Long tail searches continue to increase as users want the most relevant results and try to be as specific as possible. According to Hitwise, longer search queries, averaging five or more words in length has increased 10% overall the past year; search queries that are eight or more words are up 22%, making keyword research and constant content development to hit the long tail even more important than ever.
Long tail keywords are simply longer and more targeted phrases that people type into the search engines. Not only is it easier to achieve higher rankings in the search engines with long tail keywords, but the traffic they bring in is much more targeted as well. The longer the tail, the more targeted the traffic will be. You are bringing people to your site that have a specific interest and therefore are more likely to convert. You will also be taking advantage of the buying cycle. Searchers using long tail phrases are past the interest and research searching. They are ready to purchase.
Thorough keyword research is essential to successfully target the long tail. One long tail keyword may only attract small amounts of traffic compared to broader and more competitive keywords, but as you add additional long tails to your keyword list, the traffic will grow. Long tail phrases also build the foundation for the highly competitive terms. Going after the category killer is not always the best approach, but if you aim for the tail, sooner or later you’ll reach the head. If you are optimizing your site for Philadelphia car insurance quote, car insurance is also included in that phrase.
Once you have your keyword list built, the way to hit the long tail is by frequently developing quality content. How something is written has a huge impact on search position and conversions. Good content is naturally keyword rich and keyword rich content helps your pages rank well for high volume search terms and for long tail search terms. It also attracts links, good links from authority sites because quality writing leads to quality links. People will link to your site if you offer something valuable that visitors will benefit from and you gain authority. Added bonus – It’s also a good way to connect with your customers.