Keywords are an integral part of SEO. They help Google bots deem your content as relevant and valuable. They also enable you to secure a high SERP ranking. If you want to run a successful content marketing campaign, you will need to conduct comprehensive keyword research on both short and long-tail keywords and their unique benefits and drawbacks.
In this blog post, we will focus on the pros and cons of long-tail keywords and their integral role in enhancing your SEO ranking. So, read on to discover the answer to the question, “Why are long-tail keywords important for SEO?”
Pros of Long-tail Keywords
Here are some undeniable benefits of long-tail keywords:
They Can Help You Rank Higher Quickly
Google ranks webpages based on a few factors, such as quality, authority, and relevance. A major reason why high-competition keyword rankings are dominated by industry giants is that their webpages have a higher authority in terms of quality backlinks. For instance, many webpages link back to websites, such as Moz and Wikipedia, signaling to Google’s algorithm that these are trustworthy pages.
However, if you have a newer website with fewer backlinks, your authority will not be high, even if your webpage content is of the highest quality. In such instances, targeting specific, low-competition, long-tail keywords will help you rank higher.
When you target these relevant keywords, you will effectively create highly relevant content that will answer your target audience’s query better than your competitors. It will increase your chances of getting a higher ranking for these low-competition keywords without the support of numerous backlinks, enhancing your authority.
They Boost Your Conversion Rates
Often, long-tail keywords are highly specific search queries. It indicates that the person who types these queries is a highly qualified lead whom you can convert into a customer. After all, people who use long-tail keywords have a higher search intent and are more interested in getting answers to their queries than people who use generic search queries.
These people are looking for a specific service, answer, product, etc. These are the type of people that you want to be targeting. It’s because if they find high-quality content that addresses their questions perfectly, they are highly likely to convert. Moreover, they are more likely to trust your brand for valuable information.
Cons of Long-Tail Keywords
Here is the singular con of long-tail keywords:
They Have Low Search Volume
Long-tail keywords have a low search volume, which means that a lower number of people are searching for these keywords. Hence, there are lesser chances of people coming across your content. However, you can remedy this by making sure that you use targeted long-tail keywords with some high-ranking keywords that have a high monthly search volume.
Find a keyword with at least 20 to 50 searches per month; this minimum research volume range will drastically vary based on your industry and services. So, do proper research and pair the right keywords with your long-tail ones for effective results.
The benefits of long-tail keywords far outweigh the drawback. If you want to use long-tail keywords in your content, make sure to use them wisely to target user intent and achieve your SEO goals effectively. If you need any help with your SEO efforts, get in touch with Marketing Tiki today!