Long-Tail Keywords: What They Are & How to Use Them

Picture someone standing in a busy marketplace shouting “shoes!” Many people will look, but most will walk away because they want different kinds of shoes.

Now imagine a quiet booth sign that reads “hand-stitched vegan running shoes for wide feet.” Fewer people notice, but almost everyone who does is ready to buy. That is the power of a long-tail keyword.

In search engine optimisation (SEO), long-tail keywords are longer, more specific phrases that visitors use when they are close to a decision. By targeting them, small businesses can reach customers who already know what they want and are simply looking for the right supplier.

The head is full of “short-tail” keywords such as “shoes,” “accountant,” or “coffee.” These terms receive thousands of searches but attract fierce competition.

Slide down the dinosaur’s neck and the phrases get longer: “best running shoes,” “small-business accountant.” Search volume drops, competition thins, and buyer intent rises.

On the far end you find the long tail: “hand-stitched vegan running shoes for wide feet,” “affordable accountant for freelancers in London,” and so on. Each phrase may only see a handful of searches per month, yet together the tail can account for more than 70 % of all online searches.

Because each query is unique, search engines reward pages that match the user’s exact language and intent. This is why ranking for twenty long-tail phrases often drives more qualified traffic than fighting for one ultra-popular word.

The curve also explains diminishing returns. After a brand secures top spots for obvious terms, every new short-tail increment demands more budget for less traffic gain. Long-tails, however, are abundant. A single brainstorm session can reveal dozens of targets that competitors have missed.

Finally, remember that the modern curve is dynamic. New products, slang, and cultural references appear daily, creating fresh long-tails. Monitoring trends keeps your strategy alive instead of frozen in last year’s vocabulary.

• Lower competition. Big brands pour huge budgets into broad terms. Long-tail phrases tend to be neglected, so smaller sites can climb the rankings with far less effort.
• Higher conversion rates. People who type detailed queries know what they want and are closer to purchasing, booking, calling, or subscribing, so the traffic you earn converts at a higher rate.
• Faster results. Because you are not battling giants, pages can reach page one in weeks instead of months. This is vital for lean marketing budgets.
• Voice search alignment. Smart speakers and mobile assistants encourage natural, conversational questions. These questions are long-tail by nature.
• Better content ideas. Long-tail research uncovers real customer concerns. Each phrase can inspire blog posts, FAQ pages, product descriptions, and social content that speak the customer’s language.
• Resilience against algorithm changes. Search updates often punish sites that rely on one or two blockbuster keywords. A diversified tail spreads risk and cushions traffic drops.
• Cost-effective paid campaigns. Lower cost per click means you can test ads cheaply before investing heavily.

• Running shoes → shoes

  hand-stitched vegan running shoes for wide feet

• Accountant → accountant

  affordable small-business accountant in Plovdiv who speaks English

• Coffee beans → coffee

  single-origin Ethiopian coffee beans medium roast 1 kg

• Yoga studio → yoga

  early-morning prenatal yoga classes near London city center

• SaaS invoicing tool → invoicing software

  GDPR-compliant invoicing software with Bulgarian language support

• Meal-prep service → meal delivery

  high-protein meal prep delivery for athletes in Varna

• Pet groomer → dog grooming

  mobile dog grooming for large breeds in Burgas

When brainstorming your own pairs, test them by asking, “Could two very different shoppers use this same phrase?” If yes, it is likely short-tail. If the phrase paints one clear picture of a single customer need, you have a long-tail.

• Start with your customers. Write down the exact questions they ask on the phone, in emails, and on social media. Real language beats guesswork every time.
• Use Google’s own suggestions. Begin typing a core topic into the search bar and note the “Autocomplete” phrases that appear. Scroll to the bottom of the results page for “Searches related to…” suggestions.
• Keyword research tools. Google Keyword Planner, AnswerThePublic, SEMrush, Ahrefs.
• Explore forums and Q&A sites. Platforms like Reddit, Quora, and niche Facebook Groups are goldmines for conversational phrases you will not find in pure data tools.
• Check your own analytics. In Google Search Console, open the “Queries” report and sort by impressions. Look for multi-word phrases sending traffic you did not target deliberately.
• Analyse competitor content. Paste a rival’s blog URL into a tool like Ahrefs’ Site Explorer to discover what long-tails already drive them traffic.
• Combine modifiers. Mix core terms with filters like location, price, feature, audience, or urgency. Example: “[product] + [feature] + [location] + [buy/intention]”.

