
@levelsio has 400,000 followers on X(twitter) and makes $250k a month. 

![Levelsio Profile](/assets/blog/long-tailed-keywords/levelsio-profile.jpg)

Make a guess what percentage of his customers comes from his social media following?

![Levelsio tweet on SEO conversions](/assets/blog/long-tailed-keywords/seo-conversions.jpg)

**Less than 1%** 

That's right. 99% of his conversions actually come from SEO, not from his massive social following. In fact many of his customers don't even know who he is.

What exactly makes SEO so powerful for Levels.io and other successful indie builders and startups? 

The answer is right there: **conversions**. SEO lets you find people with a problem so painful they are actively searching for a solution. It's no surprise that they're much more likely to sign up or make a purchase.

That's why [SEO is the ideal starting acquisition channel](/blog/why-seo/ "How SEO helps you to validate your product and get revenue fast") for Indie developers and Startups to validate their product.

So the big question is... how do you actually do SEO and rank on Google for your product? 

Most likely, you're working with a fresh website with little to no authority, no backlinks, and have a limited budget.

But I'm going to tell you exactly how you too can rank with your fresh website - using the power of Long tailed keywords. 

In this post, you'll learn:

- What are Long-tailed keywords

- Why they are easier to rank for and bring you higher conversions

- How to overcome the downside of Long-tailed keywords

- How to get started with Long-tailed keywords and get in front of the audience that needs you most

Ready? Let's get started...

## 1. What are **Long-tail Keywords**
Long-tail keywords are **longer phrases** that are more **specific and targeted**.
 
For example, instead of targeting the generic keyword "answering service", you could target long-tail keywords like "real estate answering service" or "dental phone answering service".

![What are long tailed SaaS keywords](/assets/blog/long-tailed-keywords/long-tailed-answering-service-keywords.jpg)

Let's see Long-tail keywords in action for Photo.ai, Levels.io's AI photo generation product that brings in *$50k a month*.

![Competitive head term results for AI Photo Generator](/assets/blog/long-tailed-keywords/head-term-results.jpg)

As you can see, his website gets outranked by the big players for the "head" term, *AI Photo Generator*. 

But look where he stands on the Long-tail keywords:

![Photo AI ranking for Tinder AI Photos](/assets/blog/long-tailed-keywords/ai-tinder-photo-results.jpg)

![Photo AI ranking for Old Money AI Photos](/assets/blog/long-tailed-keywords/old-money-ai-photo-results.jpg)

![Photo AI ranking for Outdoor Ai Photos](/assets/blog/long-tailed-keywords/outdoor-ai-photo-results.jpg)

Now you'll notice he's ranking near the top for these pages he created. 

The key to unlocking massive traffic and conversions lies in mastering the art of long-tail keywords.


## 2. Higher conversions + Low competition = 🎖️

### **Higher Conversion Rates, more revenue**
Targeting long-tail keywords leads to higher conversion rates due to their specific and targeted nature. 

For example, let's say you're a SaaS company offering project management software. Compare someone searching for 
 
 - "Project management tools"
 
 vs. 
 
 - "Project management software for *construction companies*"

Who do you think is more likely to buy?

Short-tail searches are typically at the exploration stage looking for generic information. 

Whereas Long-tail searchers are diving into the nitty gritty, *they are looking to make a purchase*.

![Long tailed SaaS terms are worth more](/assets/blog/long-tailed-keywords/long-tailed-cpc.jpg)

You see the same story in the ad bids for Google Ads. Notice how long-tailed keywords are surprisingly more expensive than short-tailed ones. That's because these keywords are worth more.

Perfect, but I have even better news. Can you believe, Long-tailed keywords are actually **easier to rank for**?

### **Easier Rankings and Less Competition**
Long-tail keywords are more valuable AND typically have lower competition 🤯 

This means:

- It is easier to rank for them and drive traffic to your site

- You can rank without relying on backlinks

- You see faster results

Let's revisit the search results for Photo.ai.

