Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific search phrases with lower individual search volume, such as “waterproof walking boots for wide feet women” rather than “walking boots”. They are a cornerstone of keyword research for small and new websites.
Where the name comes from
Plot every search query by volume and you get a curve: a few very popular head terms, then a long tail of millions of rarer queries. Together, those rare queries make up the majority of all searches. Google has said around 15% of daily searches have never been seen before.
Why long-tail keywords are valuable
- Clearer intent: “boiler service cost Manchester” tells you exactly what the person wants.
- Higher conversion rates: specific searchers are closer to buying.
- Lower competition: big sites often ignore them.
- Faster wins: a new site can rank in weeks rather than years.
- AI and voice queries are naturally long and conversational.
Long tail does not mean long word count
Some long-tail queries are short (“ahrefs alternatives”), and some long phrases have high volume. The defining trait is specificity and lower volume, not the number of words.
How to find long-tail keywords
- Google autocomplete: type your topic and note suggestions; add letters a, b, c after it.
- People Also Ask and related searches at the bottom of results.
- Search Console: queries with impressions but few clicks are often long-tail opportunities.
- Forums and Reddit: real questions in real words.
- Keyword tools: filter by word count or questions, and low keyword difficulty.
- Sales and support teams: the questions customers actually ask.
How to use them
Do not create a separate page for every variation; that leads to thin content and keyword cannibalisation. Instead:
- Build one page per intent and cover related long-tail questions as H2s or FAQs on it.
- Create separate articles only when a long-tail query needs a different answer.
- Use them on product and category pages: sizes, materials, uses, compatibility.
A well-structured page can rank for hundreds of long-tail variations at once.
Example
A garden centre targeting “lawn feed” (very competitive) might instead publish “when to feed your lawn in spring UK”, covering related questions about weather, products and frequency. It ranks faster, attracts ready-to-buy readers and links to the product category.
Frequently asked questions
Are zero-volume keywords worth it?
Tools often show zero for real queries. If customers ask it, it is worth answering.
Do long-tail keywords help head terms?
Yes. Covering a topic’s long tail builds topical authority that lifts the main pages.
Related terms
See search intent, semantic SEO and the SEO encyclopedia.
Mr. SEO
Mr. SEO is the webmaster at SEO TT - SEO tips and tricks, a publication about all things SEO related.