• Create one main topic page. Build a comprehensive guide or service page around a core theme such as “vegan running shoes.”

• Support it with focused pieces. Publish shorter articles or FAQs for each long-tail variation. Link these pieces back to the main page to form a topical cluster.

• Write naturally. Use the phrase in the title, one sub-heading, and early in the body, then answer the user’s question in plain language.

• Optimise metadata. Place your long-tail keyword in the URL, meta title, and meta description where it makes sense.

• Use structured data. Schema markup for FAQs, products, and reviews helps search engines match your page to voice queries and rich-snippet boxes.

• Update existing pages. Sometimes you can capture a long-tail by adding a new section or FAQ box to a page that already ranks.

• Leverage multimedia. Long-tail questions lend themselves to how-to videos, infographics, and downloadable checklists.

• Create pillar and cluster navigation. Use clear internal links so visitors can leap between related pages without relying on the back button.

• 1)

  Focus on question-based long tails. Start with “who,” “what,” “where,” “when,” “why,” and “how.”

• 2)

  Write concise answers. Place a direct, 30-word answer immediately under the question in a sub-heading.

• 3)

  Aim for Position Zero. Featured snippets power most voice answers.

• 4)

  Improve page speed and mobile usability. Voice searches are mobile.

• 5)

  Secure your data. HTTPS and clear privacy policies boost trust signals.

Local optimisation matters. Keep your Google Business Profile, NAP, and schema markup accurate. Pages written like human speech, including contractions, align better with voice queries than stiff corporate jargon.

• Sales. Transactional phrases like “buy,” “order,” or “near me.”

• Lead generation. Investigational queries such as “best,” “compare,” or “review.”

• Brand awareness. Educational questions: “how to,” “tips,” “why.”

• Customer retention. Tutorials or troubleshooting guides that existing users will search.

Set up a simple matrix with goals on one axis and keyword ideas on the other. Discard any phrase that does not move a business metric.

Assign each chosen keyword an achievable metric: rank within top five, reach 500 monthly visits, or drive 20 demo bookings. Share the keyword list with sales and customer service so they can mirror the language in calls and emails.

• Exact-match ad groups. Build tight ad groups around one or two closely related phrases.

• Mirror the phrase in ad copy. People click results that echo their search.

• Optimise landing pages. The page must repeat the promise and provide one clear call to action.

• Use negative keywords. Avoid paying for clicks you cannot serve.

• Test smart bidding. Google Ads can learn which long tails convert best and shift budget automatically.

• Remarketing synergy. Traffic from long-tail PPC ads is highly qualified; remarket tailored offers to them.

• Google Search Console. Track impressions, clicks, and average position for each query.

• Google Analytics 4. Set up conversion events and compare sessions that arrived via long-tail landing pages.

• Rank-tracking tools. Platforms like SERPRobot serprobot.com or Nightwatch nightwatch.io monitor positions daily.

• PPC metrics. Review cost-per-conversion and return on ad spend at the keyword level.

• Content engagement. Use tools like Hotjar hotjar.com to see how far readers scroll.

• Set benchmarks. Record baseline traffic and conversions before publishing.

• Look beyond clicks. Sometimes a long-tail drives fewer visits but bigger order values. Evaluate profit, not just volume.

• CRM and revenue tracking. Integrate Google Analytics with your CRM or e-commerce platform so you can trace each sale back to the original keyword. This closes the loop between SEO effort and actual cash in the bank, giving you proof of ROI when you present results to management.

• Ignoring search volume altogether. Build your strategy on data, not guesses.

• Sacrificing readability. Stuffing phrases hurts user experience and rankings.

• Creating thin pages. Every keyword deserves depth.

• Forgetting internal links. Isolated pages struggle.

• Neglecting updates. Markets change; refresh stale content.

• Ignoring search intent. Targeting “buy running shoes” with a blog post misaligns content and intent.

• Overlooking seasonality. Plan ahead so pages are indexed before the rush.

Start by listening to your customers, researching real phrases, and creating helpful content that answers those needs. Measure the results, refine, and repeat. Consistent attention to the long tail can turn steady trickles of qualified traffic into a powerful stream of new business. Stay patient and persistent—results always come.