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 can not find the right keywords and long tail keywords for my post and articles. I use keywords everywhere.”
Great question, Carrazana! Lots of content professionals struggle with finding long tail keywords, and many worry about cross-over between posts, also known as keyword and topic cannibalization.
The way to find long tail keywords and prevent cannibalization is to change your mindset on needing keywords by article and incorporate non-traditional research tools. So, let’s solve this so it is no longer an obstacle for you.
I’m going to start by addressing cannibalization, then jump into using non-traditional keyword research methods like LinkedIn hashtags and strategies our agency uses to generate ideas for our clients.
One thing I’d like to emphasize is to not focus on keywords; focus on the topic, and providing the best possible user experience for the intent of the topic.
Cannibalization
Instead of thinking about the keywords that are needed, think about the topic that you’re writing for.
The same words and phrases could mean different things and have different intent based on the topic, even if they’re used in the same way. Not in the sense of a homonym or double entendre, but as in search intent.
The same phrase for the service should exist in multiple pages of content, including product or service pages for conversions, and in guides to help consumers learn more, decide where to purchase, or how to prepare. The difference here is the topic changes based on the intent.