surprising part is that those keyword-based terms, the “head” of the dragon, account for a remarkably small proportion of all searches, ranging from 10 – 15 %, based on how you evaluate it. Another 15 to 20 % of lookups arrive from mid-length keywords, implying that long-tail keywords account for roughly 70% of page views. The tail of a Chinese dragon goes endlessly on and on.

Long-Tail Keywords for Finding Qualified Searchers

Shorter keywords can have fierce competition for rankings, but visits can be dispersed, and ROI can be low. Going strictly by numbers, smart long-tail keyword implementation will bring in less traffic, but the return on investment will be correspondingly much higher: you’ll be attracting precisely the audience you’re looking for. That viewer will be far nearer to the juncture than that of your less-savvy competing companies.