![Competitive head term results for AI Photo Generator](/assets/blog/long-tailed-keywords/head-term-results.jpg)

![Photo AI ranking for Old Money AI Photos](/assets/blog/long-tailed-keywords/old-money-ai-photo-results.jpg)

![Photo AI ranking for Tinder AI Photos](/assets/blog/long-tailed-keywords/ai-tinder-photo-results.jpg)

![Photo AI ranking for Outdoor Ai Photos](/assets/blog/long-tailed-keywords/outdoor-ai-photo-results.jpg)

His website gets outranked by the big players like Microsoft, Canva and Adobe for *AI Photo Generator*. But why does he rank so highly for the Long-tail keywords?

The reason is simple - the competition is not creating pages to rank for these Long-tailed keywords!

This is actually the case for most niches & products. 

*But don't take too long! As time passes and more and more companies start to enter the scene, a few of them will eventually turn their eyes to these long-tailed keywords.*

You'll want to get in early and build the reputation for your pages while competition is weak. Once you're ranked up there, it takes much much more effort for the latecomers to displace you.

## 3. The downsides of Long-tail: Is it really worth it to rank for 10-100 volume keyword searches?

At first glance, it may seem like ranking for long-tail keywords with lower search volumes (10-100 searches per month) isn't worth the effort. 

But, this common misconception is *exactly* where the opportunity lies. 

While it's true that long-tail keywords may not drive massive traffic individually, the key is to **create a strategy that makes up for this downside**. 

That's exactly what we'll cover next.

### **Reminder: It Converts Better**
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I have to repeat it again. *Long-tailed keywords convert better*.

Your goal is not vanity metrics like visitors/month. It's signups, purchases and revenue. 

Most conversions come from these higher-intent keywords. 

### **Overcoming the Downside of Low-Volume Keywords**
So, how do you make up for the lower search volumes of long-tail keywords? 

The answer lies in creating many, many pages that target these keywords. 

Imagine having 100 pages, each targeting a specific long-tail keyword with 10-100 searches per month. That's a potential 1,000-10,000 searches per month, just from these long-tail keywords alone. 

And, as you create more pages, the potential traffic and conversions add up quickly.

**WARNING:** It's essential to approach this strategy carefully. Recent updates from Google have cracked down on spam and low-quality content. Check out our article on [how to do programmatic SEO safely](/blog/safe-programmatic-seo/ "How to do Programmatic SEO that is safe for Google").

<Disclaimer/>

### **Ranking for high volume keywords in the long term**
Long-tail keywords are the starting point for your SEO strategy. *(It's also the fastest, most cost effective, highest ROI starting point.)*

Now, the beauty is this:

As you create high-quality content and rank for these keywords, Google rewards your with pages with authority and you may start to notice your pages ranking for shorter and shorter tailed keywords. 

For example, if you start by ranking for "project management software for remote design teams", you'll soon find yourself ranking for shorter and shorter keywords like this -
- Project management software for remote design teams ➡
- Project management software for design teams ➡
- Project management software for teams

With a solid long-tail keyword strategy, you'll not only be able to **take advantage of low-competition, high intent keywords**. 

In the long run, you also expand your reach into the high volume short-tailed keywords.

## 4. **It's your turn: Unlock the Power of Long-Tail Keywords and Grow Your Business**

Now, it's your turn to take action and start driving real results for your business.

### **Get Started with Long-Tail Keywords Today**

1. **Conduct keyword research**: Identify long-tail keywords relevant to your product or service using tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or SEMrush.

2. **Create high-quality content in bulk**: Develop content that targets these long-tail keywords and adds value to users. If you're not sure how to do this safely and efficiently, check out our guide.

### **Let Us Do the Keyword Research for You**

Searching for these Long-tailed keywords can be a time-consuming task. Not to mention you also need to:

- Assess the competition for the keywords

- De-conflict and avoid keyword cannabilization

- Organize and plan the content strategy for your keywords

For just $72, our team of SEO experts will conduct a detailed keyword and competition research and provide you with:

- A comprehensive list of 100-500 long-tailed keywords tailored to your business. Organized with actionable content plan that you can exercise right away.

- 1-page write up that provides insight into the SEO landscape for your niche. We may discover potential opportunities for features that are highly in demand with low competition. Suggest potential product pivots. And give you a grounded assessment of the market potential for your product.

