As inbound marketing plays a larger role in marketing strategies for many businesses, it is becoming increasingly difficult for small businesses to rank for the generic/core keywords. How does a small business get found? Long tail keywords.
Longtail keywords are extensions of the generic/core keywords by adding additional customer driven search terms that are more descriptive or geographical. For example: social media agency is very difficult to rank for however “social media agency las vegas” is very detailed and will have a much better chance of ranking on the first page of the search engines.
Advantages of Longtail Keywords
1. Improve page rank. Ranking for long tail keywords is easier due to less competition.
2. Targeted Traffic. Search counts are lower however the consumers that are searching the terms are very specific about what they want and generally will convert into customers.
3. Increased Visibility. Competition is lower therefore it is easier to rank and for potential customers to find you.
Selecting the search terms that will work best is similar to core keyword research. Start with the words that best describe your business and write them down. Then start adding descriptors such as your city: advertising agency – advertising agency Las Vegas. advertising agency - interactive advertising agency Las Vegas. The list will continue on.
Search engine optimization is an ongoing process. Utilizing longtail keywords to improve page ranking will pay off in the long run as eventually you will be found for the core search terms.
What have you found to work best when thinking of different longtail keywords.
photo credit: Rene Ehrhardt