Small businesses dominate the Australian economy, with around 99.8% of all Australian businesses deemed to be small or medium enterprises. However, only a minority of small businesses achieve success. One of the things you can do to improve your chances is to advertise your products and services to reach a wider customer reach. The keywords you choose to use on your SEO and ads play a huge role in how your content is perceived.
This is why more than one-quarter of companies track keyword rankings to evaluate their SEO strategy. Now, there are two kinds of keywords:
- Short-tail
- Long-tail
Difference Between Short-Tail and Long-Tail
Short-Tail Keywords
These types of keywords often contain 2-3 words. They are more general words and are harder to rank. For example, if you are writing a blog article about building a kitchen cabinet, your short-tail keywords can be “kitchen cabinet” or “building.” Although they serve a purpose, short-tail keywords typically generate enormous amounts of volume in searches, and ranking is far from easy.
You should consider using short-tail keywords in your SEO for the huge monthly search volume that they offer. They can help drive more traffic to your page, building your brand’s recognition.
Pros
- They are easier to insert into your content
- Generate a high search volume
- They appeal to a broad audience
Cons
- They can potentially drive the wrong traffic to your site
- Increased competition from larger sites
- Very difficult to rank
- They have a lower conversion rate
Long-Tail Keywords
These types of keywords are highly targeted toward the business’s customer base, so users know exactly what they are looking for when searching. They offer a higher return on investment (ROI) since they don’t have to compete with a large number of large businesses which have a monopoly in the area. “Organic coffee shops near South Park” is an example of a long-tail keyword.
Pros
- They can lead to higher conversion rates
- Long-tail keywords can help new pages rank quickly
Cons
- They have a low search volume
Tips for Using Short-Tail and Long-Tail Keywords
Deciding on the type of keywords to use for your SEO content will depend on several factors, including your purpose, audience, and traffic to your page. Before deciding on the type of keywords to use, ensure you first identify your mission. For example, Long-tail keywords are valuable because they are highly specific, and they can help you show your potential clients what sets your business apart from others.
Balancing the short-tail and long-tail keywords in your SEO is vital if you want to build your brand and attract more clients. Consider using short-tail keywords for the main topics and pages to attract a vast range of visitors to your site. You can use long-tail keywords for subtopics and subcategories to attract a loyal audience and increase your conversion rate.
Keywords Small Business Owners Should Focus On
Competing with other more established businesses online can be challenging. However, knowing the right keywords to use in your blogs and adverts can increase traffic and raise your chance of getting clients. You first need to develop a list of keywords that focus on the products and services you are offering and then narrow down the ones that will bring in the audience you want. Using broad keywords makes you likely to compete with more established outlets for attention.
You should also focus on using localised keywords as a small business. Your priority is to get local buyers for your products. For example, if you are offering plumbing services and your business is located in Vienna, using “Plumbers in Vienna” as a keyword makes it more likely to get traffic from local customers.
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