Timothy BramlettWhat Long Tail Keywords Are and Why They Matter
If you just launched your startup's website, you're probably tempted to go after the big keywords. "Project management software." "CRM tool." "Email marketing platform." Those searches get tens of thousands of visits per month, and ranking for them feels like the goal.
It's not. At least, not yet.
Long tail keywords are longer, more specific search phrases that fewer people search for individually, but collectively make up the majority of all Google searches. Think "free project management tool for remote freelancers" instead of "project management software." Or "how to send automated follow up emails after a webinar" instead of "email marketing."
These phrases get fewer searches each, but they come with two massive advantages for new websites. First, the competition is dramatically lower. Second, the people searching for them know exactly what they want, which means they're much more likely to sign up, buy, or take action.
The Math That Makes Long Tail Keywords Worth It
Here's a scenario that plays out constantly for startups that understand this strategy.
You write 50 blog posts, each targeting a specific long tail keyword. Each post brings in 5 to 15 visitors per day. That's 250 to 750 daily visitors, or 7,500 to 22,500 monthly visitors. All organic. All free. All from people actively searching for solutions related to what you offer.
Now compare that to chasing one competitive keyword. You spend months writing and optimizing a single page for "best CRM software." After six months, you're still on page three of Google. Zero meaningful traffic.
The long tail approach works because it's a volume play with achievable targets. Each individual keyword is easy to rank for. Stacked together, they create a traffic engine that grows every time you publish something new.
Most startups that succeed with SEO follow this exact playbook. They don't try to win one big keyword. They win hundreds of small ones.
How to Find Long Tail Keywords Your Startup Can Rank For
Finding these keywords is easier than most founders think. You don't need expensive tools or an SEO background. You just need to know where to look.
Google Autocomplete. Open Google and start typing a phrase related to your product. Before you finish, Google will suggest completions based on what real people actually search for. Each suggestion is a potential keyword. Type different variations of your core topic and write down everything Google suggests.
"People Also Ask" boxes. Search for any term related to your niche and look at the expandable question boxes Google shows in the results. These are real questions from real searchers. Click on a few and more will appear. You can easily find 20 to 30 keyword ideas in a single session this way.
AnswerThePublic. This free tool takes a seed keyword and maps out every question, preposition, and comparison people search for around that topic. Type in "invoicing software" and you'll get results like "invoicing software for therapists," "is invoicing software tax deductible," and "invoicing software vs spreadsheet." Each one is a potential article.
Google Search Console. Once your site has been live for a few weeks, Search Console will show you which queries are generating impressions for your pages. You'll find keywords you're already appearing for but not ranking well enough to get clicks. These are prime targets because Google already associates your site with those terms.
Reddit and Quora. Search these platforms for your product category. The questions people ask in threads are exactly the kinds of specific, long tail phrases you should be targeting. If someone asks "what's the best way to track freelance expenses without QuickBooks," that's a blog post waiting to happen.
Competitor blogs. Look at what smaller competitors in your space are writing about. If they have blog posts that seem to be getting traction (comments, shares, or high rankings), the keywords they're targeting are likely achievable for you too.
How to Evaluate Whether a Keyword Is Worth Targeting
Not every long tail keyword deserves a blog post. You need a quick way to evaluate whether a keyword is worth your time.
Search it on Google. Look at the first page of results. If the top results are from massive sites like Forbes, HubSpot, or Wikipedia, the keyword might be harder than it looks. But if you see small blogs, forum threads, or thin content ranking on page one, that's a signal you can compete.
Check the intent. Is someone searching this phrase looking to learn something, compare options, or buy something? Keywords with commercial or transactional intent (like "best invoicing tool for contractors") are more valuable than purely informational ones (like "what is an invoice"). Both have their place, but prioritize keywords where the searcher is closer to taking action.
Estimate the volume. You can use the free tier of Ubersuggest or Google's Keyword Planner to get rough volume estimates. For long tail keywords, don't worry if the volume looks low. Anything above 10 to 50 monthly searches is worth targeting if the intent is strong and the competition is weak.
Consider your expertise. Can you write something genuinely useful about this topic? The best long tail content comes from real knowledge and experience. If you built a tool for freelancers, you probably know their pain points better than any generic content writer. That expertise shows up in the writing and helps you rank.
Writing Content That Ranks for Long Tail Keywords
Finding the right keywords is only half the job. You also need to create content that deserves to rank. Here's the structure that works consistently.
Answer the question immediately. If someone searches "how to send invoices as a freelancer," your post should answer that question in the first two paragraphs. Don't bury the answer below a long introduction. Google increasingly rewards content that gets straight to the point.
Then go deeper. After answering the core question, expand with context, examples, and practical details. Cover related questions the reader might have next. If someone wants to know how to send invoices, they probably also want to know what to include on an invoice, which tools to use, and how to follow up on late payments.
