3 Reasons Why Targeting Longtail Keywords Increases Page Views and Conversion Rates

In the early days of search engine optimization and online marketing, pioneers competed for main keywords like “insurance rates” and “credit cards.” Although a relatively elite group of webmasters are still vying for top rankings in these elusive primary keyword categories, the majority of marketers have moved on to targeting less competitive longtail keywords (search phrases between two and six words long). However, this is not necessarily a bad thing, as most people who use search engines now input highly specific queries because they’re trying to find information on a particular topic or product. In fact, if you know how to target the right longtail keywords you can enjoy faster and more considerable success than the companies that are currently spending thousands of dollars per day to bid on mainstream keywords in contextual advertising programs like AdWords. Consider the following three reasons why targeting longtail keywords increases page views and conversion rates:

Lower Search Competition

Since the Internet is simply an ever-expanding network of sites pertaining to virtually every topic imaginable, it is impossible for every keyword group to become oversaturated. There are still plenty of longtail keywords out there in highly profitable niches that are capable of soliciting consistent search traffic if targeted correctly. Although a relatively unpopular longtail keyword won’t generate nearly as much traffic as a mainstream keyword, you don’t necessarily need thousands of page views to make decent money as an Internet marketer. For example, if you can maintain a conversion rate of 3%, and each conversion brings you $40, you’d be able to generate $120 per 100 visitors, so you would only need 2000 visitors per month to generate $2400 per month. Lower search competition also means you have a greater ability to gain advantage as an advertiser in contextual ad networks.

Longtail Search Volume Adds up

It’s undeniable that mainstream keywords generate massive amounts of traffic, while longtail keywords generate low to medium traffic levels that can be inconsistent. Even so, when you add up the total number of search engine users that visit pages through queries that contain longtail keywords, the statistic far outweighs the number of people who visit pages through basic keyword searches. In other words, longtail keywords make it easier to gain higher traffic levels through diversification that is only limited by the topic you’re targeting, current trends, and your imagination.

Greater Control over Consumer Targeting and Traffic Filtering

 

This is easily the most notable advantage that longtail keywords have over general keywords. When someone searches for “credit cards” there is no way to tell what that person is intent on doing. Do they want to compare certain credit cards? Do they want to apply for a specific credit card? Are they trying to learn the history of credit cards? As a webmaster who is targeting this generalized term there is no way to filter the people that visit your site, and the probability of them performing a desired action is very low. On the other hand, if someone were to search for the longtail keyword “how to consolidate credit card debt,” it becomes obvious that you could provide an answer to their solution and market your services as a debt consolidator simultaneously. This example serves to prove that longtail keywords give you greater control over attracting specific types of consumers, as you can choose to only target “buying keywords” in order to maximize conversion rates. By focusing on highly specific phrases that interested or susceptible consumers are likely to use, you can avoid the hassle of wondering why 10,000 page views hasn’t resulted in a single conversion.