In search engine optimisation (SEO), keywords are an important part of any successful digital marketing strategy.
Targeting keywords that are relevant to your business, products and services can help your website rank higher on the search engine results page and reach their target audience. This can lead to higher levels of traffic through to your site, more enquiries, and ultimately, more conversions.
In short, keywords are the terms that people are typing into Google. Google scans it’s database for websites that are targeting these terms and return a results page full of the most helpful and relevant search results.
Long-tail and short-tail keywords are essentially variations of the same keyword that contain either more or fewer words.
Short-tail keywords tend to consist of one or two words. These short-tail keywords are broad in meaning and may have different intents behind a search.
For example, “shoes” would be a short-tail keyword. A user searching for “shoes” is not looking for something specific.
Longer-tail keywords, however, are more specific phrases, usually consisting of three or more words.
An example of a long-tail variation of the short-tail keyword “shoes” could be “best running shoes for women”. The searcher is specific in their search and knows what it is they’re looking to find as a result.
These two keyword types have different roles to play throughout a user’s purchase journey as they appeal to users at different stages of the sales funnel.
What are the key differences between long-tail and short-tail keywords?
Users typically use short-tail keyword while conducting general research on a topic. These users are at the top of the sales funnel and may not have chosen a specific product or service at this point.
Short-tail keywords tend to have a higher average monthly search volume. Targeting these more general keywords can attract a large audience, though they may not drive the most relevant traffic to a website.
This can have an impact on the conversion rate of your website, as the audience being drawn to the site may not be interested in what you have to offer.
For example, if your website focuses on shoe sales, and the user conducting a search for “shoes” lands on your site, but is looking for shoe recommendations, they’ll bounce off your site and continue looking elsewhere. Google may see this high bounce rate as a sign of a negative user experience, which may result in lower search engine rankings.
Long-tail keywords, on the other hand, are typically used to attract users that are looking for specific answers to their search queries.
These users have finished their broader research and are further down the sales funnel, often closer to conversion (sale, enquiry etc).
For example, someone searching for “black walking shoes for women” has a clear idea of what they’re looking for, and as such, is much more likely to convert.
Long-tail keywords are typically lower in search volume, and as such, tend to have less competition. The fewer sites you have to compete with, the easier it is for your website to rank on the search engine results page.
The search results for short-tail keywords tend to be dominated by well-established, high-authority websites. This can make it difficult to rank for these search terms, especially for newer or smaller websites that may not have built up a significant domain authority.
Long-tail keywords are particularly effective when optimising for voice search, as they tend to use the same conversational language that users employ when speaking to voice-activated devices, such as Alexa or Siri.
Long-tail keywords often include several words, and mimic how users speak. When speaking to a voice-activated device, a user is likely to include a long-tail keyword within their speech; for example, “how do I remove a stain from white trainers?”.
By targeting these more specific, longer-tail keywords, your content is more likely to appear in voice search results.
Need help identifying the best long-tail keywords to target for your website? Reach out to the friendly and knowledgeable team at Engage Web today.
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