A 2020 Backlinko study of 306 million U.S. keywords revealed that 91.8% of unique search terms live in the long tail, while representing only 3.3% of overall volume (source).
Whether you manage SEO, a content strategy or paid campaigns, this statistic deserves your full attention: the long tail concentrates intent, profitability, and opportunity.
What is a long-tail keyword ?
Before leveraging the long tail, let’s align our vocabulary and our mental model.
Definition and origin
Imagine a comet crossing the night sky: a bright head followed by an almost infinite tail. In keyword research, the “head” refers to a small group of ultra-popular terms—think “coffee”—while the “tail” contains millions of highly specific queries, such as “best organic coffee beans for espresso machine.”
The further you move down the tail, the narrower the audience—and the clearer the intent.
Long tail vs. head and mid-tail
Two criteria come up consistently : volume—the Backlinko study classifies as long tail any query showing at most 10 monthly searches (US)—and length, with phrases of four words or more almost always falling into this low-volume but high-intent zone.
Head terms are one or two words long, generate massive volume, and require proportional budgets.
Mid-tails add a modifier—“espresso coffee,” for example—trading some volume for more clarity. Long tails sacrifice even more volume for laser relevance and significantly lower competition, making them the ideal zone for most marketers.
Concrete examples
- “Coffee” → vague, competitive, low intent
- “Espresso coffee beans” → mid-tail, moderate context
- “Best organic coffee beans for espresso” → long tail, purchase intent
- “Where to buy fair trade decaf espresso coffee beans online” → ultra-long tail, prospect ready to order
Why long-tail keywords are essential for SEO and growth
Long tails carry far more weight than they seem, both organic and paid.
Stronger intent, therefore more conversions
Several PPC benchmarks show that long, specific queries convert better when search intent is perfectly understood, even if the exact lift varies by account and industry.
Less competition and lower costs
Because few brands bid on or optimize for these phrases, organic ranking requires fewer backlinks and CPCs often stay far below those of head terms targeting the same audience.
Niche targeting and a broader SERP share
Google’s SERP features—People Also Ask, featured snippets, FAQ—favor intent-rich queries. Content structured around long tails can occupy multiple spots on the same results page, pushing your competitors into the background.
How to find long-tail keywords : six proven tactics
Discovery blends careful investigation with methodical tools.
Google autosuggest and related searches
Start typing “portable solar panels for…” and let Google suggest local variants. Autocomplete reflects real-time demand ; it’s an excellent barometer of emerging queries.
Dedicated keyword research tools
Platforms like Semrush or Ahrefs let you filter by length, keyword difficulty (KD %) and intent. Enter a seed keyword, set a minimum of four words, then sort by increasing KD % to surface the most accessible opportunities.
Competitive gap analysis
Keyword Gap reports compare your domain with your rivals’ and reveal phrases they rank for that you’re missing. Spotting a competitor in position 3 for a query you ignore offers a fast way to capture traffic.
Forums, Q&A sites, and social groups
Use the Google operator site:reddit.com "espresso machine cleaning" to capture enthusiasts’ authentic language. The vocabulary you collect turns into ready-to-use long tails that resonate.
Google Search Console and existing content
Export queries ranking in positions 11-30 : many are already semi-long tails generating impressions. Optimize on-page content, deepen it, and watch several move onto page 1.
AI-powered brainstorming
Ask ChatGPT : “Generate 20 long-tail keywords as questions about zero-waste coffee, grouped by funnel stage.” Then use the list as a starting point before validating volumes in the tool of your choice.
Evaluate and prioritize long-tail keywords
A raw list only becomes strategic once it’s scored and then ordered.
Relevance and alignment with search intent
Place each term on an informational/transactional matrix. “How to descale a moka pot” informs, while “buy stainless steel moka pot” is transactional.
Volume, difficulty, and trend
Map your keywords onto a quadrant: high-opportunity/low-effort terms come first; high-effort/low-opportunity terms stay on the sidelines.
Seasonal curves indicate whether interest is rising or declining. If difficulty remains high, see our guide on how to rank for difficult keywords.
Commercial value and funnel stage
Tag your keywords TOFU/MOFU/BOFU (Top, Middle, Bottom of Funnel). TOFU informs, MOFU compares, BOFU converts. Align each group with the right content formats and CTAs.
Building topic clusters
Group semantically related long tails under a pillar page to demonstrate your topical authority.
Weave a rigorous internal linking structure between each cluster article and the pillar page to concentrate SEO juice.
Implement long-tail keywords in content and campaigns
Discovery and evaluation only matter if the terms are integrated correctly.
On-page placement best practices
Include the primary long tail in the title tag (under 60 characters), the H1, the first 100 words, the URL slug, and the meta description. Describe your images with natural alt text rather than a robotic string of keywords.
Content creation strategies
Tutorials, FAQs, comparisons, or short-form video scripts fit long-tail intent perfectly. For “best pour-over coffee kit for travel,” for instance, a comparison guide will convert far better than a generic blog post.
Secondary and semantic variations
Sprinkle your copy with synonyms and close variants to avoid repetition. Google’s NLP connects “buy” to “purchase,” “shopping,” etc. : write for humans first.
Search ads and Shopping ads
Granular grouping—historically SKAGs (Single Keyword Ad Group)—remains relevant when precision is crucial.
However, modern match types and Google’s smart bidding often reward grouping semantically similar long tails.
Test both approaches and let performance decide.
Common pitfalls and how to avoid them
Misaligned intent
Always check the live SERP before writing. If the query mostly returns videos, a standalone 3,000-word article will struggle to break through.
Keyword stuffing and poor UX
Incorrect : “Paper coffee filters are the best paper coffee filters because paper coffee filters…”
Correct : “The right filter retains oils and sediment for a clean, balanced cup.”
Overprioritizing volume at the expense of relevance
“How to send a double cold outreach message on LinkedIn” shows higher volume but misses the mark for a civic association. A lower-volume query aligned with the mission—“how to make a citizen mobilization video”—will attract the right audience and convert much better.
Measure success and iterate
Optimization never ends ; it compounds.
Key KPIs
Track impressions, average position, CTR, assisted conversions, and ultimately the revenue attributed to each long-tail cluster.
Tools and dashboards
Combine Google Search Console and Looker Studio for a snapshot of trends. Add Semrush Position Tracking to spot cannibalization early.
Continuous optimization loop
Each quarter, remove obsolete keywords, refresh high-performing content, and create internal links from new pages to older assets. With every cycle, you strengthen overall authority and expand your long-tail share.