When marketers and SEO-wners choose to target highly competitive keyword phrases, it is sometimes necessary for it to take several months (or even years) to see a significant improvement in the SERPs. However, it appears that Internet users are increasingly typing in long tail phrases to find exactly what they are looking for. Not surprisingly, SEO specialists are responding to this shift by targeting just such phrases and positioning longtail. If you haven't yet made friends with this type of action in your word research strategy, or don't know how to apply it to your site, take a look at our article. We explain what positioning is long tail and why it is effective!
Longtail SEO - definition
Long tail SEO (also known as wide positioning or "on long tail") relies not only on the use of a large number of disparate keywords, but also on their detail and high level of specificity. The length of long-tail key phrases is three or more words. They are usually built up from what is called a main phrase and its more specific sub-phrase. Let's say the main phrase is the word 'wizard'. However, depending on what industry you are in, you should use a longtail phrase. For example, a costume shop might use the phrase 'wizard dress-up for kids' and a games retailer might use 'wizard game for kids'.
Remember that long tail is also the basis for local positioning. If you are operating in a highly competitive industry (e.g. building services), there is no point in positioning for generic and expensive phrases. Instead of "laying tiles", for example, choose "laying tiles Opole".
Why target long tail phrases?
The biggest advantage of using long tail positioning is to achieve improved quality of movement i higher conversion rate. But one step at a time, some of you may ask, what does that mean - there is worse and better traffic? Of course! Long tail phrases are more specific. What this means is that visitors who arrive on the site just because of them are more likely to perform a specific action - for example, to buy the product you offer.
Another benefit that long tail positioning entails is less competition. Let's use an example. Anyone looking for a wizard disguise for a child is looking for a wizard disguise. However, not everyone who is looking for a wizard's disguise is looking for a wizard's disguise for a child. The conclusion is simple - the more niche the phrase, the less competition there is.
These are not all the advantages of SEO. Thanks to it, you will not be "left out in the cold" when your website falls in the SERPs as far as the main phrase is concerned (if you have managed to rank for it). In this case, long tail phrases are safety bufferso that business will not be hit as hard by the decline.
Longtail positioning - how do you search for phrases?
You already know the benefits of broad SEO, so you are probably wondering how to choose long-tail keywords. There are a number of helpful tools at your disposal, such as. HubSpot Keyword Grader or Google Analyticsusing which you can identify which phrases bring the most traffic to your website. It is also worth using the search bar. Start by typing in your main phrase and let the Google Suggest will recommend variations of it that are used by Internet users. In this way, you can identify phrases around which it is worth creating content.
Broad positioning - how to analyse and improve strategy?
In a long tail strategy, it is first and foremost important to measure the traffic that long tail phrases deliver. This way, you will be able to monitor from month to month whether it is increasing or perhaps - decreasing. In addition, you should analyse how useful this traffic is. If you are in a very high position in the SERPs for a long tail phrase, but it is not driving traffic, you probably should not waste your time. If the traffic is there but conversion rates are low, consider testing call-to-actions and landing pages. Only when the comparative A/B tests will not have the desired effect, focus your efforts on more 'profitable' phrases.
A way to improve your long tail search strategy is also to targeting similar phrases to those in which the website has been successful. Once you have identified a phrase that brings in a lot of traffic and conversions, it is worth experimenting with its synonyms.
Summary
If the advantages of long tail listed so far have not convinced you, it is time to look at the statistics. According to data from the MOZ platform, long tail phrases account for as many as 70% of all searches! So it's not hard to understand that this is the real Holy Grail of SEO. With long tail SEO you can "beat" your competitors and niche becomes an advantage. It is obvious that small and medium-sized companies find it difficult to compete with the giants. Long phrases are one way to rank higher in search results and reach users who are looking for specific information/products - ones that you can provide them with!




