Thinking about a different way to explain the term "The Long Tail" ....
How's this... suppose I plan to take a weekend trip, and I want to buy a new tote bag to carry my stuff. I'm going to buy the tote bag online.
I might search on Google for the words "Tote Bag" .... that's a vertical search .... Google will serve up anything and everything related to tote bags.
Suppose I searched instead for "Large black mesh zippered tote bag" ... That's "long tail" it's very specific ... so Google will serve me less results, but the results I get, since they will contain all of those words, will be very specific.
And I will probably be more likely to buy from one of the merchants that comes in close to the top of the search for those words, since that merchant is selling just what I am specifically looking for ....
Does that help anyone in grasping the idea?
Now, fit that in with the idea of a potential buyer searching for a home .....
large ranch home with pool near Main Street school .... maybe?
I understand the concept but making it happen is quite another story. Thanks for trying.
Is this the tail wagging the dog? I get so confused by all of this SEO stuff but I must be doing something sort of right because my phone is ringing :-)
That's a good explanation of long tail. I use the same thing when searching ebay. It works well.
Hi CJ, Good explanation. When I started blogging I had no idea what a Long-Tail was. Thankfully Brain Brady spent some time and I got it. We need to write more on this subject. The new bloggers mostly have not heard of it and thanks for bringing this to your blog.
Good explanation - I've been struggling with mortage rates cary nc - or just mortgages... At one point I thought I was better off with the latter - I currently find I'm getting more hits (when I look at Google Analytics Keywords) for FHA + Divorce (for example). THANKS!
Good morning Cher, excellent explanation. Would you please consider posting this @ Club Chaos for our newbies? I think they would find it helpful and interesting. Would be very much appreciated. Regards, C.
C -- OK Done. I wasn't sure if it was chaotic enough, ya know.... :-)
My dear Cheryl, you may post what ever you want. Regards, C.
I misread the title, thought it said the Long Trail and was going to be a western joke.
Thanks for the explanation Cheryl.
Hmm... now there's an opening line, if I ever heard one... :-P
Cher, I need your help. I've been contacted by Lady G, my girlfriend in FL who FINALLY joined the forum. Except I can't FIND HER. She activated her account today and I'm sitting here on my bloggers butt tapping my foot nervously waiting her for to log back in and do something! I don't think she uploaded a picture yet. Any suggestions how I can find my "Hair and Now" notary buddy who appears to be lost in the Rain? I'd call her back, but she's doin' someone's hair in the Salon right now. (Hate to be responsible for making some woman bald.)
Great explanation Cheryl. BTW I love your picture, do you have your hair done in South Park???
Haaaa!
C -- Did you try the Active Rain search button .. up there in the menu bar?
Hi Paddy! :-D
OMG-- Thank you Cher! Elena Schramm hes been found! For all of you people that think that I am crazy... she's my Riker's Island Mentor! Oh Joy! We must send her an invitation at once... The jokes, THE JOKES-- get ready for some jail humor... (We've been spoofin' on inmates for years. She is a dear old friend.) Oh, how I love this forum!
Thank you Cher.
WOOT!
Cheryl ...you geek you! Perfect explanantion. I actually understood this one! Yipeeeee Thank you
I think I got it, thanks......
Love the analogy! :-)
Hi Cheryl- I get the long tail but don't get what to do with it and where to put it. Title tags must be short, preferably with no stop words (in, at, for, with, etc). My understanding is meta description and keywords should be weighted to the title tags. So where should the short tail search terms be placed for optimum SEO? This SEO stuff is almost another full-time job! All help appreciated :-)
@Gail ... My own theory is kinda old school: Creating good content counts. :-)
Cheryl - Agreed, but I'm still wondering what to do with....using your example above... large ranch home with pool near Main Street school .... maybe? Where would you put that search term to optimize your SEO? ie: Would you make a page for that listing and write about it using some long tail search terms that could apply? I don't know what to do with it, that's the ?