Most ecommerce websites focus on broad keywords with high search volume that reflect the main product categories that they sell.
For example, a clothing brand might target terms like “jeans” or “long sleeve tops”.
These keywords are important, as they’re relevant to the products being sold on the site and ultimately help improve visibility in search results, however they’re often highly competitive and attract users who are still browsing rather than ready to buy.
In some cases, brands might not even go as far as targeting terms like “long sleeve tops”. Instead, they simply list each individual product that they sell without creating dedicated category pages for these types of searches.
This isn’t great for user experience, as category pages in the site navigation help users find what they are looking for. It also limits search engine optimisation performance, as the site is not structured to target and rank for these category-level search terms.
A large part of your potential growth as an ecommerce website sits with the more specific, longer-tail searches that your customers are already making.
What are longer-tail category pages?
Long-tail category pages target more niche and specific search queries. These terms tend to have a lower search volume, but they are typically used by people who have already done most of their research (or window shopping) and know exactly what they want.
For example, if a user is searching for “black high-waisted jeans”, this search is a lot more specific than someone searching for “jeans”.
The intent is clear. This user knows what they’re looking for and is more likely to make a purchase.
Instead of targeting “jeans” and relying on broader categories where the level of competition in search results is high and conversion rate may be much lower, longer-tail category pages help you match these more specific queries and attract more targeted traffic to your site, resulting in more sales.
Why should you target longer-tail product categories?
The more specific the search, the stronger the intent behind it. There may be fewer people searching for these terms, but those that do are actively looking for something that meets their specific requirements. These users are further along in the buying journey and are closer to making a decision.
If you already stock products that meet specific needs or preferences, targeting these terms by creating long-tail category pages enables your site to appear in the search results for these more specific queries and capture more qualified traffic.
Well-known brands like Pretty Little Thing execute this well. It builds longer-tail category pages around how its target audience actually search, meaning it’s much more likely to appear in the search results when someone is looking for the products it offers.
For example, Pretty Little Thing’s “jeans and a nice top” category is very specific, but the intent is clear. The users searching for this have a specific outcome in mind, which makes them more likely to convert.
This category also reflects the language that their target audience is likely to use, rather than relying on generic category terms.
From a commercial perspective, this product category also enables the site to promote two separate product types within the same category. Pretty Little Thing understand that customers are not just looking for jeans, but an outfit, and the page is structured to match that. This can lead to two sales.
How does this apply to your industry?
This approach applies to any ecommerce business that stocks products with variations, attributes, or related uses.
The idea is fairly straightforward. If people are searching for something specific, and you already sell it, you should have a page that matches that search.
Take a garden centre as an example. They may stock outdoor furniture from a specific brand. That alone creates multiple opportunities beyond the standard “garden furniture” category.
Customers who own that furniture or are likely to purchase this furniture are also likely searching for covers for that specific brand, replacement cushions and/or accessories designed to fit.
If the site only lists these products individually, it misses the chance to target those more specific, longer-tail searches.
By creating a dedicated longer-tail category page such as “[brand name] furniture covers”, this can help the site target highly specific, high-intent searches. improve visibility for brand-related queries and capture customers who already own the product or are looking to purchase.
These users are not browsing. They know exactly what they need and are far more likely to convert.
Identifying these opportunities is often straightforward when you know what you’re looking for. You can review search queries in Google Search Console to see the queries that users are searching to find your site, or analyse existing product features to spot patterns such as size, material, brand, or uses.
If those patterns exist in your products, they likely exist in search behaviour, and you can capture more ecommerce search traffic by creating long-tail product category pages to promote these products.
At Engage Web, we help ecommerce businesses identify these gaps and drive more targeted traffic to the site. Get in touch with our team of experts to see how we can help today.
