Keywords are an important part of having an online business and website. Keywords are what users type into search engines to get related results. If you are hoping to rank high as one of those results, you’ll want to have the best keywords possible. Long-tail keywords play an important role in this area.

What are long-tail keywords? Long-tail keywords are keywords that have at least three words in them. Examples of long-tail keywords include:

• “White dress shirt.”
• “Size 4 track pants.”
• “Purple polka dot blanket.”

Long-tail keyword searches are detailed and specific. While they are less searched than shorter key phrases and words, the do have a higher conversion rate, which is good news if you’re selling a product or service. A user who searches using a long-tail keyword knows exactly what they are looking for. They know the size, color, and/or material they want. They are on a mission to find and purchase what they want. If you are selling the thing they want, you want your website to rank high in the search engine results page (SERPs). When a user who used a long-tail keyword to find your product visits your website, they are more likely to make a purchase.

Here are some tips for choosing the best long-tail keywords:

• Do keyword research: keyword research is an invaluable tool. When you know the long-tail keywords that users are searching, you can begin to implement these words into your content and rank higher in search engine results. There are keyword tools online that can help you generate a good list.
• Know what you offer: to create ideal long-tail keywords, you must know what your business has to offer users. Ask yourself why they should choose you over the competition, what make your product or service unique, and what need you are going to be filling in their life. The answers to these questions will help you create long-tail keywords that will set you apart.
• Know your target audience: what do your ideal customers need and want? Do they have questions they need answered? Customer surveys and interviews can be a great way to get this information. If one customer has a concern or need, you can be sure that others do as well.
• Type your current keywords into a search engine: when you type keywords into a search engine such as Google, you will see related searches that come up. This will help you to discover what people are searching for and allow you to expand your long-tail keyword list.

The benefits of long-tail keywords include, but are not limited to:

• Increasing your visibility online.
• Cost less because there is less competition.
• Will help you rank for short-tail keywords as well because long-tail keywords include the short-tail keywords.
• Help new pages on your website to rank quickly.

By learning to choose and implement long-tail keywords, you will help your website and business.