DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more info.
Pinterest Keyword Search: Long-Tail Keyword Targeting is a great way to grow your online business and Pinterest keyword search can help you find the perfect keywords for your target audience. In this video I share how to discover and use long-tail keywords on Pinterest so you can find people who are interested in what you have to offer!
[ssp-video]
In a digital world where 4.4 million new blog posts hit the web every day, finding ways to make your content stand out from the crowd is fundamental to success.
Not only do you have to make sure it shows up in the right places, but you also have to beat the competition that was there before you! After all, only by outranking the other websites in your niche in search engines like Google and, of course, Pinterest, will you gain those all-important clicks, leads, and sales.
But how can you achieve this when you’re up against sites that are older, more established, boast a higher domain authority, and have more resources behind them than yours? Long-tail keyword targeting, that’s how!
Whether you’re totally new to this topic or hoping to add to your understanding of it, this article should help. In it, you’ll learn all about long-tail keywords, why they’re so important, and how to incorporate them into your content marketing strategy.
Let’s dive in.
Table of Contents
What Are Long-Tail Keywords?
Long-tail keywords are search terms or phrases that a) contain multiple words (i.e. they’re longer!) and b) are more specific in nature.
A by-product of these features is that they also tend to be less competitive (read: easier to rank for) and have a lower search volume (read: less traffic) than their counterpart, short-tail keywords.
The term “long tail” actually comes from the distribution graph you’d get from plotting all of the possible keywords against their respective popularity/search volume.
On it, you’d see a relatively small percentage of keywords drawing a huge number of searches. That’s the “head” of the graph (which explains why short-tail keywords are sometimes called “head keywords”).
No matter how much search traffic these terms get, though, the reality is that it’d only account for a tiny percentage of total searches happening on the internet.
After the “head”, there’d be a chunky middle section, full of longer keywords that receive steadily fewer monthly searches. As you moved further along the graph, the number of words in each search phrase would increase and the search volume would continue decreasing.
Yet they’d keep on going, creating a never-ending tail on the graph.
Long-Tail Keywords Examples
Although keyword phrases don’t require a specific number of words to be considered long-tail, they generally contain between 3 and 5 of them. Likewise, they don’t need the primary “head” keyword to be included but often do.
Here’s an example:
- “Pinterest marketing” would be considered a head keyword.
- “Pinterest marketing in 2022” would be a related long-tail keyword.
- And “How to market your blog on Pinterest in 2022” would be another.
Here are a few further examples of long-tail keywords:
- How to start a blog in 2022
- YouTube tutorials for beginners
- How to build your email list fast
- What is search engine optimization?
- How digital marketing works
How Do I Use Long-Tail Keywords with Proper Keyword Density?
Keyword density’s a matter of some debate in the world of SEO.
For those unfamiliar with the term, it relates to the number of times a target keyword appears in an article, relative to the total number of words. For instance, if you write a 1000 word post and use the keyword 30 times, the keyword density would be 3%.
Some experts suggest there’s an optimum density to aim for, whereby you send search engines all the right signals without entering the realm of keyword stuffing (a black hat SEO strategy that’s can lead to penalties).
Long-Tail Keyword Suggestions
So, what’s the magic number?
Some experts say a density between 3 and 5% is best. Others recommend you aim for 1 to 2%. And for every expert who agrees with either of those statements, there’s another who says density doesn’t matter at all!
They suggest using keywords as naturally as possible instead. Rather than incorporating them purely to “tick the keyword density box”, they believe you should focus on matching the intent behind the user’s initial search.
If you can solve their problem, answer their question, or otherwise give them the information they need, then you’ll be rewarded in search results.
With no clear consensus on the subject, we recommend experimenting. See what works for your website! Incorporate long-tail keywords at different densities (without overstuffing them) until you find the optimum level.
Can You Suggest a Long-Tail Keyword with Low Competition?
Of course! There are plenty of examples we could give.
Trust us, though, they wouldn’t help. After all, finding keywords with low competition isn’t the only secret to success. They must also be relevant to your website, niche, and industry.
Imagine being the owner of a used car dealership. You’re unlikely to rank for anything other than keywords related to cars, trucks, and buying/selling them!
Why?
Because search engines like Google want to show their users the very best content on the web. And, generally speaking, that only comes from experts in the industry.
Without knowing your niche, then, we can’t tell you what low-comp keywords to write about! We can, however, teach you how to conduct keyword research for yourself. More on that later…
How Do Long-Tail Keywords Work?
The idea that targeting keywords with lower monthly search volumes yields better results can seem counterintuitive at first.
But remember: you aren’t the only creator trying to rank for these terms!
Because everyone wants lots of traffic, most creators target keywords with high search volumes. Competition becomes fierce as a result, which means you’re much less likely to rank well (especially when you run a relatively new website).
It’s akin to looking for a house in a sought-after part of town. Everyone wants to live there, which pushes the prices up and makes suitable properties harder to find!
In the world of digital marketing, you can end up spending huge amounts of time, money, and effort creating content that never generates any traffic or views.
That’s why long-tail keywords are so valuable. Because fewer people search for them, they become less enticing to your fellow creators! Like hunting for houses in the rundown part of town, your chances of ranking go up exponentially.
Furthermore, long-tail keywords are much more specific.
You end up ranking for search terms that match a) what your target audience is searching for and b) the products/services you sell.
