In prior posts we’ve:
- Described the topography of search as revealed by analysis of AOL search data.
- Discussed the law of thirds that illustrates search behaviour grouping into a short tail of very popular terms, a long tail of very rare searches and a middle third.
- Examined how long tail searches tend to include more search terms, why longer search phrases drive more valuable traffic and the trouble this causes for marketers.
This last point is important to this post. Searches that fall into the long-tail of search are valuable – they convert at a higher rate. But these searches are exceedingly rare – in the three months for which we have AOL data they only happen once! You can’t build an SEO campaign around a term that happens that rarely.
Off-site SEO Approaches Fail
Given that you can’t afford to target the long tail in SEO activities, what can you do? We contend that your best approach is to:
- Implement a content management solution that embeds SEO Best Practices. Done correctly, this will ensure every page on your site has effective on page optimization.
- Ignore off-site optimization techniques when thinking of the long tail of search. It makes no sense to plan link building initiatives around an almost never sought for search term.
- Publish lots of content. Broaden the group of contributors to your corporate web site (blogging is the natural approach). This will result in more content related to your business being indexed by the search engines. And that means you have a better chance of being found when someone performs an obscure, but valuable, search.
We’ve published a whitepaper on CMS and SEO that provides pragmatic advice on ensuring your content management system is an asset not a liability. Drop me a line or post a comment if you have had experience with / thoughts on CMS, SEO and the long tail of search.