Use natural language. Write the way you'd explain something to a friend who asked you for advice. Don't stuff your keyword into every other sentence. Google is sophisticated enough to understand synonyms and related phrases. If your target keyword is "time tracking app for remote teams," you don't need to repeat that exact phrase ten times. Write naturally and the keyword relevance will come through.
Format for readability. Use short paragraphs, bullet points, bold text for key takeaways, and clear section headings. People scanning search results often click on content that looks easy to read. Walls of text drive readers away, which hurts your rankings.
Make it the best result. Before you publish, search your target keyword and read the top three results. Your content needs to be more thorough, more practical, or more current than what's already ranking. You don't need to write a 5,000 word essay. You just need to answer the question better than everyone else.
Internal Linking: The Strategy That Multiplies Your Results
Internal links are one of the most overlooked parts of a long tail keyword strategy. Every time you publish a new post, you should link to it from relevant existing posts, and link from the new post back to related content on your site.
This does three things. It helps Google discover your new content faster. It passes authority from your stronger pages to your newer ones. And it keeps readers on your site longer by giving them a natural path to explore related topics.
A simple system works well here. Keep a spreadsheet of your published posts with their target keywords. When you write something new, scan the list for related posts and add links in both directions. This takes five minutes per post and compounds significantly over time.
As you build out more content, you'll start to develop clusters of related articles. A post about "invoicing for freelancers" links to "how to follow up on late invoices" which links to "freelance contract templates." Google sees this cluster and starts treating your site as an authority on freelance business operations. That authority helps every page in the cluster rank better.
Tracking What's Working
You need to know which keywords are driving real results so you can double down on what works and stop wasting time on what doesn't.
Google Search Console is your primary tool here. Check it weekly to see which queries are generating impressions and clicks. Look for posts that are getting lots of impressions but few clicks. These are pages ranking on page two or at the bottom of page one. A small improvement to the content or title tag might push them higher and unlock significantly more traffic.
Google Analytics or Plausible will show you which blog posts are driving the most traffic overall and, more importantly, which ones lead to signups or other conversions. A post bringing in 500 monthly visitors who never sign up is less valuable than a post bringing 50 visitors who convert at 10%.
Track your rankings over time. You don't need a paid rank tracker for this. Just keep a simple spreadsheet with your target keywords and check their positions monthly by searching Google in an incognito window. You'll start to see patterns. Some content types rank faster than others. Some topics perform better in your niche. Use those patterns to guide your future content choices.
Building Topical Authority: How Related Articles Boost Each Other
One article ranking for one long tail keyword is nice. Twenty related articles ranking for twenty related keywords is a traffic machine.
This concept is called topical authority, and it's the reason long tail keyword strategies become more powerful over time. When Google sees that your site has published multiple high quality articles about a specific topic area, it starts to trust your site more for that entire topic. Each new article you add strengthens the others.
For a practical example, imagine you run a tool for freelance designers. You could build topical authority by writing articles like:
Each article stands on its own and targets a unique long tail keyword. But together, they tell Google that your site is a trusted resource for freelance designers. That topical authority makes it easier for each individual article to rank, creating a flywheel effect.
Start by mapping out 10 to 15 related topics in your niche. Write the easiest ones first, link them together, and expand from there. Within three to six months, you'll have a content library that drives consistent organic traffic.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Targeting keywords that are too competitive. If the entire first page of results is filled with household name websites, pick a different keyword. There are always more specific variations you can target instead.
Writing thin content. A 300 word post that barely answers the question won't rank and won't help anyone. Aim for 800 to 1,500 words for most long tail topics. Cover the subject thoroughly enough that a reader doesn't need to click back to Google for more information.
Ignoring search intent. If someone searches "what is a CRM," they want an explanation, not a sales page. Match your content to what the searcher actually wants. Getting this wrong means high bounce rates, which tells Google your page isn't a good result.
Publishing and forgetting. SEO content isn't "set it and forget it." Revisit your top performing posts every few months. Update outdated information, add new sections, improve the formatting. Fresh, updated content ranks better than stale content.
Not being patient. New pages typically take 2 to 6 months to reach their ranking potential. Don't judge a post's performance after two weeks. Give it time, keep publishing new content, and let the compounding effect do its work.
Getting Started This Week
You don't need a massive content plan to begin. Start with these steps this week:
Then repeat. One post per week. Each one targeting a specific long tail keyword. Each one linked to your other content. In three months, you'll have a dozen posts working for you around the clock, bringing in visitors who are actively searching for what you offer.
That's the real power of long tail keywords. Not one big win, but dozens of small ones that add up to something much bigger than any single keyword could deliver.