The long and short (tail) of small business search engine marketing

Using the right phraseology on your website can bolster your small business search engine marketing campaign. Knowing the difference between long and short tail keywords, where to locate them on your site and ways of generating them will help you rank higher in the right searches and increase your business' web traffic.

Long and short tail keywords

Internet users develop strategies for their search engine use. A more specific search term narrows the range of sites, whereas a broad or common word or phrase will produce a larger number of search results. A consumer searching for clothing, for example, may enter "sweaters" to browse through an endless number of websites that sell all types of winter outerwear. If the millions of results prove too numerous to navigate, or stores specializing specifically in sweaters aren't prominently displayed, the same user may narrow his search term with a descriptive words, such as "wool sweater" or "cardigan sweater."

The short tail keyword in this case would be "sweater." A Google search provides nearly 200 million results for this broad term, and the top results for such a popular and competitively used word are major retailers like Amazon.com and Ralph Lauren. The average small retail business won't be able to rank with these top names, so niche marketing may be the best answer to get noticed among the millions.

A long tail keyword provides narrower search results thanks to more specific terms. Simply adding "wool" to the original search brings the results down by millions, increasing your website's chances of being noticed.

Many internet users, whether shopping for goods, looking for services or researching information will try a few different searches until the listed sites match their specifications. For example, if a consumer is interested in buying handmade wool sweaters, she may first try "sweaters," be daunted by the number of results and eventually narrow her search to "handmade wool sweaters." That long tail keyword produces a relatively low half-million hits, with several smaller retailers on the first page.

Short tail keywords shouldn't be completely avoided, however. A high rank with a popular word, although often difficult to achieve, can bring far more traffic to your website than an effectively specific long tail phrase. If the shorter keywords relating to your industry have a lot of competition, you may be best served by longer terms.

Generating keywords

Two simple, free ways to research and generate keywords can help you determine the phrases to include in your website's content and how you'll rank among competitors and sites with similar language. By searching the words and phrases you associate with your business (and those which you believe potential customers will use to find you), you can see two indicators of the keyword's possible effects on your marketing.

First, look at the search engine's number of results. Hundreds of millions of sites mean you're more likely to be lost in the shuffle, especially if the top listed companies are recognizable names. Second, check out the websites that appear closest to the top. Not only are these your top marketing competitors (if you're using the appropriate search terms), they are also your best indicator of what internet users expect to see when they enter the words you've chosen. If you see nothing related to your business, try a different wording or switch to a different phrase altogether.

Google's AdWords can help you generate keywords and gauge their popularity. You may find that every short tail word or phrase related to your industry already carries a lot of competition, and if you face the same problem in trying to discover long tail terms, you may be best served by an SEO service.

Have you run into frustration trying to find the right keywords? Do you feel your website's SEO could be improved by a professional service?

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