This report will give you a solid foundation to create a winning SEO strategy and drive real results for your business.

Don't miss out on the opportunity to target long-tail keywords that your competitors have missed. It's the fastest way to build your first customer acquisition funnel. [Start selling your MVP](/book-call/ "Start selling your MVP")!

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How to rank your SaaS website with long-tailed keywords


So you already know that [Long-tailed Keywords is the key to ranking quickly on Google for high conversion search terms](/blog/long-tailed-keywords/ "How to rank your SaaS website with long-tailed keywords").

You've got a list of 100s or maybe 1000s of keywords ready to go.

Now you're wondering... *'How do I create pages for all these keywords without getting hit by the Google hammer?'*

Perhaps you've seen stories of programmatic/AI websites that crashed with Google's recent Spam updates.

![Screenshots of programmatic websites that crashed with Google's spam update](/assets/blog/safe-programmatic-seo/crash-from-spam-update.jpg)

And you want to make sure that your website doesn't take a nose dive with the next Google update. 

In this article you'll learn...

- How to create pages that convert visitors into customers

- How to launch 1000s of pages safely without getting penalized.

## 1. Stop generating blogs, do this instead

When it comes to programmatic SEO, the key to drive conversions is creating **landing pages**, rather than blog posts that simply educate. 

Users searching for long-tail keywords are further along in the buyer's journey, looking for a specific solution or product.

Instead of giving users a lengthy blog post, give them what they want: a clear pitch for your service or product. This approach is focused, better for conversions, and exactly what users need. 

The easiest way to figure this out is to simply observe Google's search results:

![Search results for long tailed saas keyword](/assets/blog/safe-programmatic-seo/long-tailed-lp-results.jpg)

Do you see any blog posts in the top searches here? Google understands what searchers are looking for and shows them the most appropriate pages. 

A quick assessment of your keywords and current search results will show you the type of page you should create.

There's also another important reason for creating landing pages:

## 2. Avoiding Google's Spam Policies

### Passing the Human and Google Eye Test

Landing pages are a great way to create content that passes both the human and Google eye test. 

People are get better at detecting AI-generated content, and Google is cracking down even more on low-effort, low-value pages. 

Using landing pages helps you break the norm. Here's why:

Two major factors for ranking are **bounce rates** and **engagement time**. 

If visitors sniff out that you're using AI-written content and bounce back immediately to click on a different search result - you can expect your ranking to start falling.

By laying out your content in an engaging landing page, you stand a higher chance at keeping visitors on your website, and avoid sending "spam" signals to Google.

<Disclaimer/>

### Focus on Keywords with Actual Search Volume

One of the most common mistake many people make with programmatic SEO is trying to create pages for 10,000s of variations of keywords which *don't have any search traffic*. 

This is a big no, no.

You must understand that Google assigns a crawling and indexing budget based on supply and demand. 

If there are more searches for a specific term, Google tries harder to find the best pages that match that term. 

By creating pages that cater to actual search volume, you're sending a signal that your site creates content that people actually want, which leads to more of your pages getting indexed.

On the other hand, by creating lots of pages that have no search demand, you're sending a signal that your site could be spamming, and Google would need to de-prioritize crawling your website.

This shows the importance of doing your keyword research carefully to find keywords with traffic.

![Screenshots of search terms with 0 volume](/assets/blog/safe-programmatic-seo/0-volume-keywords.jpg)

## Conclusion

Now that you've learned the secrets of safe programmatic SEO, it's time to put it into action. 

* Use landing pages to pass the human and Google eye test for AI-written content.

* Target keywords with actual search volume to avoid Google spam policies.

These strategies have helped us successfully scale websites programmatically, ranking for 1000s of keywords without getting hit by Google updates. 

What's more, you can be confident these websites will continue to stay clear of Google's spam radar by publishing actually useful content for actual existing search demand.

If you're struggling to build resilient programmatic pages that drive conversions, consider using our [SellYourMVP](https://sellyourmvp.com/) service. 

Our team of experts can help you design and build high-performing programmatic pages that meet the needs of your users and drive business results.

Take the first step towards transforming your SEO strategy today. With programmatic SEO, the possibilities are endless - and with the right tools and expertise, you can unlock the full potential of this powerful marketing strategy.

