Keywords are an important tool for us if we are serious about optimizing our site. A long-tail keyword is an often mentioned term in SEO jargon.
It comprises anywhere between 4 to 6 words and is deployed for specific searches on the Internet.
After all, our content is not likely to get noticed unless it has keywords that are meant to target specific results.
Keywords ensure the optimal functioning of a website, and if you have an online business, you ought to be aware of this.
Long-tail keywords are what makes a website stand out from the others. These specific keywords play a crucial role and here’s how.
Contents In Page
What are long-tail keywords?
Long-tail keywords help gain a microscopic focus on any topic. Their main role is to highlight a particular page or aspect of our website.
For instance, if we are in the business of building and selling websites, we probably need to use long-tail keywords that feature terms like PHP, Ajax or JavaScript, XML, anchor text, Ruby, Magento, etc.
All these are specific words that we can combine to make a long-tail keyword that makes sense.
The concept behind such a specific keyword is that it enables people to find what they are looking for in a specific niche.
They are for focused customers who know what they are searching and want the easiest means to find it. It’s not just about the niche, though; it is identifying people looking for something even more specific in any niche.
Long-tail keywords enable targeting a niche within a niche
Let’s assume for a moment that we have a fan base of 10,000 enthusiasts in our niche.
Out of these 10,000, more than 9,000-odd folks may be looking for something general, while just a thousand or so may be interested in something more specific like a ‘niche within a niche.’
So how do we target this odd lot?
We do it by using long-tail keywords.
The advantage here is that we are likely to create the same interest in the majority in the niche (9,000) as well.
They may be novices with little or no interest in specifics, but a well-planned website can succeed in converting such people easily by using the same tactic.
We can use long-tail keywords to attract customers from a focused segment. It is likely that most of thousand odd people are looking for something unique.
Therefore, using long-tail keywords helps us easily identify such customers.
Their specialty is that they cater to a specific group, which otherwise is ignored, though not intentionally.
Making the best use of what you know
Most people have their own hobbies, some quite rare and peculiar. Long-tail keywords identify such special customers, who may be willing to pay a bit more for what they are looking for.
Of course, there is always the risk of not attracting the other general users with these special keywords. But then, the very essence behind using long-tail keywords is to target a niche.
There are websites devoted to specific niches, and that’s where competition is almost non-existent. Just because we are aware of such a niche and the special needs the users have, we should be able to capitalize on it.
Such unique knowledge helps us monetize our website.
The easiest way to achieve this is to monetize our content with select long-tail keywords. Once this is done, we’ll notice a steady income stream, which will help us further develop our site and business as well.
Be aware of your clients’ needs
It is important to be aware of our clients’ needs and understand what they are specifically searching for. Once we gauge our clients accurately, we should be able to find the right long-tail keywords to use and target such clients.
It is quite easy to get such vital statistics from our site’s dashboard. In case you don’t know how to access such stats or how you can best use them, you can look up programs like ShinyStat or StatCounter, which will make your web analytics task a lot easier.
Once we identify the needs of the visitors, we can create content accordingly to attract them. However, before we create the content, it makes sense to identify search patterns and come up with something that matches users’ needs.
Some sites do seasonal business, which is the period when the business peaks, followed by a lean period. It is important that our site is ready during the peak season.
Usually, we may be able to find out what exactly users are searching for. Based on the information we gather, we can create content to attract such users during their future visits.
Lack of clarity doesn’t pay
There needs to be a lot of clarity with the keywords we use. Obscurity doesn’t pay, hence the need to focus on the content while targeting niche customers.
We may be using the same resources and time to attract a very small segment of users.
However, if we use the right keywords, targeting such customers should be quite easy.
Our website is a reflection of our thoughts, and the more attention we pay to details, the more effective the site is going to be.
Sometimes users get a feeling that the site seems to be taking a personal interest in them.
This is the sort of effect that is lasting and helps with customer retention.
Establishing authenticity helps build a loyal customer base. Whether it is a single customer or a handful, winning them over is what matters most.
Closing thoughts
To sum it up, regardless of the type of website we are working on, long-tail keywords offer a great solution for targeting niche customers.
The fate and survival of a website depend on the users it attracts and retains. When used ingeniously, these keywords can make for a formidable arsenal.
After all, content is still king and will remain so for many years to come.
