The internet gives anyone a fair chance to share their content online. But there is a lot more to it than just sharing content and hoping for the best. With the massive benefits that everyone gets from sharing their content online, there is also a lot of competition. Search engine optimization (SEO) helps you stand out from the competition and keywords are a part of that.
Keywords are terms added to content with the goal of improving SEO. Keywords usually describe what you can find on the website, but only using a few words. Good keyword usage helps your content visibility and helps your conversion rates.
Long-tail keywords are keywords that are made up of 3 or more words, whereas short-tail keywords are made up of only 1 or 2 words.
Why you should use long-tail keywords for your content
There are quite a few benefits of using long-tail keywords over short-tail keywords. Some of them include:
Lower competition
When you use long-tail keywords, you explain your content more precisely. The benefit of that is that when users use more precise searches, your content is going to have less competition in the results. Let me give you an example:
Say you own an ice cream shop in London and the user searches “ice cream”, they’re going to get so many different results related to ice cream. Whereas, if the user searches for “ice cream shop in London”, your shop is much more likely to be at the top of the results. That’s the benefit of more precise keywords.
Higher conversion rate
By using long-tail keywords, the users that end up on your websites are more likely to know what they actually want. That leads to higher conversion rates. The user is going to know that your website is what he needs, even before opening it.
Optimizing short-tail keywords
Yes, you read it right. When you optimize your long-tail keywords properly, it’s going to lead to better short-tail keyword optimization too. Even with not-so-precise descriptions of what they need, users are still likely to get your content in their results.
How to start using long-tail keywords
Having great SEO requires extensive research and in-depth knowledge, but as a beginner, you can start by using some basic strategies and tools that help you improve your optimization even a bit.
Know your target audience
The most important thing is knowing what your potential visitors are searching for. It’s the first step in any type of marketing. If you know what your target audience is, you can improve your SEO strategy.
Use Google autocomplete
The simplest and best way to know what users are searching for is just to test it out. Go on Google and search for terms that describe your content. Then, using autocomplete or related searches, find out what terms you could use for your keywords.
Use keyword research tools
There are tons of tools online that can help you improve your SEO without even having to learn any SEO yourself. Tools like Semrush or Google keyword planner are designed to help you improve your SEO, without any prior knowledge. You can find tools online for anything, especially if you’re willing to pay for premium features. It’s usually well worth it.
Final words
SEO plays a big part in standing out against your competition online. Keywords are one of the things you have to keep track of. You should use keywords to stand out and make it easier for users to find you. Long-tail keywords are something worth looking into and integrating into your SEO strategy.