Long-Tail Keywords vs Short-Tail Keywords: Pros, Cons, and When to Use Each

Out of every 100 online search queries, 91.8% are long-tail keywords; they are not short, generic phrases, but solution-based queries.

That means if you’re only targeting short-tail keywords (the broad ones), you’re potentially missing out on over nine in ten of what people actually type into search engines. But there’s a twist: even though long-tail keywords are overwhelmingly more common, they only account for a small slice of total search volume.

So each long-tail query on its own may bring few visits, but together, they form a long, powerful “tail” of opportunity. In this article, I’ll cut through the noise by comparing short-tail and long-tail keywords and help you figure out when it makes sense to go broad and when you’re better off being specific.

Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific search phrases, usually 3 to 7+ words, that target clear, high-intent user queries.

These keywords don’t get huge search volume individually, but together they make up over 70% of all online searches. This makes them one of the most powerful ways to capture targeted traffic. Think of them as the exact questions people type when they know what they want, such as:

• “Best Graphic Cards for Gaming”
• “How To Choose The Right Business Software”
• “Top Tools for Bloggers”

Because long-tail keywords match specific needs, they usually have:

• Lower competition
• Higher click-through rates
• Better conversions
• Stronger relevance for AI and voice search

Overall, you will find some relevant long-tail keywords in the “People also search for” section, which you can integrate into your content.

Advantages of Long Tail Keywords

• Higher conversion rates because they match clear user intent
• Lower competition, making rankings easier
• Better alignment with voice search and AI queries
• Higher-quality traffic from users who know what they want
• More niche topic opportunities for content clustering
• Higher click-through rates (CTR) due to specificity
• Improved audience targeting with segmented, intent-based phrases
• Stronger topical authority and E-E-A-T signals

Short-tail keywords are broad, general search phrases made up of one to three words, with no clear user intent (sometimes they have stronger user intent).

They usually have very high search volume and high competition. These keywords capture a wide audience but don’t always reveal what the searcher specifically wants.

Examples include:

• “SEO”
• “digital marketing”
• “best laptops”
• “screenshot tools”

Because they’re short and general, short-tail keywords:

• Drive large amounts of traffic
• It’s harder to rank for
• Bring low-intent users
• They are often more expensive in paid ads

Think of them as the “big umbrella terms” people search when they’re at the very beginning of their journey.

Advantages of Short-Tail Keywords

• High search volume: Attracts a large number of visitors quickly
• Wide audience reach: Great for brand awareness and exposure
• Simpler to remember and target: Easy to incorporate in campaigns
• Ideal for broad topics: Helps establish authority in general niches
• Drives initial traffic for new sites: Good starting point for SEO
• Foundation for content strategy: Can lead to discovering long-tail variations
• Useful in paid campaigns: Effective for PPC ads with broad targeting

Disadvantages of Long-Tail Keywords and Short-Tail Keywords

Cons of Long-Tail Keywords

• Lower search volume per keyword – each term may bring only a small number of visits
• Time-consuming research – finding the right long-tail variations takes effort
• Limited visibility for broad topics – may not build general brand awareness quickly
• Requires more content – to cover multiple long-tail phrases, you need more pages or posts

Cons of Short-Tail Keywords

• High competition – very difficult for new or small sites to rank
• Unclear user intent – visitors may not be ready to convert
• Lower conversion rates – attracts a broad audience, not always high-quality traffic
• Expensive in paid campaigns – CPC tends to be much higher for popular short-tail terms

Key Takeaways

• Use short-tail keywords when your goal is brand visibility, high traffic, or broad awareness.
• Use long-tail keywords when your goal is targeted traffic, higher conversions, and capturing niche intent.
• Best strategy: Combine both. Short-tail keywords draw visitors, long-tail keywords convert them.

1. Google Keyword Planner

• Free tool by Google Ads
• Helps discover both short-tail and long-tail keywords
• Shows search volume, competition, and CPC
• Ideal for both SEO and PPC campaigns

2. Ahrefs

• Premium tool with robust keyword explorer
• Provides long-tail keyword suggestions, search difficulty, and traffic potential
• Useful for competitor keyword analysis

3. SEMrush

• All-in-one SEO platform
• Offers the keyword magic tool to find short-tail and long-tail phrases
• Provides trends, difficulty scores, and SERP analysis

4. AnswerThePublic

• Visual tool that generates questions, prepositions, and comparisons around a keyword
• Perfect for long-tail keyword ideas targeting user intent

5. Google Trends

• Shows keyword popularity over time
• Helps find seasonal or trending short-tail and long-tail keywords
• Useful for timely content and niche targeting

6. Moz Keyword Explorer

• Provides keyword suggestions, difficulty score, and opportunity metrics
• Offers both short-tail and long-tail recommendations
• Helps prioritize keywords based on potential traffic

Short-tail keywords drive broad traffic and brand awareness, while long-tail keywords capture high-intent users and boost conversions. The best strategy is to combine both: attract visitors with short-tail terms and convert them with long-tail keywords.

Once you understand the relationship between the competition and conversion rates of short tail and long tail keywords correctly, I strongly recommend you use a combination of short tail and long tail keywords in your content to get maximum benefits.