What are short-tail keywords?

Short-tail keywords are short, broad search terms of usually one or two words, such as “shoes” or “web design”. They have a high search volume, but also strong competition and an unclear search intent: someone searching for “shoes” could mean almost anything.

Why are short-tail keywords important?

Big reach: broad terms have the largest search volume.
Brand awareness: a high position on a broad keyword raises the visibility of your brand.
A basis for structure: they often form the main categories of your website.

Examples of short-tail keywords

Short-tail: “plumber”
Short-tail: “marketing agency”
Short-tail: “build a webshop”
Long-tail: “plumber for a leaking bathroom in Leeds”

How do you use short-tail keywords?

Aim your short-tail keywords at your main service and category pages, not at individual blog posts. Expect it to take a long time to rank high, and combine them with more specific terms, which deliver results faster. Only choose terms where your page really matches what people are searching for. See SEO.

Short-tail keywords