What are long-tail keywords?
If you sort all search queries on a topic by frequency, a typical curve emerges: a few general terms are searched for very often, a great many specific queries only rarely. The general terms form the “head” (short head), the many rare queries the long “tail” (long tail). The mid tail lies in between.
An example from running shoes:
- Short head: “running shoes”
- Mid tail: “women’s running shoes”
- Long tail: “women’s running shoes wide feet tarmac” or “which running shoes for overpronation”
Long tail does not necessarily mean long. What matters is that the query is specific and rare. The basics of search terms are covered in the article on keywords.
Why long-tail keywords matter
- Volume in numbers: according to Google, 15 % of daily searches are ones Google has never seen before. Part of demand therefore consists of queries that no keyword tool can know yet.
- Clear intent: someone searching for “running shoes” may just be browsing. Someone searching for a particular model in a particular size is often much closer to buying. Content can be tailored much more precisely to this intent.
- Less competition: big brands and portals compete for general terms. For specific queries, smaller providers with genuine expertise also stand a chance.
- AI search: in AI search, people often ask detailed questions that would previously have taken several searches. Google’s AI Overviews and AI Mode also break such questions down into several sub-searches; see query fan-out.
Finding long-tail keywords
- Google Search Console: the performance report shows which queries your pages already appear for. According to Search Central, Google hides very rare queries there for privacy reasons, and the table stops at 1,000 rows. The API gives you more rows, but the hidden queries are missing there too.
- Google itself: autocomplete suggestions, the “People also ask” box and the related searches at the bottom of the results page.
- Customer questions: what do customers ask your sales team, customer service or by email? These phrasings are often exactly the long-tail queries.
- Site search: your website’s search function reveals what visitors look for in vain.
- Keyword tools: they show variants and questions around a term. But be careful: Google Ads Keyword Planner shows no data at all for terms with very low search volume. A search volume of zero in a tool does not mean nobody searches for it.
How to turn this into a structured list is described in the article on keyword analysis.
Using long-tail keywords properly
The most common mistake: a separate page for every variant. Many almost identical pages then compete with one another, a problem known as cannibalisation. Pages generated en masse without added value also violate Google’s spam policies.
It is better to group long-tail keywords by intent:
- Same intent, one page: “running shoes wide feet” and “women’s running shoes for wide feet” belong on the same page.
- Questions as sections: answer recurring questions in their own sections or in the FAQ area of the relevant page.
- New intent, new page: only when a group of queries forms a topic of its own is separate content worthwhile, for example a guide.
Long-tail keywords in Google Ads
Long-tail keywords also play a role in search advertising, but with one peculiarity: keywords with very little search history receive the status “Low search volume” in Google Ads and remain inactive until searches increase. Long-tail queries are therefore usually reached there via broader keyword match types. The search terms report shows which queries actually triggered ads. This yields new keywords and negative keywords.
Would you like to know which long-tail keywords matter for your offering? Then get in touch with us or read more about our keyword analysis and content strategy!
