How Do I Target Long-Tail Keywords?

Forget the age of long-form evergreen articles. In today’s era of AI-enhanced search engine optimization (SEO), Google has underscored the importance of understanding what user’s want, and creating content uniquely tailored to their needs.

Once (not so very long ago), SEO content may have targeted broad one-or two-word keywords (think “running shoes”). Now, we want to dig a little deeper to find long-tail keywords our ideal consumers are most likely to search.

There are a couple of reasons to target longer-tail keywords. First, Google has dramatically shifted its algorithm, creating a new post-AI SEO world. Rich results or search generative experience (SGE) change what searchers see, answering questions quickly and making users less likely to click through to super-broad articles.

Now, winning searches requires digging into your expertise, experience, authority, and trust (E-E-A-T) with in-depth articles targeting the bottom of your conversion funnel. This means creating content for people who are a lot closer to making a purchasing decision and can’t get the information they need from a quick-hit AI response.

Second, Google is actively encouraging users to narrow down their searches. This ensures that they find the best article for their very specific question—and makes it more important to have curated content tailored to those narrow, long-tail searches.

Why Are Long-Tail Keywords Important?

Imagine the difference between searching for “pizza” and “best deep dish gluten free pizza near me.” The short-tail query (“pizza”) targets a wide number of intents and articles—everything from “What is pizza?” to “How to make pizza.” Someone typing in this keyword might be looking for general information, which Google is increasingly good at providing right there on the search engine results page (SERP).

But “best deep dish gluten-free pizza near me” is a longer, actionable keyword. Chances are great that this searcher wants to eat a deep-dish gluten-free pizza ASAP—and if you rank for this term, they’ll be more likely to come to your restaurant or pick up your frozen pizza at the supermarket.

Here’s the full breakdown:

• Short-tail keywords are broad and generic. They have high search volume—aka a lot of people search them every month—but are super competitive. That means it can be difficult to rank. Plus, most searchers are just browsing, not actively looking to convert.

• Medium-tail keywords have more detail—think “Chicago deep dish pizza,” “how to buy a backpack for a kindergartener,” or “best time tracking tools for marketers.” There’s a better balance between the search volume and competitiveness, but users still may be unlikely to convert.

• Long-tail keywords are laser-focused on a converting user’s intent—like “When should I upgrade my cloud storage?” or “best types of tomatoes for Denver, Colorado.” These don’t tend to be terribly competitive, but search volume can be low.

Once, short-tail keywords yielded tremendous results. Now, users are less likely to click than ever, because Google places the information they’re seeking right on the results page. That means winning SEO content must be highly targeted and provide a compelling reason for users to click.

Because long-tail keywords have lower competition, ranking is easier. Plus, users better-understand their intent, making them more likely to convert. And they’re a great way to showcase your brand’s expertise with unique, expert content catering to a specific niche.

How to Find Long-Tail Keywords

But how do you find the perfect long-tail keyword? It can feel like panning for gold—but it’s not as hard to find the best slivers as you might think. 

Before starting your search, dig into your brand expertise. What do you know more about than any other brand on the market? What experts do you have that can write or advise on articles? When long-tail keyword hunting, focus on your expertise; don’t be tempted to write outside of that scope. 

Here’s how to find long-tail keywords:

Use keyword research tools

Platforms like Semrush and Ahrefs make it easy to find relevant keywords. Search for a broad topic, and then dig into the related keywords. Semrush even has a handy feature that pulls out related questions, which are a great source of similar keywords.

Feel free to dig deeper into any interesting keywords you find. Following that web of keywords is a fantastic way to identify other winners. 

Dig into online communities

Today’s searchers are increasingly turning to their favorite, trusted communities to learn more about what other people think about a topic

Is there a subreddit or other forum related to your brand’s expertise? Drop that URL into your favorite keyword tool and see what it’s ranking for. There are probably some hidden gems that might be well-suited for your brand.

Just remember—if you choose this approach, make sure you are truly providing expert-informed, human-led insights. Otherwise, searchers will skip your site in favor of the very forums you found the keywords on.

Pay attention to the SERPs

Google’s SERPs—aka the result pages themselves—give a ton of clues about what long-tail keywords people might be searching. Pay particular attention to the “People Also Asked” section, which highlights common next queries. Consider targeting these long-tail queries with articles, especially if you have significant expertise in the subject.

Spy on the competition

Some good old-fashioned competitor research is never a bad idea. Are any of your competitors doing a particularly great job with content marketing? Analyze their landing pages and articles, and check out which long-tail keywords they are targeting. This might spark great ideas for your own content strategy.

Ask your customers

What do your customers want to know? What are they asking during the sales process? Do your customer success managers have a list of top-ten requests? Don’t forget your own backyard!

Even if Semrush and Ahrefs say there isn’t a ton of volume around these queries, you have direct evidence that people that care about your brand specifically are asking these questions—and you’re guaranteed to have a thorough, expert-informed answer.

Just remember: Don’t just chase a keyword without thinking about strategy. Review the SERP for each keyword to make sure it’s a good fit. Look for:

• Zero-click searches. If Google answers the question right there on the page, you either need a different phrase or a creative way to entice searchers to click, even though their primary question is already answered. 

• Rich results. A SERP dominated by maps, news boxes, or Discover features may not be a great target for traditional search… unless you can target those features, too. 

• Find clusters. If you’re feeling down about low-volume organic keywords, start looking for clusters. Because long-tail keywords are longer, they can be asked in a number of ways—and the combined volume of this long-tail cluster might be much higher.

Prioritizing E-E-A-T for High Quality Content

Wielding long-tail keywords effectively requires creating high-quality content that establishes your E-E-A-T—or experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. This is one of Google’s core requirements for “helpful content,” making successfully demonstrating your E-E-A-T crucial in organic search.

E-E-A-T is especially crucial for content targeting long-tail keywords because they delve into specific niches. Faking it until you make it isn’t possible when you’re talking in this much detail! 

Here’s how to showcase your brand’s E-E-A-T.

• Highlight your author’s expertise. Feature their credentials and experience in their bio. Are they a certified financial planner? Have they published related studies? Flaunt it! 

• Cite reputable sources. Linking to other websites is never a bad thing, especially if those websites are also expert-based and reputable. Link to authoritative sources like academic journals, government websites, or industry publications.

• Integrate unique brand data and knowledge. Don’t regurgitate information that anyone could find online. Leverage your unique data, case studies, or insights to set your content apart. This establishes you as a thought leader in the industry—and makes your content incredibly helpful.

Google has pushed out a number of “helpful content” updates, which prioritize content that meets E-E-A-T, feels human-crafted, caters to what searchers want, and offers value. Helpful content focuses on the human element—in fact, you might want to reframe E-E-A-T as H-E-E-A-T. (Human, experience, expertise, authority, and trust.)

Go beyond your keywords to identify why users search these keywords, and what they want to find. A simple answer? Advice? Recommendations from a pro? Connect that desire with your own expertise. Focus on keywords where you are uniquely positioned to provide the perfect answer.

Think: What would an AI not know? That’s what your articles should be about. 

By focusing on E-E-A-T, identifying unique long-tail keywords relevant to your brand’s expertise, and adding the human touch to each article, you’ll create content that will rise to the top of search and encourage the right users to search. Long-tail keywords are essential for establishing your brand’s authority and expertise—and reaping the SEO rewards of truly helpful content.