Long-tail keywords are search queries made up of 3 or more words – the exact definition that Google uses for their AdWords keyword planner. Whenever I think about them, I like to break things down into two categories: those based on products/services you sell (or might want to), and those based on your target audience. For both cases, there is a huge opportunity to create content around these three+ word phrases – termed long-tail keywords – which will drive targeted traffic to your website.
For example, a plumber might target the keyword “toilet installation”, but it would be much more advantageous to target long-tail keywords like “toilet installation cost Brisbane”. This way, you’re not only targeting people who are actually interested in that service, but you’re also limiting your competition to those businesses who are targeting the same phrase.
When it comes to your target audience, finding and using long-tail keywords is a great way to zero in on their interests. For example, if you’re a pet store owner trying to attract more customers, you could create a blog post about the best dog food for huskies. However, it would be much more effective to target long-tail keywords like “best dog food for older dogs”, or even better is something like “how I chose the best dog food for my husky”. By targeting phrases like this, you place your content in front of a much more targeted audience and will get far better results (more traffic and conversions).