Quantify the possibilities
Advertisers will benefit most by performing some long-tail keyword research upfront and determining which phrases have enough traffic to make them worth pursuing. It's best to start by reviewing query reports for paid and natural search via analytics platforms and search engines, such as Google's query report.
Marketers should also review product catalogs and use keyword research tools like Google's Search-based Keyword Tool (SbKT) and Word Tracker to help develop long tail keywords.
Unfortunately, the matter of quality control can't be overlooked; lots of keywords means lots of room for error. Marketers should look for obvious issues like profanity, non-relevant phrases and evaluate keywords once data becomes available. Still, any data should be taken with a grain of salt.
Not all keywords today generate traffic; so marketers should ensure they build out long-tail keywords properly. Using tools like Google's traffic estimator will also help quantify the potential of those keywords. Ultimately, the best long tail variants will be equipped with the right combination of volume and relevance.
Upgrade bid management
Simply knowing what long-tail keywords to target is not enough preparation to begin implementing a long-tail search marketing effort; advertisers should take steps to manage their search programs more efficiently. For example, although most search marketers already utilize a bid management platform to manage and optimize pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns, these tools simply cannot be overlooked when bidding on extensive sets of long-tail keywords. Bid management platforms make the unmanageable manageable and enable advertisers to operate efficiently and better meet ROI or budget goals.
Bid management platforms allow marketers to bid more aggressively and also boost their odds for success. Advertisers can justify more aggressive bidding for long-tail keywords, because fewer companies compete for those longer and more specific terms.
The low cost-per-click (CPC) pricing of long-tail keywords minimizes budget risks and allows advertisers to expand their keyword portfolios aggressively and establish a cost-effective approach to paid search. Since more rewards can be obtained for lower prices, marketers should bid aggressively.
<< Previous page | Next page >>
