Discovering Effective Long-Tail Keywords for Articles
May 15, 2024

Discovering Effective Long-Tail Keywords for Articles

Learn how to pick the right long-tail keywords for your articles and avoid keyword cannibalization. Improve your content strategy with unique research methods.

Developing a powerful content strategy requires a careful balance of keywords, topics, and user intent. Knowing how to find the right long-tail keywords without causing keyword overlap is crucial for boosting your article’s visibility and ensuring your content serves its purpose. Below, we explore some effective, non-traditional research techniques to discover long-tail keywords that bring value to your articles.

This week’s Ask an SEO question comes from Carrazana in Cuba, who asks:

“How do you find the right, long-tail keywords for articles? I’m struggling to find suitable keywords and long-tail options for my posts. I currently use Keywords Everywhere.”

Thanks for the question, Carrazana! Finding long-tail keywords is a common challenge for many content creators, who also often worry about unintended overlap across different articles, referred to as keyword or topic cannibalization.

To effectively find long-tail keywords and avoid cannibalization, it helps to think beyond traditional methods. Let’s dive into ways to reshape your approach to keywords so you can navigate this challenge with confidence.

Understanding Cannibalization in Content Strategy

Before we jump into keyword research techniques, let’s address the issue of cannibalization. Cannibalization occurs when multiple pages on a site target the same keyword or topic, leading search engines to struggle in determining which page to display. This can dilute a page’s authority and confuse the reader, ultimately impacting conversions and overall SEO performance.

To avoid this, it’s important to move away from thinking solely about individual keywords and instead focus on each page’s intent and the topic it addresses. Here’s a breakdown of how to prevent cannibalization and design your content strategy with purpose.

Focusing on Intent, Not Just Keywords

Instead of concentrating on specific keywords for each article, consider the broader topic you’re addressing. The same keyword or phrase can carry different meanings or serve different purposes based on context. For instance, let’s imagine you’re working on a website that sells apples. Your product page would emphasize actionable information—how to buy apples, their various uses, and specific benefits. However, a blog post might explore what an apple is, its health benefits, and why certain apples are better for baking, snacking, or animal treats.

By clarifying each page’s purpose, you create a structure where similar keywords can serve different intents. This way, the product page and blog post might both mention “apples for horses,” but each serves a distinct goal. The product page highlights purchasing options, while the blog post explores nutritional value or suitability for animals.

Using Schema to Guide Search Engine Intent

Another way to manage intent is through structured data, also known as schema. Implementing schema types—such as product schema for conversion pages and article schema for informational pages—signals the page’s purpose to search engines. This additional context helps search engines interpret each page’s goal and, in turn, reduces the risk of cannibalization.

Incorporating these strategies makes it easier for search engines to recognize the right content for the right audience, allowing users to find exactly what they’re looking for on your site.

Expanding Long-Tail Keyword Research: Techniques and Tools

With cannibalization addressed, let’s explore various methods for finding long-tail keywords. Traditional keyword tools, while helpful, often provide only surface-level data. By using alternative resources like customer feedback, social media, and Q&A sites, you can discover keywords that are relevant, unique, and tailored to your audience’s needs.

Customer Support Insights: Uncovering Questions from Real Users

One of the best sources for long-tail keywords lies in customer support interactions. Reviewing transcripts from customer service, live chats, and email inquiries reveals exactly how customers discuss your products or services. These phrases are valuable because they reflect the actual language and specific questions your audience has, making them perfect candidates for long-tail keywords.

Additionally, customer support data offers insight into common issues, preferences, and even product returns. By noting these patterns, you can create content around topics such as comparison shopping guides, troubleshooting FAQs, and buying guides. You might also discover gaps in the market that competitors haven’t addressed, allowing you to capture new traffic with unique and relevant content.

For instance, if you notice recurring questions about different models or colors of your product, you could create blog posts or product pages focused on those variations. This not only attracts new readers but also helps them make informed purchasing decisions.

Social Media Hashtags: Exploring Content Ideas on LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Instagram

Social media platforms, especially those with hashtag-powered algorithms, are rich sources for discovering new topics. Platforms like LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Instagram organize content around hashtags, making it easy to see trending topics and popular phrases related to your niche.

To get started, try exploring hashtags relevant to your industry, such as #SEO, #ecommerce, or #digitalmarketing. You can observe the popularity of each hashtag, track engagement, and identify the most commonly discussed themes. For instance, LinkedIn allows you to view subscriber counts and see which posts within a hashtag get the most interaction. If a particular hashtag has consistent engagement, that topic is likely of high interest to your target audience.

Analyzing popular posts within these hashtags also reveals questions and discussions around specific subtopics. By using these social trends to guide your content, you can not only generate engaging content ideas but also create posts that resonate with social media audiences and drive traffic back to your website.

Forums and Q&A Sites: Finding Keywords from User-Generated Content

Online forums and question-and-answer sites offer insights directly from users. Platforms like Reddit and Quora are full of community discussions where users ask questions, share opinions, and discuss their experiences. By observing these conversations, you gain a window into the challenges, preferences, and interests of potential customers.

One approach is to identify relevant Reddit threads or Quora topics and analyze the language used in the conversations. Tools like Semrush, Ahrefs, or Moz can reveal keywords associated with these discussions, helping you spot long-tail keyword opportunities.

For example, if you run an SEO consultancy, browsing through Reddit’s SEO subreddit can reveal phrases that users commonly search for or ask about. You’ll also get an understanding of their knowledge gaps, allowing you to create content that addresses these specific questions in a comprehensive and accessible way.

Q&A Keyword Tools: Using Specialized Software for Related Phrases

If you want to streamline your long-tail keyword research, consider using tools like AlsoAsked.com and AnswerThePublic.com. These tools gather common questions people search for related to a primary keyword. They visualize keyword data as clusters of questions, providing an organized view of related topics and popular phrases.

For example, if your primary keyword is “digital marketing,” these tools may display questions like “What is digital marketing?” or “How to measure digital marketing success?” These suggested topics can serve as the foundation for blog posts, FAQs, or even social media posts, helping you attract readers actively seeking answers.

Search Engine and YouTube Autocomplete: Discovering Common Search Queries

Autocomplete features on search engines, including YouTube, are another effective way to find long-tail keywords. As you type a keyword or phrase, the autocomplete function displays popular searches related to that term. This provides valuable insights into the types of questions users frequently ask.

For example, on YouTube, typing in “how to do keyword research” might reveal suggested searches like “how to do keyword research for a blog” or “how to do keyword research on YouTube.” Each of these suggestions is an opportunity to create content that addresses the specific needs of different audiences.

Once you’ve identified a relevant suggestion, look at the content under that search term. Pay attention to titles, descriptions, and even the chapters within videos, as they offer clues about commonly discussed subtopics. Reading the comment sections can reveal additional questions, which you could address in your own content.

Expanding Your Content Strategy with Long-Tail Keywords

Long-tail keywords present a vast world of possibilities, going beyond the basic keyword tools. By using customer feedback, social media trends, forums, and Q&A sites, you can uncover valuable keywords and phrases that resonate deeply with your audience.

Effective keyword research not only drives traffic but also enhances the relevance and authority of your content. As a content writer or SEO professional, your creativity in approaching these methods will lead you to discover new topics and address your audience’s needs in a more targeted way. These methods help you create content that aligns closely with user intent, setting the stage for stronger engagement and better SEO results.

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