I've had the opposite experience where the majority of clients that I have worked with over-emphasize long-tail keywords rather than being skeptical about them. The challenge that we face is that many of those have such low traffic numbers that you won't show up with an exact match keyword. Once we show that to clients they recognize it, and we try to find workarounds with other targeting types. Additionally, start shifting the focus to how keywords are just a portion of targeting. Layering on audiences, 1P data, and demographic targeting across campaigns is usually much more useful and beneficial than expansive long-tail keyword campaigns.

In my experience, service-based SEM campaigns typically start with about 30% long-tail keywords, combined with a mix of exact-match, broad-match, and phrase-match terms. For product campaigns, you’ll also include branded and transactional keywords. While long-tail keywords tend to have lower search volume, they offer a higher click-through rate. Reports will highlight the effectiveness of long-tail keywords, showing that users searching with these terms are often further along in their decision-making process, making them more likely to click on relevant ads or listings, which improves CTR and conversions.

To address skepticism about long-tail keywords in SEM, highlight their benefits with concrete examples: 1. **Case Studies:** Share data showing that long-tail keywords often result in higher conversion rates compared to more generic terms. 2. **Pilot Campaign:** Run a small campaign focused on long-tail keywords to demonstrate their effectiveness with tangible results. 3. **Cost-Efficiency:** Emphasize that long-tail keywords typically have lower competition, leading to reduced bidding costs and better ROI. Have you found success using long-tail keywords in your SEM campaigns? Share your experiences!

?? Present Data: Share case studies or data showing how long-tail keywords drive targeted traffic and lead to higher conversion rates. ?? Highlight Lower Competition: Explain that long-tail keywords often face less competition, resulting in lower cost-per-click and better ROI. ?? Show Improved Relevance: Demonstrate how long-tail keywords attract more qualified leads by matching specific search intents. ?? Use Analytics: Provide analytics from current campaigns showing the performance of long-tail keywords in driving engagement and conversions. ?? Offer Test Campaigns: Propose a small-scale test campaign using long-tail keywords to showcase their effectiveness and impact on the overall SEM strategy.