How to identify long-tail keywords for SEO

Google has to scan through millions, perhaps even billions of results uploaded to the web daily when you search for something. Anyone with a website of their own understands how hard it can be to create fresh content that doesn’t get lost in the avalanche of information we see daily. That’s why search engine optimization, otherwise known as SEO, is so important. One of the first SEO tips you often hear is “use keywords.” But the term keywords can be deceptive, as keywords can be as long as a phrase. In this article, we’ll be talking about how to identify the right long-tail keywords.

Definition of long-tail keywords

Before getting into the nitty-gritty of identifying these keywords, let’s elaborate a bit on what they are. Long-tail keywords refer to the length of the query, that’s the number of words you type into the search bar. They are more hyper-focused and appear more often when the search requires a concrete answer or a purchase. An example would be “buy wireless Bluetooth headset” as opposed to just “Bluetooth headset.”

Why should I use long-tail keywords

Now that we know what long-tail keywords mean, why should you even bother using it? Does it genuinely affect your SEO ranking? If you’re in Queensland, you can seek the expertise of Joel House SEO Sunshine Coast, the region’s leading agency.

It increases your SEO ranking.

So to answer one of the earlier questions, yes, it does improve your ranking. The reason is quite simple. The more specific you are, the fewer websites with which you have to compete. So automatically, the less competition you have, the easier it is for you to rank higher.  It’s just a game of numbers.

It increases your conversion rates.

Long-tail keywords are generally by people looking for precise information. Someone that searches “running socks” may just be looking to see what they look like, an impromptu perhaps even mindless search. But someone who inputs “buy running socks in Melbourne” is already considering a purchase, and easier to convert.  

How do I identify the right long-tail keywords?

So you understand the term and would now like to use it to drive more organic traffic to your website. But you’re not quite sure how to do that. Here are a couple of tips you can start with:

Use Google suggest

Have you ever found yourself typing into google’s search bar, and then a drop-down of possible suggestions pops up? You’ll find that more often than not, one of the recommendations is what you’re looking for. This result is the same for millions of users across the globe. It’s also one of the easiest ways to find out what your potential customers might need. If your website focuses on sharing recipes, for instance, you can search for “how to cook…” Then let google suggest different meals like “vegemite,” “chicken parmigiana,” “barramundi,” etc.

Use the related search result.

You can still take further advantage of Google’s SEO results by using the related searches list at the bottom of each page. Not only will you find similar terms to the one you already looked up, but you’ll also see similar topics you can implement later. These are all potential keywords that can generate more traffic on your website. Using google’s autocomplete might give you somewhere between two or three other options, depending on the first two words. But with this tip, you can generate up to eight suggestions.

Check your analytics

Of course, another great tip is to tap directly from the source, which in this case would be your history. If you can find your way around your analytics, you can learn a lot, especially about the long-tail queries that allow your current audience to locate your page. The great thing about this particular feature is that it will enable you to build on what you already have. Here’s how you do it, if you find a long-tail query that drives quite a bit of traffic, you can create a page with that title to drive even more traffic. Don’t be discouraged by having to go through lots of data. You can streamline your search by looking for question keywords like “how” or “where.”

Go through Q&A sites.

Curious about the questions your audience is asking? Why not find out for yourself. There are several sites set up to ask and answer questions. Examples of these sites include Quora, Yahoo answers, Answerthepublic, and many more. They are incredible research tools to find out indeed what people want to find out. All you have to do once you login to these sites is input a relevant but straightforward short-tail keyword. The database will provide you with a long list of potential long-tail queries; you can use on your website. 

Use a trend tracker

It’s not uncommon for keywords to develop over time. To stay current, you might want to consider using a trend tracker such a Google trends or exploding topics. The good thing about these trackers is that they let you stay on top of the latest trends and searches. If you sign up for the Exploding topic’s newsletters, you can get weekly updates that’ll help you stay ahead of the competition. 

Use Wikipedia

Wikipedia didn’t become the most popular online encyclopedia by accident. Their SEO game is excellent. There’s hardly any topic that doesn’t have its own Wikipedia page, and it’s usually the very first result that pops up. So how do you capitalize on that? It’s simple, find a Wikipedia page related to something you’re promoting. You can find this with a short-tail keyword search. Once you find a relevant page, you can use the subtitles, and see also section as your long-tail keywords. Another tip is to do a page search of a single keyword and observe the other variations where it appears. 

Conclusion

Well, these six tips are easy enough to follow and implement successfully. You might still find yourself uncertain. Well, don’t beat yourself up when you can always consult pros.