How to Rank for Long-Tail Keywords: A Quick Guide

With over 3.5 billion online searches a day, the importance of your company ranking highly on Google cannot be overstated. 

BUT, Google keeps its search algorithm highly secret, making the process of bringing your website to the top of the page as much of an art as a science. This mix of maths and magic is what underlies the process of SEO.

At the core of SEO are keywords, those words or phrases that users enter into search engines when seeking information, products, or services. These keywords act as digital signposts, connecting users via the search engine’s complex algorithm to the most relevant web pages in response to their search query. 

Not all keywords are equal. 

For example, take the search keyword “women’s sneakers”. This will yield a huge number of search results.

Now, let’s make it more specific: “buy women’s New Balance sneakers in Sydney”. The search results generated by this keyword will be more refined and focused. It is known as a “long-tail keyword”.

Long-tail keywords are more detailed and specific than standard keywords, and for this reason, they have a lower search volume. There will be fewer people searching for women’s New Balance sneakers in Sydney than all types of women’s sneakers, or in a larger area. This specificity makes the long-tail keyword less competitive, and easier to rank for. 

While the potential pool of searchers is lower, long-tail keywords attract people with higher intent and conversion potential. The more focused the query, the more likely the user is serious about buying the product. Long-tail keywords can be highly valuable for attracting a targeted audience interested in precise information or products. 

Ranking for long-tail keywords on Google involves a strategic and focused approach. Here’s a quick overview of how to rank for long-tail keywords:

Keyword research

Start by conducting thorough keyword research to identify relevant long-tail keywords related to your niche or industry. Utilize keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs to discover potential long-tail opportunities. Look for keywords that are highly specific to your products, services, or niche, and remember, you want to appear to people searching for your product, not products like yours, so make sure to be specific.

Content creation

Develop high-quality content that precisely targets the chosen long-tail keyword. Craft content that provides comprehensive and valuable information to the user. Ensure your content addresses the user’s intent behind the keyword effectively. This could be in the form of blog posts, product descriptions, landing pages, or informative guides – you should aim for real content that adds value for real humans searching out your page.

On-page optimization

Optimize your content for SEO best practices. This includes incorporating the long-tail keyword naturally within the content, including it in the title tag, meta description, and headers. Use variations of the keyword and related terms to provide context.

Quality backlinks

Acquire high-quality backlinks to your content. Backlinks are external links that direct users back to your site. Outreach to other websites, blogs, and forums within your industry to earn relevant and authoritative backlinks. The quality of the backlinks can be evaluated by Google, and high-quality backlinks help improve your content’s authority and search engine rankings.

User experience

Ensure a positive user experience by optimizing your website’s loading speed, mobile-friendliness, and overall usability. Your site should run well, and it makes a difference: Google considers these factors when ranking pages.

Internal linking

Strategically interlink your content. Whenever relevant, link from other pages on your website to the long-tail keyword-optimized content. This helps distribute link authority and enhances user navigation.

Monitor and update

Regularly monitor the performance of your content in search engine rankings. You can use tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to track your progress. If your content isn’t ranking well initially, consider revising and expanding it to provide even more value to users.

User engagement

When real people find your page, Google takes note. The more engaged they are the better – encourage user engagement by providing opportunities for comments, shares, and social interaction on your content. Engaged users are more likely to stay on your page, reducing bounce rates and signaling to Google that your content is valuable.

Long-term perspective

Understand that ranking for long-tail keywords may take time, as they often have lower search volumes. It’s true here, as often in life, that it’s important to be patient. Continue producing high-quality content, acquire backlinks, and refine your SEO strategy over the long term.

Adapt and optimize

Keep an eye on industry trends and changing search engine algorithms. Adjust your approach and content strategy as needed to remain competitive in ranking for long-tail keywords. Be flexible!

Ranking for long-tail keywords isn’t a simple process or a short-term fix. But over time, a long-tail keyword strategy can help develop your brand’s authority and visibility in your niche or industry. With this in mind, hopefully the tips above will guide you to rank higher on Google and achieve the success your business deserves.