Given the saturated digital spaces, using long-tail keywords is crucial to make a local business rank on SERP (Search engine Result page). Local service providers need precise targeting to get inquiry calls or drive form fill-ups from potential customers. Here, long-tail keywords for local businesses come into play.
This article will satisfy all your doubts about long-tail keywords, including what they are, how to use them to drive relevant traffic, reach local customers, and more!
Long Tail keywords for Local Businesses: All You Need To Know
What Are Long Tail Keywords And How Do They Affect SEO?
Long-term keywords or Long tail Keywords, as the name suggests, are longer terms. Typically, it contains a minimum of three to four phrases. Long tail keywords are specific and descriptive. They describe exactly what a potential lead is looking for.
For example, ‘janitorial services for office spaces’ is a long-tail keyword for cleaners. Here, ‘janitorial services’ can be considered a short-tail keyword.
That means the purpose of long-tail keywords is to describe short-tail Keywords more precisely. Short-tail keywords are highly competitive once. As a local service provider, the SEO will get sluggish if you consider only small-tail keywords. It can take months or even years to climb to the top rank. You will get frustrated!
Long-tail keywords are specific and less competitive. They can drive relevant traffic to a website and generate targeted leads. Being an exact match to customers’ search phrases, long-tail keywords can improve your website’s search engine visibility.
Why Are Long Tail Keywords Important For Local SEO?
Local keywords are essential to making your website rank for local search pages. They contain location names or specific terms that local customers use in search terms.
But how do long-tail keywords relate to local keywords? Long-tail keywords can be lucrative target terms for both SEO and PPC.
For example, ‘office cleaning contractors in London’ would be considered a long-tail and local keyword at the same time! It is inevitable that long-tail keywords can be ideal local keywords.
Another reason to use long tail keywords for local SEO is ‘intention.’ People search for long phrases because they have already decided what they want. They tend to be qualified leads for local service providers like you. Experts say long-tail keywords have higher conversion rates.
Long-tail keywords boost website relevance and help you dodge irrelevant competition. They also make your website rank on organic searches and drive qualified leads.
How To Optimize Your Website For Long-Tail Keywords?
There are several ways to optimize your local business website with long tail phrases. They include:
Throughout the content
Place the detailed keywords organically in your website content. Distribute the phrase evenly throughout the content and provide relevant information.
Incorporate in Meta tags and Headings
Use long tail keywords in meta tags, headings, subheadings, and titles organically. This practice will optimize your website for those search intents. As a result, your website will be more likely to get a top rank on SERP.
Blog title
Incorporate your target long-tail keywords for local businesses in your blog titles. This will help search bots comprehend the topic, which will then show the content to its relevant audience.
Alt Text and Image Caption
Use long-tail keywords in image alt texts and captions. This will optimize the image files and make website visuals accessible.
Use Schema Markup
Use question-based long-form keywords in a scheme to give local signal and trust.
Also Read: How can business enhance visibility with Schema Markup?
How Can You Incorporate Long Tail Keywords In Content?
Long Tail keywords help optimize content for search engine users. They create exact matches for relevant queries and make content rank for specific searches.
Here are some of the best strategies to optimize your content with detailed keywords and drive targeted traffic.
Avoid Keyword Stuffing
Incorporate long tail keywords organically into your content. Place them across the body text where they go naturally with the context. This practice will not only make the content rank on organic searches but also bring maximum value to readers.
Make The keywords A Topic
Most question-based longtail keywords are common customer queries. Hence, the content title can be a place to target long phrases.
Place Long Tail keywords in the Heading and Subheadings
Heading and subheadings are crucial for making content skimmable and easily readable. Put long tail keywords in headings and subheadings. This practice will enrich your content and make it more relatable to users. The content will get more preference from search engines.
Use Long tail keyword in Meta Description
Place long tail keywords in meta description. This tactic will boost the relevance of your website context for users. Hence, your website will be a clickable source to users.
How To Find Long Tail Keywords for Your Local Business?
You can find longtail keywords for local businesses through various methods. Access popular keyword research tools like SEMrush, Moz, Uber Suggest, or Answer the Public. Compare the search volume or analyze its difficulty. If you run out of keyword ideas, look for suggestions on Google’s auto-complete and related search features. Another best way to find detailed keywords is to understand the pain points. Refer to the feedback forms, reviews, discussion in community forums, and social media interactions. Using your website analytics, you can find some seed keywords of detailed phrases.
What are The differences between short-tail and long tail keywords?
Longtail and short-tail keywords are used to rank the website on organic and paid searches. Both choices come with a set of advantages and disadvantages. To make the website visible for relevant searches, you need both keywords.
Short-tail keywords generally have one to two words. On the other hand, long tail keywords should have a minimum of three to four phrases.
Short-tail keywords target a broad topic or category, so they target a wider audience. But long-tail keywords are detailed and very specific, precisely targeting only a few categories.
Longtail keywords convert more leads than short-tail keywords. Ranking on these specific terms is more straightforward. Plus, longtail keywords can bring qualified leads for businesses.
However, you can’t deny the importance of targeting short-tail terms. In several stages of sales funneling, these small-tail keywords play a core role. They can reach a broader audience and improve brand awareness.
Final Thought On the Power of Long Tail Keywords
Small tail and long tail keywords will make way for ranking your website on relevant topics. Small tail keywords are generic, whereas long tail are specific. To create niche authority, you need short-tail keywords. However, as a local business owner, your core focus should be long tail phrases. They can match specific, personalized, and local search intent well. The higher the match, the better the possibility of a higher ranking!
Frequently Asked Questions
How Can I Use Long Tail Keywords To Optimize local SEO?
Place your target long tail keywords in location page content, Google business listings, meta tags, and URLs of location pages, and last but not least, optimize your image alt texts and blog posts.
How Can I Use Long-tail Keyword To Bring Relevant Traffic?
By optimizing website content and on-page elements with long-tail keywords, you can bring relevant traffic to your website.