Keywords in SEO are crucial, and usually one of the first things covered when learning about optimizing a site. But not all keywords are the same. In fact, there are many different types that differ in areas like length, buyer intent, and industry. For this blog post, I’ll be covering keywords differing in length.
There are three lengths of keywords: Long-tail, mid-tail, and short-tail, each of which have dramatically varying degrees of search volume. As you’ve probably guessed, short-tail keywords have the highest search volume because, as the name implies, they are short and sweet. Therefore, they have the highest competition, and they lack in specificity. For example, “eggs” or “makeup” would be a short-tail keyword. They offer broad results since they don’t tell the search engine what the user is looking for. They are great for experimental or exploratory searches.
The second type, mid-tail keywords, is the happy medium. Not so broad that Google doesn’t know what the user wants but not so specific that there is little competition. It consists of about two to three words and significantly decreases the results and the search volume for that word. “Nursing homes philadelphia” would be an example of a mid-tail keyword.
The final type is the very specific, long-tail keywords. These are for users who know what they want. They usually contain three-plus words and in turn, get a lot less search volume. And that may seem like a loss but think again. Due to this, your page is much more likely to rank. Since they are so specific, Google knows where to direct the searcher and what they’re looking for. And if your page is optimized for that keyword, you may find yourself with some new and interested site visitors.
One Response
This was a great blog post! Short-tail keywords are something that I know little about. Short-tail keywords may have high search volume, but they lack specificity and may not always bring in the desired traffic. On the other hand, long-tail keywords may have a lower search volume but can be more effective in driving relevant traffic to a website.