Digital State discusses Long tail SEO.
The first question you might ask is what is long tail SEO? In short it is using long tail keywords rather than broad match ones. A broad match keyword may be a high volume keyword phrase like “bed” whereas a long tail version could be “metal double bed”.
Broad match keywords have a great deal of competition meaning it can be difficult to rank for them and more importantly to convert. Long tail keywords are less competitive keywords as they target a specific audience and have less search volume this can add marketing ROI.
This therefore means it is easier (in theory) to rank for a long tail SEO keyword.
Web users are now more likely to type a question into Google such as “where to buy metal double bed” rather than just “bed” and they expect an answer. Users no longer want to sift through pages that aren’t relevant so they use long tail search terms to get specific answers.
User intent
The users’ intent is vital to long tail targeting as it targets a more specific phrase.
The person that searches for the long tail is more likely to convert as they know exactly what they are looking for and they are being directed to relevant sites.
This shift in search behaviour has led to an increased interest in long tail keywords and targeting. According to SEOmoz long tail search comprises of 70% of search traffic showing its importance within SEO.
They go even further in advocating the use of long tail keywords stating “ignore the long tail at your peril.”
If your site contains information that is relevant to the users search then it is far more likely that they will spend time looking at content and products on your site.
This will then influence your bounce rate as it will drop if users are interested in the site. It will also lead to an increase in time spent on the site and after spending time on your site the user may be more likely to convert.
If you have discounted long tail keywords from your SEO campaign then now is the time to reconsider.
