If you’re in a crowded market or struggling to rank for big, popular keywords, a long-tail keyword strategy can really help you out. In fact, almost any blog or business can benefit from it because it brings in visitors who are searching for something super specific. In this guide, I’ll walk you through what long-tail keywords are and how understanding your brand and what you offer can help you build a smart long-tail strategy.
So, what are long-tail keywords?
Long-tail keywords are just longer, more specific phrases that people type into search engines. They usually target a smaller, more focused audience. The name comes from the book The Long Tail by Chris Anderson, where he explains that there’s a market for almost anything online — even the smallest niche — thanks to the internet’s size.
Your main topic (a.k.a. head keyword)
Most blogs or websites have one main theme or keyword — this is called the “head” term. For example, a blog about family life might use “mom blog” as its head keyword, and a food blog might focus on “recipes.” At Yoast, our main topic is SEO, so that’s our head keyword.
Also Read: How to Balance Keywords with Quality?
Think of your head keyword as the main phrase you want people to find you for. If you run a blog about homemade Italian food, you’ll probably want to rank for the keyword [homemade Italian food]. That’s your head term.
Now, let’s talk about the “tail”
You can’t (and shouldn’t) try to optimize every single blog post for your main keyword. Even if all your posts are about homemade Italian food, you’ll want to branch out. That’s where long-tail keywords come in.
Instead of targeting [homemade Italian food] over and over, write posts about things like:
- Homemade Italian pasta
- Homemade Italian salads
- Homemade Italian pie
And you can go even more specific:
- Homemade Italian lasagna
- Spaghetti carbonara from scratch
- Easy bolognese for busy parents
These are all long-tail keywords. The more specific you get, the better chance you have of ranking. You can use tools (like the Yoast plugin) to help check if your chosen keyword is too long or just right.
Real-life long-tail keyword examples
Long-tail keywords don’t always need to be super long, but they usually include 3–5 words and focus on something specific. Here are some examples:
| Head Keyword | Long-Tail Keywords |
|---|---|
| Nike | Nike Air Max One, vintage Nike shoes, Nike’s sustainability policy |
| Digital Marketing | How digital marketing works, B2B marketing services |
| Wedding Supplies | Wedding flower arrangements, matching wedding dresses |
Link from tail to head!
When you write blog posts around different long-tail keywords, don’t forget to link them back to your main category pages — and from those, to your most important content (like cornerstone articles). This helps Google understand your website’s structure and figure out which pages matter most. Always link from the tail to the head to boost your SEO!
Why long-tail keywords are awesome
Long-tail keywords are easier to rank for because fewer websites are competing for them. Plus, people who search using long-tail keywords usually know what they want — which means they’re more likely to take action (like buying something or signing up).
Also Read: How to Use FAQs for Content Ideas?
For example, imagine I’m looking for a board game to play with my kids. I might start by searching for [board games]. But that’s super broad. After a few searches, I get more specific and type in [educational board games for kids]. If I know I’m in Amsterdam, I might even search [where to buy educational board games for kids in Amsterdam]. See how each version gets more specific? That’s long-tail in action — and it brings me closer to making a purchase.
How to find long-tail keywords for your site
Before anything else, make sure you know what makes your product or blog special. Why should someone care? What do you offer that others don’t? Write that down. This is your mission — and it’s key to finding the right keywords.
Let’s say you sell furniture. Not just any furniture — yours is made from recycled materials and designed to be eco-friendly. That’s your niche. That’s your mission. So instead of targeting [quality furniture] (which is super competitive), go for something like [furniture made from recycled materials]. Use the same words your audience would use — no need for fancy or confusing terms.
Let your mission guide your keywords
Your mission is the heart of your keyword strategy. The words you use to describe what makes your brand or product awesome? Those can be turned into long-tail keywords.
Once you’ve got your mission written down, you’ve already started your keyword research! Now think about what your audience might type into Google. What questions are they asking? What exactly are they searching for?
You’ll probably come up with a few obvious head keywords. Finding the long-tail ones takes more work — but that’s where tools like Yoast SEO can help.
Also Read: Does Regular Blogging Boost SEO?
Use tools to discover more keywords
Yoast SEO has a helpful feature that suggests related keyphrases based on your focus keyword. When writing a post, just click “Get related keyphrases” under the focus keyword field. You’ll get a list of suggestions — real phrases people are searching for — plus info like search volume and trends.
For example, if your focus keyword is [furniture recycled materials], the tool might suggest:
- Eco-friendly furniture ideas
- Sustainable home furniture
- Recycled wood dining table
It’s a super useful feature and makes keyword research a whole lot easier!
