Long Tailed Keywords
Simply put, long tailed keywords are keywords or phrases with 2 or more words in them. Ok, that is the dictionary definition. Now for my definition: it is how you make money in Internet advertising marketing. Long tail keywords work and work well because they cost less, it is easier to get good rankings, competition is lower and conversion is higher. The downside is that traffic is lower but with some work you can create a good mix of keywords that can give you the traffic that you would like. Never ignore the long tail.
Long tail keywords are less popular because they have less search volume. Think about this as an example “how to get rid of depression” versus “depression”. The shorter search term has more volume and more competition but the longer search has more relevance. It actually reveals what the searcher is looking for. This information is what allows the advertiser to create an advertisement and landing page that are highly relevant and convert well. What is someone looking for when they type in “depression”? Is it causes of depression or depression treatment? Who are you competing with for these keywords – likely big pharmaceutical companies? When someone types in “how to get rid of depression” it reveals far more about what the searcher is looking for and is generally a less expensive set of keywords.
The Power of Long Tailed Keywords
When you understand the power of the long tail you will understand how to create inexpensive Internet advertisements with high conversion rates. And that, my friend is where the gold is hidden. But like gold, it can take some digging to find that rich vein that will fill your pockets.
Something important to keep in mind. When you create keywords for an Internet advertisement the ad is only shown when that exact keyword is typed in. You can create as many different keyword phrases for each advertisement. How keywords are used in website optimization is slightly different. But this article is about long tail keywords in advertising.
I also feel that the world is using more long tailed searches. This is happening because often the first search (using a short keyword) is not returning the information being sought. Here is what I mean by that. I type in “depression” and I get definitions of depression, causes of depression, and medication for depression. Not what I was looking for. So I start a new search that more defines what I am seeking “how to get rid of depression”.
It also means an advertiser can create an more targeted advertisement increase click rates and a more targeted landing page that will increase conversion.
So long tailed searches can provide high relevance and low competition, which is a golden combination for Internet advertising.
It is something that does require some research. For example, at the time or writing this article I compared the following keywords: “long tail keyword”, “long tail keywords”, and “long tailed keywords”. “Long tailed keywords” was the most searched but was highly competitive while “long tailed keywords” had fewer searches but almost no competition. Which would you pick?
Good luck on finding the gold in the long tail.
