Common thought is that if one packs a website with enough big keywords that visitors will be attracted. The problem is savvy web searchers don’t find a good loaf of bread by simply typing “bread” into a search engine. Learn to increase traffic with Long Tail Keywords.

Hand clicking a search button. Computer monitor in the background

Classic Keywords

You may be familiar with classic keywords. These are the list of words that a website creator might think are applicable to their content. Often it is a list of common words like, Seattle, houses, market, sales, etc. This is how search terms began on the Internet, but now that everyone has a website, single word searches are less and less helpful. They don’t work for websites anymore and they aren’t specific enough for savvy surfers. I can no longer search for homes and expect to find available homes for sale in my area, rather than horror stories from homeless youth.

Increase Traffic with Long Tail Keywords

Long tail keywords are 3 to 4 words that are much more specific. These usually narrow the target to visitors that are more focused and closer to making a buying decision. People who use these long tail keywords already know what they want. Instead of just looking for a “home”, I may be searching for “rentals in Coral Gate”. 70% of searches use long tail keywords. Take advantage of this to save money and stand out in your specific field. There is less competition for the search of rentals in Coral Gate, than the glut of websites that have a keyword of homes.

longtail

Less Competition

The more specific you can get, the more likely you will earn viable leads. It can also be cheaper to get web advertising for a search like “Houseboats for Sale in Miami” than “boats”. It’s all about finding your niche and filling it. Find good phrases that people will use to search for your service. This can also be a good exercise to develop your branding. Are you the master of manufactured home parks, or the fazir of foreclosures? Know your specific brand and then use this to the best advantage. Don’t bother fighting for the senior market if you work best with first time families.

There is a lot of information about picking the right long tail keywords. This is just a primer, so now that you get the idea, do your research.  The more you know about your brand, the better you can market yourself and bring in hot leads.