An Example
Imagine starting a business that sells designer footwear in New York.
You’d have to be incredibly lucky for your web pages to feature at the top of organic searches for “designer footwear”. Yet that could change if you specialize in designer sandals for women made by Chanel!
Targeting long-tail keywords like “Chanel sandals for women”, “the best designer sandals for women in New York”, or “Chanel Satin & Pearls black sandals for women” are more likely to rank online and find customers searching for your particular products.
Can I Choose a Primary Keyword as a Long-Tail Keyword?
In a word, yes! In fact, we wholeheartedly recommend it.
For all the reasons we’ve addressed so far (and for others that are soon to come), using a long-tail keyword as your primary keyword is an effective way to cut through the noise and reach your target customer.
Why are Long-Tail Searches Valuable?
One thing worth keeping in mind when it comes to long-tail keywords is that not all traffic is made equal.
Having thousands of hits on your website every day might sound great. Yet it’s nothing but a vanity metric if none of those users are actually interested in your products or services, right?
Remember, you don’t just want traffic. You want leads and sales. And that means the traffic coming to your site has to be qualified.
This is what you get with long-tail keywords. Fewer people visit your site, but the potential for them to convert is ten times higher because the searcher knows exactly what they want (more on this coming up).
Do Long Keywords Help Boost Your Short Keywords?
Yes! As we noted above, many long-tail keywords also contain a head keyword for which you probably want to rank as well.
In essence, you target two keywords for the price of one. While you may not land in the top spot on Google for the short term, it could still attract additional organic traffic to your site (which never hurts!).
Benefits of Long-Tail Keywords for SEO
It’s time to go into further detail on the reasons you should use long-tail keywords in your content! Here are the main benefits they bring to your SEO endeavors:
Lower Volume Means Less Competition
As we’ve discussed already, a primary distinction between long-tail and short-tail keywords is their popularity. Fewer people search for them, which means fewer creators target them! In turn, you stand a better chance of ranking.
It’s worth pointing out that not all long-tail keywords have low search volumes though. There are literally millions of search phrases with 5+ words that get tens of thousands of searches every month.
Less Competition Means it’s Easier to Rank in SERPs
Your ability to rank for long-tail keywords is easier for another reason too.
Basically, short-tail search queries are usually more general in nature. As a result, you have to include more detail to address every potential piece of information the user might want/need.
The opposite’s true for long-tail search terms though. Because they’re so much more specific, you can often write a shorter post while still addressing the main points (and satisfying the user)! In other words, it takes less effort to rank higher.
Less Competition Also Means Lower Cost
When supply is limited, anything in high demand is expensive. That’s why works of art from famous artists sell for such a premium. There’s only one of them!
It’s a similar story with keywords. As any advertiser who’s experimented with Google Ads knows, bidding on competitive search terms isn’t cheap. With so many other webmasters wanting to rank for them, the cost per click can skyrocket.
Again, the opposite’s true for long-tail keywords. There’s less competition involved, leading to a lower CPC.
Long-Tail Keywords Have Higher Conversion Rates
It’s hard to overstate the value of ranking for keywords that are super-specific. Expect higher conversion rates every time!
For instance, imagine your tennis racket store ranks in the top spot for “blue Babolat tennis racket for children”. If someone searches for that term, they know exactly what they want! They’re almost guaranteed to click on your link and buy the blue Babolat racket you have on sale as a result.
Now compare that to ranking #1 for “tennis racket”. You’d get more web traffic, but not necessarily any more sales. People might just want to learn more about the different types of tennis rackets, rather than buying one.
Long-Tail Keywords Mimic How People Actually Search
Think about the last time you used Google’s voice search.
You didn’t say, “Hey Google, apple juice”. You said, “Hey Google, where’s the best place to buy fresh apple juice near me?”
That’s because people now search for things online in full, complete sentences. It’s almost like having a conversational partner- especially when you’re using the voice search feature. By using long-tail keywords, you’re more likely to match this trend and create titles that match peoples’ searches.
How to Find Long-Tail Keywords
Last but not least, here are a few quick-fire strategies for finding the long-tail keywords that are so essential to success!
1. Use Google Autosuggest?
Google Autocomplete provides a drop-down menu of potential keywords to target whenever you start typing something into it. Be wary though. The suggestions it provides tend to be the most popular search queries related to whatever you’re typing, which usually means they’re super competitive!
For an alternative tool, try Answer the Public.
2. Use Ahrefs’ Keywords Explorer
Ahrefs is one of the most popular paid keyword research tools available today. It isn’t cheap, but you can access thousands of long-tail keywords in seconds, complete with useful information about how competitive they are.
For a cheaper alternative, consider Keysearch.
3. See Which Keywords Your Competitors are Ranking For
It’s time to do some snooping! What long-tail keywords have your closest competitors targeted recently? Could you take a leaf out of their book and address similar topics?
If your website’s of a similar age and authority, then you could rank for them too- particularly if you create content that’s more in-depth and useful!
4. Browse Pinterest Trends
Similar to Google Trends, trends.pinterest.com will tell you what Pinterest users have been searching for on the platform and when they’ve been searching for it!
Simply set the country you’re in and start typing particular terms into the search bar. Hit enter and it’ll give you a graph with this invaluable information, alongside possible keyword variations (“Related Trends”).