How to Find Long-Tail Keywords: A Simple Guide for Bloggers
If you want your blog posts to rank on Google and get seen by your target audience, using long-tail keywords is key. These highly specific phrases are often easier to rank for and help you reach people who are actively searching for what you offer. Below, I’ll walk you through how to find long-tail keyword phrases that can help you reach more people, boost conversions, and create content that truly resonates.
I’ll also share how to discover long-tail keyword ideas using my favorite research tool, KeySearch, along with free resources like Google and online communities. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to level up your website SEO strategy, this guide will give you practical, step-by-step tips to turn keyword research into blog content that drives results.
What are long-tail keywords?
Long-tail keywords are very specific search phrases, usually more than three words. They’re great for reaching a more targeted audience since searchers are looking for specific content.
These phrases often have lower competition, making them easier to rank for. They also have higher intent, so searchers might be closer to taking action, such as buying or working together.
Here are a few examples of short-tail vs long-tail keywords:
Dog training > dog training collars
Skincare routine > mens skincare routine
Business tips > small business branding tips
When to Use Short-Tail vs. Long-Tail Keywords
The best SEO plan incorporates content with both short-tail and long-tail keyword phrases.
Short-tail keywords are broad and get a lot of searches, but they’re highly competitive. They work well if you have an established website with strong authority, or if you want to target a wide audience with general content.
Long-tail keywords are more specific and usually easier to rank for. This is ideal if you’re just starting out or have a niche audience. These phrases usually have a more intentional search intent, so they might attract those further along in the buying process. I usually target long-tail keywords more often than short tail.
How to Find Long-Tail Keywords (Step-by-Step)
When it comes to marketing your content effectively, using keyword tools can help you uncover long-tail phrases with low keyword difficulty and high relevance. Below, you'll find simple strategies for finding these keywords so you can show up in search engine results and attract the right audience.
1. Explore forums and online communities
Resources like Reddit, Quora, Facebook Groups, and your own business platforms are some of the best places for uncovering language your audience actually uses. Look for how people phrase their questions, problems, or goals. They often use long-tail phrases naturally.
Helpful tips for getting insights from your target audience:
Search for your topic or niche on Reddit (e.g., r/travel, r/30PlusSkinCare) and look at popular posts and recurring questions.
On Quora, search your topic and browse questions that have lots of upvotes or answers.
In Facebook groups and with your own audience, pay attention to how people describe their struggles or what they’re looking for.
Once you find recurring language or specific questions, plug those phrases into your keyword tool to see if they have search volume. For those that don’t, they can still make ideal subheadings or FAQ content for your blog posts on related topics.
2. Check Google’s built-in suggestions
Google itself is a helpful and free resource for finding long-tail keywords based on real user behavior. Type your broad topic into the search bar, and take note of the autocomplete suggestions that appear. These are actual searches people are making and can give you content ideas.
Notice these sections on the search results page:
AI overview (if available) - This section gives a snapshot of information related to your search. Pay attention to the keywords and questions used in the summary. This usually indicates what Google considers relevant and what people are looking to learn.
People also ask - This shows questions related to your original search. Each one you click expands with more related questions, helping you discover common queries and phrasing.
Related searches - Scroll to the bottom of the page to find additional keyword phrases. These suggestions often include long-tail variations and synonyms.
Once you find other long-tail keyword suggestions, plug them into a keyword tool to check actual search traffic and competition. This ensures you’re targeting phrases people are actually searching for and that you have a realistic chance of ranking.
3. Use a keyword tool like KeySearch
KeySearch is my go-to tool for quickly finding long-tail keyword ideas. It’s affordable, user-friendly, and packed with helpful insights into what people are actually searching for on Google. The Content Assistant feature is a bonus, making it easier to plan your blog posts.
Here’s how to find long-tail keywords that get search traffic using KeySearch:
Search - Enter a broad topic related to your brand or what your audience might search for (e.g., travel tips).
Sort - Click “Score” to sort keywords by competition. Look for blue and green scores — these are easiest to rank for.
Analyze - Focus on longer keyword phrases with a search volume of at least a few hundred. These often have the highest intent. Occasionally, it’s also worth targeting lower-volume keywords, especially if they closely align with your content and audience.
Save - If you find several long-tail phrases that align with your blog and offers, select them and click “Save Keywords.” You can save to a new or existing list.
Write - Once you’ve chosen a phrase, use KeySearch’s Content Assistant to write an SEO-friendly article. This tool shares related keywords, questions your audience is asking, and other useful information.
How to Use Long-Tail Keywords in Your Blog Posts
When you’ve found a great long-tail keyword and are ready to write your next article, here’s how to use the phrase:
Add it to your title - Including the keyword in your blog post title tells search engines and readers what your post is about. It can also help your content stand out in search results.
Use it in the URL slug - A clear, keyword-focused URL improves SEO and makes your link more user-friendly. For example, this article is /how-to-find-long-tail-keywords.
Mention it early in your intro - Use your keyword phrase in the first paragraph of your article to show relevance right away. This helps both readers and search engines understand the topic immediately.
Include it in at least one H2 - Headings improve readability and SEO. Adding your keyword here reinforces the topic and helps create logical structure for your content.
Sprinkle it naturally in your content - Use variations of the keyword where it makes sense to keep the flow natural. While you want to avoid keyword stuffing, I recommend using your phrase at least a few times wherever it makes sense.
Bonus Tip for Using Long-Tail Keyword Phrases
Build a few related blog posts around one core long-tail keyword to create a strong SEO content cluster. For example, if your core keyword is "tips for traveling to new york," you could write supporting articles like "new york travel itinerary," "best time to travel to new york," and "new york travel costs." These posts can link to each other and help Google better understand your site structure.
How to Find Long-Tail Keywords: Conclusion
Targeting long-tail keyword phrases is a great way to boost your blogging results. They can help you reach a more targeted audience, increase your website traffic, and generate stronger leads.
Best of all, finding these phrases doesn’t have to be complicated. With a tool like KeySearch, you can discover SEO-friendly blog ideas in just minutes.
Want to try KeySearch? It’s the tool I use for my own site and all of my client projects, and I highly recommend it. Try KeySearch free for seven days, and if you decide to subscribe, use code KSDISC for 20% off.
