Keyword phrases, often referred to as long-tail keywords by SEO experts, have a number of benefits over single keywords. If you aren’t using keyword phrases on your website, blogs, and even your social media posts, you are likely missing out on traffic. Here are a few of the benefits to using long-tail keywords that illustrate exactly how superior they are over single keywords.
They’re Specific
Keyword phrases allow you to rank for very specific searches, which often means that your site will rank higher due to less competition. For example, if you optimize your flower shop for the keyword “florist,” you’re going to be competing with millions of other flower shops for the top spot in a search. If you optimize your site for “florist in Boston, MA,” however, you’re going to get many more hits.
They Are How People Search
People rarely search using a single word. The results simply aren’t useful, and often they aren’t relevant. If someone searches for “florist,” they likely want to send flowers to a specific person, and that means they need a florist in that location. People often search for specifics even if they’re doing online shopping where location doesn’t matter. Someone may want a certain brand of jeans, for example, or search for a sweater made from a specific material. Think about how you would go about searching for one of your products or services. Chances are, to get exactly what you want, you would need to search using several words.
You Can Vary the Keyword Phrase
If you use the same keyword dozens of times in your content, it’s going to feel unnatural when read. Search engines are also likely to flag it as keyword spamming. With keyword phrases, however, you can more easily vary the phrase. This does several things. First, it helps you avoid keyword stuffing. Second, it helps your page rank for multiple queries.
For the flower shop example, you could vary your keyword phrase of “florist in Boston, MA” in a few different ways. “Flowers in Boston,” “Massachusetts’s florist,” and “Flower Delivery in the Boston Metro” all help people who are looking for a florist in this particular city find your website. As long as you don’t overuse them, they won’t seem too repetitive.
Want some help determining the right long-tail keywords for your website? BlendIM is here for you. Contact us today to discuss how we can help you.
