A few months ago, I coined a new term to describe my approach to long-tail keyword research and SEO strategy for service websites. The abbreviated term is ‘SIS SEO’, which stands for ‘Service, Intent, Specific’ SEO. Really, this isn’t anything new, but it’s a good way to explain a strategic approach to targeting the right audience through long-tail keyword research. Find out what the hell I’m talking about below!
Service
The first part of the abbreviation stands for ‘Service’. This, quite simply, is the part of the long-tail keyword that will relate to the service being provided.
Intent
The second part of the abbreviation stands for ‘Intent’. This is all about targeting users that have shown an intention to use a business like yours for the service they have already specified.
Specific
The final part of the abbreviation stands for ‘Specific’. This is what makes your keyword more niche as the user is specifying exactly what they are looking for.
To clarify this further, here are a couple of examples of SIS long-tail keywords:
Example 1: SEO agency Bournemouth
SEO [Service] – The user is looking for SEO services
Agency [Intent] – The user wants an agency, rather than a freelancer or a consultant
Bournemouth [Specific] – The user is interested in an SEO agency located in Bournemouth
Example 2: One off craft fair insurance
One off [Intent] – The user only needs one off insurance, they aren’t looking for a multi-event or long-term provider
Craft Fair [Specific] – The user has specified the exact scenario they need insurance for, rather than just searching for ‘event insurance’
Insurance [Service] – The user is looking for insurance services
Why does this matter?
Page one of the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) is crazy competitive. Chances are, unless you’re a big brand or niche provider, you’re going to struggle to rank for high volume, generic keywords. Even if you do end up ranking for those keywords, they often aren’t the highest converting keywords because users aren’t quite sure what they’re looking for yet.
Niche, long-tail keywords are often less competitive and offer higher conversion rates because users know exactly what they want, and as long as you can provide it for them then chances are you’ll win the conversion. If you create landing pages focussed entirely on these long-tail keywords, there’s a good chance you’ll gain a high ranking position and be in front of an audience that wants exactly what you’re offering. When you do this en masse, the traffic and conversion potential is huge!
Like I said, this isn’t something particularly new, but it’s a fresh approach to thinking about long-tail keyword research that could help your business thrive!