Long-tail keywords are phrases that are more specific and less competitive than generic keywords. They can help you rank higher in search engines, attract more relevant traffic, and increase conversions. But how do you choose the best long-tail keywords for your writing? Here are some top considerations to keep in mind.
The first step is to understand who your target audience is and what they are looking for. You can use tools like Google Analytics, Google Trends, or social media platforms to research your audience's demographics, interests, pain points, and search behavior. You can also create buyer personas or customer profiles to represent your ideal readers and their needs. This will help you craft long-tail keywords that match their intent and expectations.
Understand their demographics, interests, pain points, and online behavior. What questions are they likely to ask? What language do they use? Tailor your keywords to resonate with their specific needs and search intent.
Creating buyer personas is the best way to know your audience. But you need strong skills for it because if you make a mistake you can waste time and money. You need to compose 3-5 personas for the best results.
The next step is to use keyword tools to generate and analyze long-tail keywords. There are many free and paid tools available, such as Google Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest, SEMrush, or Ahrefs. These tools can help you find long-tail keywords related to your topic, niche, or industry. They can also show you the search volume, competition, difficulty, and cost-per-click of each keyword. You can use these metrics to evaluate the potential and profitability of your long-tail keywords.
Explore tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or SEMrush to discover relevant long-tail keywords with search volume and competition data. Don't just rely on the highest volume terms - aim for those balancing search with manageable competition.
It's not enough to find keywords. You need to check SERPs for them and be sure that you take the right keywords. You can see what kind of sites Google shows you and explore them.
The third step is to focus on relevance and specificity when choosing long-tail keywords. You want to select keywords that are closely related to your content, your audience, and your goals. You also want to avoid keywords that are too broad, vague, or generic. For example, if you are writing about how to write a resume, a long-tail keyword like "how to write a resume for a marketing job" is more relevant and specific than "how to write a resume".
Choose keywords directly related to your content and target audience. Avoid overly broad terms that attract less qualified traffic. Instead of "recipes," go for "healthy vegan dinner recipes for beginners."
You need to understand that long-tail keywords demand a lot of pages. Creating them requires a lot of time and money. Also, you should get more links to get high positions in Google SERPs.
The fourth step is to optimize for voice search, which is becoming more popular and prevalent. Voice search is different from text search, as it tends to be more conversational, natural, and question-based. Therefore, you should choose long-tail keywords that mimic how people speak and ask questions. For example, instead of "best resume tips", you can use "what are the best tips for writing a resume". You can also use tools like Answer the Public or AlsoAsked to find common questions related to your topic.
AlsoAsked section in Google SERPs is a good source of questions for your FAQ section on a page. It helps to compose your page for voice search too because Google gives you clues for it.
Long-tail keywords are popular for voice search, as people use more natural language. Include conversational phrases and questions in your keyword choices. Consider the length of voice search queries (typically longer and more specific).
The final step is to test and track your results. You should monitor how your long-tail keywords perform in terms of ranking, traffic, engagement, and conversions. You can use tools like Google Search Console, Google Analytics, or Moz to measure and analyze your results. You should also experiment with different long-tail keywords and see what works best for your writing. You can use tools like Google Optimize, Crazy Egg, or Optimizely to run A/B tests and optimize your content.
Monitor which keywords drive traffic and engagement. Use analytics tools to see which ones convert better for your goals. Be ready to adjust your keyword strategy based on performance data.
While aiming for lower competition, don't ignore highly relevant keywords just because they're more competitive. Consider ways to stand out through unique content and optimization. Freshness: Look for current trends and emerging keywords related to your topic. Local intent: If your content has a local focus, integrate location-based keywords. Seasonality: Consider seasonal trends and adjust your keyword choices accordingly. Remember, effective keyword research is an ongoing process. Keep experimenting, analyzing, and refining your strategy for optimal results!