The most important thing in online content creation is search engine optimization. And one of the key factors in optimizing your content is keywords. They dictate where the search engine places your website and how often you pop up in search results. This means that people often try and keep keywords short and punchy, so as to catch as many users as possible. But short keywords can only boost you so far. If you’re trying to outrank competitors or claim a specific niche as your own or drive traffic toward a certain audience. With a dedicated SEO strategy, your search results are far more likely to receive an increase in traffic.
The Necessity of Long Tail Keywords
In the simplest words possible, the main difference between long-tail keywords and short-tail keywords is in their length. Short-tail keywords usually consist of one to two words, such as “content creation” or “web design”. They’re short and generic so that they can catch as wide an audience as possible. While this is well and good for some content, a lot of content creation relies on targeting specific issues and solving them. Therefore generic keywords simply can’t satisfy the niche needs of some searches. That’s where long-tailkeywords come into play. They consist of 3 or more words that can form questions or sentences. This gives keywords a lot more power as people who are searching for something are more likely to search with a phrase or a question. And having that phrase included as a keyword can be incredibly beneficial. A good example of a long-tail keyword would be “content creation in WordPress”. There are pros and cons to both keyword styles and it’s important to examine your own content to see if long-tail keywords suit you.
Benefits of Long Tail Keywords
- Less Competition
Because people tend to use short-tail keywords more, long-tail keywords have less competition and more breathing room to grow. Not only does this make your website more likely to succeed, but it also means there’s a smaller pool of competitors for you to fight against. And when you combine that with the fact that most web searches include long-tail keywords, you get an increased chance of growth on your website.
- They Better Personalize Content
Unlike short-tail keywords that capitalize on generic often searched words, long-tail keywords are perfect for improving your content as they can add a personal feel to your keywords. Visitors will see that you took an effort in creating a personalized keyword that suits them the best. Which will in turn increase conversion rates.
- Work Better on Voice Search
One of the best reasons why you should use any keywords, especially long-tailed keywords, is voice recognition. It’s all the rage now for creating smart homes and creating a more inclusive websites for people with disabilities. And if you’re using long-tail keywords, there’s a bigger chance the listening device will understand and connect with your website.
- Cost Less
When it comes to ad bidding and using Google Ads, long-tail keywords are generally more cost-efficient for bidding. They tend to cost less and have less competition during the bids. But this does come with a risk of receiving less traffic since if they’re not done properly you’ll be seen by fewer people.
- They Help Short-Tail Keywords Too
Usually, when you’re constructing long-tail keywords they already consist of short-tailed ones too. This means that people who search the shorter versions will also notice the long keywords. And in the end, you can still and the short-tail keyword separately for optimal coverage.
Conclusion
Keywords are everything in online writing, they help guide new visitors toward your content and drive up engagement. Long-tail keywords are even better as they allow you to dominate an entire nice, and be first in search engine results.