How Do You Find Long-Tail Keywords and Why Are They Important?

When it comes to search engine optimization (SEO), choosing the right keywords is crucial. While popular, short keywords can attract a lot of traffic, they are also incredibly competitive. That’s where long-tail keywords come in. Long-tail keywords are longer (obviously), more specific phrases that are less frequently searched, but often easier to rank for. Here’s how to find long-tail keywords and why they are important for your website’s SEO.

Why are long-tail keywords important?

Long-tail keywords are important because they help you attract more targeted traffic to your website. When people search for longer, more specific phrases, they are often closer to the end of the buyer’s journey and are more likely to convert.

For example, someone searching for “best sushi restaurant in San Francisco” is likely further along in their decision-making process than someone searching for “sushi.”

Long-tail keywords can also help you rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). Since they are less competitive, it is often easier to rank for long-tail keywords than for short, popular keywords.

How to find long-tail keywords

There are several methods for finding long-tail keywords:

1. Brainstorming: Start by brainstorming ideas for long-tail keywords that relate to your business or industry. Think about what your customers might be searching for and try to come up with as many related phrases as possible.
2. Google Autocomplete: Google’s autocomplete feature can be a great source of inspiration for long-tail keywords. Simply start typing a phrase related to your business or industry into Google’s search bar and see what suggestions pop up.
3. Google Search Console: Google Search Console is a free tool that can help you see what search terms people are using to find your website. This can be a great way to identify long-tail keywords that are already bringing in traffic.
4. Keyword research tools: There are many keyword research tools available, such as SEMrush, Ahrefs, and Google Keyword Planner, that can help you identify long-tail keywords. These tools will show you search volume, competition, and related phrases to help you find the best long-tail keywords for your website.

Best practices for using long-tail keywords

When using long-tail keywords, it’s important to follow best practices to ensure that they are effective. Here are some dos and don’ts:

Do:

• Use long-tail keywords naturally in your content: Incorporate long-tail keywords into your content in a way that feels natural. Don’t try to force them in unnaturally or stuff them in too often, as this can negatively impact your SEO.
• Include long-tail keywords in your title tags and meta descriptions: Use your long-tail keywords in your title tags and meta descriptions to signal to search engines what your content is about.
• Use variations of your long-tail keywords: Don’t just use one long-tail keyword in your content. Use variations and related phrases to signal to search engines that your content is comprehensive.

“Long tail keywords may take a little more effort, but they can be highly effective at driving targeted traffic directly to specific pages on your site,” said Paul Dughi, CEO at StrongerContent.com. “When you do, make sure you have targeted landing pages that are directly related to the long-tail keywords and links.”

Don’t:

• Keyword stuffing: Don’t try to stuff too many long-tail keywords into your content. This can make your content difficult to read and negatively impact your SEO.
• Using irrelevant long-tail keywords: Don’t use long-tail keywords that are irrelevant to your content or business. This can confuse search engines and hurt your rankings.