Search Engine Optimization

When launching a brand new website, tackling the most competitive keywords first is not advisable because you will be competing against sites that have trusted domains, tons of content, and a slew of inbound links from a diversity of sources.  If you attempt to beat more established competitors from the very beginning, you won’t get very far. 

For New Websites, There is Little Value in Targeting Competitive Keywords

It can take a seasoned SEO company or consultant up to a year to earn the search engine trust necessary to achieve decent rankings for competitive keywords.  Getting on page 2 or 3 of search engine rankings for highly competitive keywords will bring you little reward; getting to the top page is all that matters.

Websites need trusted links from a variety of sources, relevant anchor text, and domain age to rank for highly competitive keywords.  On-page optimization makes up only 5% of the overall search ranking algorithm for highly competitive keywords. 

On the other hand, on-page optimization makes up approximately 50% of the overall search ranking algorithm for long-tail keywords.  And long-tail keywords have far less traffic and are thus much easier to rank for. 

Targeting Long-Tail Keywords is the Fastest Way to Drive Relevant Traffic to Your Site

Rather than attempting to achieve rankings for highly competitive keywords in the very beginning, target long-tail variations of competitive keyword phrases on core pages and link anchor text.  Moreover, focus on optimizing deep pages of your site.  

You may be wondering if it’s a waste of time to target thousands of keywords that only bring in a small amount of traffic.  But remember that targeting for long-tail keywords is effective because when combined, the traffic they bring is significant. 

Long-Tail Keywords Have Higher Conversions

Another benefit of targeting long-tail keywords is that people who search for them tend to convert well in terms of clicks and sales since they know exactly what they want to find.  For example, the term, “best credit cards for college students,” would bring you far more targeted, conversion-friendly traffic than the generic term, “credit cards.” 

Target Long-Tail Keywords First So You Can Build Revenue Streams and Exposure

Eventually, it will be necessary for you to rank for competitive keywords, but initially, your efforts should be focused on targeting long-tail keywords and building revenue streams from them.  By doing so, you can earn the exposure needed to rank for more competitive keywords down the line.

When you rank your new website for a variety of long-tail keywords, it creates many paths that lead to your site.  Furthermore, it builds your site’s authority, which in the long run will help you rank highly for the most competitive keywords. 

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