How To Target Search Intent With Long-Tail Keywords

Targeting what your potential customer is looking for or “intending” by their search has become the Holy Grail of SEO.

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Last updated on October 19, 2023

I want to explain the extreme value of long-tail keywords, why they are so important, and the steps you can take to find the best long-tail keywords for your site.

It’s time to learn about longtail keyword strategy and how to target search intent for better rankings and website traffic.

Go!

How To Target Search Intent With Long-Tail Keywords

Google Changed The Way They Provided Search results In 2021

In 2021 Google announced that they are focusing more on “user experience” and “user intent” than just providing search results. They want search results to be more conversational because more people are using voice search features than ever before.

Almost 60 percent of all Millennials use the voice search feature on their phones when looking for information. …Z Gen users use this feature even more.

This means that the SERPs must reflect speaking patterns more than just what is typed into the search bar.

Since many of these voice-activated searches are conducted in a moving car, and the GPS is also on, new terms like “near me” or “on ABC Street” have become dominating search terms.

Many have said that ranking for these long-tail keywords would have been a waste of time because the search volume was so low.

However, as I will discuss later, the conversion rate and the increased use of intended search algorithms make long-tail keywords a MUST for any site.

Don’t miss out on this great opportunity. Make sure that you have a long-tail keyword strategy for your SEO. If you are unsure where to start, keep reading, it is all mapped out below.

Defining Long-Tail Keywords

Long-tail keywords got their name because of how these words ranked in the past.

When making your list of powerful keywords based on rankings, these words appear at the long-tail end of that list. (the bottom of the image below)

los angeles car accident lawyer-keyword-list

With so much focus on user intent, long-tail keywords are incredibly important.

They may still have a low search volume, but they have a significantly higher conversion rate because they are specifically what the searcher is looking for at the time.

As a bonus, since these keywords are pretty low on the competitive scale, they are easier to rank for and provide you with a high conversion rate.

Long-tail keywords have such a high conversion rate because they solve a customer’s problem.

They are intent-driven, and most people, when they can find exactly what they want, do not look any further and make a purchase.

A person searching for “bike inner tube” may be looking for general information about inner tubes, prices on different brands, or how to replace one of these tubes.

However, a person searching for “26 Inch Fat Tire Inner tube” has a specific goal. Once they find this information, they are more likely to purchase it because they have found exactly what they need.

Long-tail keywords are usually three words in length. However, they can be two words or even four or five. The point of these keywords is intent – which is what you must keep in mind when searching for the right ones to use.

The Importance Of Long-Tail Keywords

If you pull up your Google Search Console and check the terms you are ranking for, over 90 percent of them will be long-tail keywords.

You may not have even thought about many of these words or phrases as your main keywords.

Imagine doubling your conversions just by using the right long-tail keywords.

Jackpot!

There are three main benefits to targeting long-tail keywords:

1. Your Site Becomes More Voice-Search Friendly

When you begin to focus on long-tail keywords, you are giving your site more of a “conversational” tone. You are answering questions for the consumer, like “what is the best roofing company near me.”

This gives you a significant advantage over your competition.

Remember: Millennials and Z Gen use voice search more than any other search type. You want to reach these clients.

Even if these keywords show low search volume, they are high-converting keywords that result in more business.

2. Did I Mention Higher Conversions?

Tapping into search intent will help you be the “no-brainer” choice, which will flood your sales funnel with qualified leads. Conversion is king, baby.

3. Fewer Competitors

Since long-tail keywords are more directly related to your business, you will have fewer people ranking for the same keywords.

This means that you can reach a more specific target of consumers using these search intent keywords.

You will boost your overall ranking and visitor count by naturally incorporating long-tail keywords into your content, especially on landing pages.

Finding The Right Long-Tail Keywords

If you could pick the perfect long-tail keywords for your site without any research, you would be the luckiest person in the world.

However, finding great long-tail keywords is relatively easy. It takes time and energy.

First, uncover current long-tail keywords

1. Make a list of the long-tail keywords you are already ranking for from your Google Search Console. This is your starting point.

2. Check your ad campaigns if you are running these.

3. Pull data from your social media accounts to see what search words are associated with your profiles.

4. Cross-reference this data and eliminate duplicates.

Next, dig for new long-tail phrases

1. Prepare a list of “seed” keywords. The place to start is with your direct competitors. Search a few of the products or services you offer and pop the bigger, most popular sites into aHrefs or SEMRush. You’ll get loads of keyword ideas.

2. Look at the auto-complete suggestion dropdown list on your Google search bar. This will show you many common phrases people are searching for, including the word you put into the search.

auto-complete suggestion dropdown list on your Google search bar

3. Look at the bottom of Google’s results page and see the related search suggestions. This can give you some unique ideas.

Trim the fat: remove duplicates and phrases that don’t suit your business.

Start removing long-tail terms on your list that do not match your consumer’s intent.

For example, a person searching for “Austin roofing repair contractors” is not interested in “South Austin storm-damaged school roof.”

Eliminate the obvious ones that do not apply.

Start Generating Landing Pages For Your Long-Tail Keywords

There are two ways to handle this.

You can create a landing page for each long-tail keyword on your list or a page to rank for a small group of closely related phrases.

The best approach is to combine these two strategies.

Create a dedicated landing page for the home run long-tail phrases that fit your business perfectly and have a decent search volume.

Create some landing pages to rank for long-tail keyword clusters. Long-tail keyword clusters and groups of phrases that have the same search intent.

In Conclusion

We’ve learned a lot about targeting search intent with long-tail keywords. By now, you should have a solid understanding of how long-tail keywords work and how to use them to attract more of the right kind of traffic to your website.

Search engines have come a long way since the early days of keyword stuffing and other black-hat techniques. Today, they are much better at understanding the intent behind users’ searches and returning results that are truly relevant to their needs.

That’s why it’s so important to use long-tail keywords that reflect your target audience’s specific needs and wants. By doing so, you’ll not only attract more visitors to your site, but you’ll also be providing them with the information they’re looking for.

As we’ve seen, one of the best ways to uncover long-tail keywords is to perform thorough keyword research. Using tools like Google’s Keyword Planner and other third-party tools, you can better understand the kinds of search terms people use to find businesses like yours.

Another key strategy is to create content tailored to your audience’s needs. By crafting blog posts, articles, and other content that addresses their specific questions and concerns, you can improve your chances of ranking for long-tail keywords and attracting more traffic to your site.

Ultimately, targeting search intent with long-tail keywords requires a bit of effort and attention to detail. But with the right approach, you can create a website that truly serves the needs of your audience and helps you achieve your business goals.

So, whether you’re a small business owner, a blogger, or anyone looking to improve your website’s visibility and attract more traffic, keep these tips in mind as you move forward. With a little hard work and some strategic planning, you can make your website a true success!

Keep working hard!

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