Grabbing That Long Tail With Great Content

By Jason Lee Miller - Tue, 02/20/2007 - 2:02pm.

If you haven't gotten the message yet that your website content needs to be as original and niche as possible for long-term search engine visibility, it's time to get it and to hold on to it as you might the long tail as it pulls you along. But generating that extra searchable content isn't a picnic, now is it?

At the Search Engine Strategies Conference in London, Jennifer Slegg of JenSense.com provides a stellar guide to creating quality content that maximizes on the enduring long tail of search, which produces more traffic in the long run.

Her notes are relayed via WebProNews guest correspondent Deb Harrison. This is what became of them.

Why focus on the long tail? Well, to put it succinctly: "Long tail search is less competitive and it narrows the market." Without further ado, here's what to look for and to look out for when generating quality content.

Unique Content

1. Takes care of duplicate content concerns
2. Creates exclusivity at your website
3. Is a source of organic (free) search engine traffic

But Free Content…

1. Often comes from free article databases and is published in thousands of other places
2. Often has required author links linking to low quality, or very spammy sites
3. Often have ulterior motives to sell products, services, or ebooks

If Buying Content, Rather Than Creating It, Remember:

1. You get what you pay for
2. Research to be sure content is original and not copied
3. Pay close attention from the third and fourth paragraph, where infringers often get lazy
4. Recheck three months later to see if authors are reselling the same content

Focus On the Long Tail

Maximizing on the long tail of search involves narrowing the topic, especially in broad competitive areas. Slegg provides examples:

Broad: Perfect gifts for Valentine’s Day

Narrow: Valentine’s Day gifts for mums-to-be

Narrow: What to get your child’s teacher for Valentine’s Day

Ask:

What search terms lead visitors to my site?

Referring keywords highlight words that may not be specifically targeted on your site. "If 'dialiang from UK to Canada' is a referral," but was only mentioned briefly, write a new article focusing on that specifically. Link to original article.

What are your visitors asking?

Write articles based on the most common questions asked via email or phone support.

What are the hot topics?

People are driven to search by hot topics in whatever category, so write copy about those hot topics. This is also great blogger link bait and keeps your site current.

Get A Head Start On Seasonal Content

Slegg recommends creating a file with articles you should have written before the most recent season was over. Plan to write them six months in advance of the next shopping season to get ranked by the search engines by the time people start searching for that content.