Long-tail keywords are the specific, lower-volume searches that sit beyond the handful of popular head terms in any market. Think "waterproof hiking boots for wide feet" instead of "hiking boots."
Each one brings modest traffic on its own. Together, they make up most of what people search for, and they often bring visitors who know exactly what they want.
What are long-tail keywords?
Long-tail keywords are search queries with relatively low search volume, usually because they're more specific than the broad terms in a topic. The name comes from the shape of a demand curve: a few "head" keywords get huge volume, followed by a very long tail of less common queries.
A common misunderstanding is that long-tail means long. Length often goes along with specificity, but the defining trait is volume. Ahrefs' long-tail keyword guide points out that some one-word keywords get very few searches, while some five-word phrases get hundreds of thousands. It also notes there's no fixed volume cutoff. Whether a term is "long-tail" depends on the head term you're comparing it to.
Why long-tail keywords matter
The tail is enormous. According to that same Ahrefs guide, keywords with fewer than 10 monthly searches make up almost 93% of its U.S. keyword database. A 2020 Backlinko study of 306 million keywords found the median keyword gets just 10 searches a month. Most search demand, keyword by keyword, is small and specific.
That has three practical upsides:
- Clearer intent. Someone searching "best CRM for real estate teams under 10 people" has told you a lot. It's easier to build a page that truly satisfies them.
- Less competition. Specific queries usually have lower keyword difficulty, so newer sites can compete.
- A good fit for AI search. People ask AI assistants long, detailed questions. Google says its AI Overviews and AI Mode may use query fan-out, issuing multiple related searches across subtopics to build an answer. Pages that answer specific sub-questions clearly can be useful sources for those answers.
How long-tail keywords work
Not every long-tail keyword needs its own page. Ahrefs makes a useful distinction between two types.
Supporting long-tail keywords
These are less popular ways of searching for the same thing as a broader query. If Google shows mostly the same results for the long-tail phrase and the broader term, one well-built page can rank for both. Covering these naturally within a strong page is usually better than creating separate thin pages.
Topical long-tail keywords
These describe a distinct topic, even though volume is low. The long-tail phrase is itself the main way people search for that subject, so it deserves a dedicated page. A quick check of the results tells you which type you're dealing with.
Long-tail keywords in practice
Consider a hypothetical online store selling running gear. "Running shoes" is a head term dominated by big retailers and brands. The long tail looks different: "best running shoes for flat feet beginners," "how often to replace running shoes," "trail running shoes vs road running shoes."
Searching each one shows that "best running shoes for flat feet" and "running shoes for flat feet beginners" return nearly identical results, so they become one buying guide. "How often to replace running shoes" is its own topic and gets a short, direct guide that links to product pages. Each page brings modest traffic, but it's highly relevant, and the set grows into broad coverage of the topic.
How to find and use long-tail keywords
- Listen to customers. Sales calls, support tickets, reviews and community threads are full of specific phrasing.
- Mine Search Console. The Performance report shows queries you already earn impressions for. Long, specific queries with impressions but few clicks are easy wins to address.
- Use question sources. Autocomplete, People Also Ask and keyword tools' question filters reveal what people want to know.
- Group before you write. Cluster terms that share intent so one page can cover them, and save dedicated pages for distinct topics. This avoids keyword cannibalization.
- Answer directly. Lead with a clear answer, then add depth. Specific queries reward specific pages.
- Link it together. Connect related long-tail pages to your main pages so the whole cluster supports your topical authority.
Common mistakes with long-tail keywords
Creating a page for every variation. Spinning out near-duplicate pages for each phrasing creates thin content and splits your signals. Google's SEO Starter Guide notes its language matching is sophisticated, so you don't need a page for every wording.
Ignoring "zero volume" terms. Tools often report zero for queries real people still search. Google said in 2017 that about 15% of daily searches are new, and John Mueller repeated it in 2025, so tools can't see everything.
Forgetting business value. A specific query is only useful if it relates to what you offer.
How Butter approaches long-tail keywords
At Butter, long-tail topics are a big part of how we plan content. Our monthly AI prompt testing shows the detailed questions people ask AI assistants, many of which barely register in keyword tools. On the GEO+SEO plan, those questions help shape the eight articles we publish each month, grouped so each page has a clear job and links back to the client's core pages.
Frequently asked questions
How many words is a long-tail keyword?
There's no word count rule. Long-tail is defined by low search volume, not length. Most long-tail keywords happen to be three words or more because specificity adds words.
Are long-tail keywords easier to rank for?
Usually, because fewer sites target them. You still need a page that answers the query better than what currently ranks, so "easier" never means guaranteed.
Should every long-tail keyword get its own page?
No. If the results match a broader query, cover it on that broader page. Create a dedicated page only when the long-tail phrase represents a distinct topic or intent.