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How to do Programmatic SEO that is safe for Google


You've poured your heart and soul into building a product that solves a problem. 

Surely they paying customers will come... right?

You've tried posting on TikTok, but despite the fancy editing and witty captions, you're stuck at 200 views per video.

No problems, there're other channels to try.

You create social accounts on X, LinkedIn and start posting away. But your reach is minimal with 0 followers to start with.

You try Reddit, Product Hunt, Hacker News... At this point you're starting to feel like you're just throwing spaghetti at the wall, hoping something sticks.

You're not alone. Many founders have been in your shoes, wondering why their product isn't taking off despite their best marketing efforts. 

The truth is, all these are great marketing channels, but there is too much noise and too many variables. 

There is one channel however, that works the best to cut through the noise and help you validate your product with customers & revenue.

In this article we'll cover:

- How to quickly validate your product by looking at Search volume.

- Debunking SEO myths that stop founders from taking advantage of this channel

- Commonly overlooked benefits of SEO that founders miss out on

- How to get quick results with SEO for new websites starting from scratch

## **1. Search is the Key to Product Validation**

When you're trying to validate a new product or service, you need to know one thing: 'Are people actually looking for what you're offering?' The answer lies in search terms.

### Search: The Proxy for Demand

Search gives you a very close estimate of demand for your product. 

![Search traffic for ios calendar app](/assets/blog/why-seo/validate-with-search.jpg)

When people are searching for something, it means they're actively looking for a solution to a problem they have. They're not just casually browsing – they're on a mission. And if you can tap into that demand, you've got a winning product.

On the other hand, if you can't find any search volume for the problem you're trying to solve. The could mean that:

- You are too early in the market.

- You're solving a vitamin problem not a painkiller one. That's why nobody is actively searching for it.

There are VERY few cases where a profitable problem to solve doesn't have search queries for it.


### CPC: The Proxy for Value

Another indicator to look at is CPC, this shows you how much people are bidding to show ads for your keyword.

![Search CPC costs](/assets/blog/why-seo/cpc-for-value.jpg)

If you find that the value of your keywords are high, congratulations! That means you've found a very profitable problem. Competitors are willing to pay large amounts to get a click from this searcher.

On the other hand if no one is bidding for your keywords, you may consider providing that part of your service as a free tool, and focus on hooking them into paying for other more valuable parts of your product.

### Always start with Keyword research

We recommend using free tools like Google Keyword Planner to find relevant keywords. It's the most accurate compared to other tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush. 

Gaining confidence that people want and are searching for your product is critical for early-stage founders. 

While talking to users is an excellent way to validate a problem, it's equally important to answer the question: "Is there a continuous stream of people looking for this product that I can charge money from?" 

And you can get that answer with keyword research.


## **2. Debunking the Myths & Why SEO is the BEST option for early founders**

When it comes to SEO, there are a lot of misconceptions floating around. But the truth is, SEO is a powerful tool that can drive real results for indie hackers and early stage startups.

### **Myth 1: SEO takes months to see results** 
  
Reality: Long-tail keywords can bring results quickly, often in a matter of weeks, and we've worked on websites that got results in just days. 

![SellYourMVP Long-tail keyword programmatic SEO results](/assets/blog/why-seo/fast-programmatic-results.jpg)

How is this possible? 

Actually, the answer is simple, there is little to no competition for these keywords. 

If your competitors are not creating quality pages for your target long-tail keyword, you just have to publish your optimized page and you'll rank in the top spots quickly. 

### **Myth 2: I need lots of backlinks and high domain authority** 

Reality: For long-tail search terms, you can rank purely with on-page SEO (which refers to optimizations you do on your own website). No off-page SEO required (which refers to building backlinks from external websites).

Once again, it's because your competitors with higher authority are not building pages targeting these long-tailed terms.

Make no mistake, these long-tailed keywords are no less valuable, in fact you'll find that they are often MORE valuable than the generic short-tailed version.

![Search CPC costs for long-tailed keywords](/assets/blog/why-seo/long-tailed-cpc.jpg)

Searchers using long-tailed keywords have much stronger purchasing intent, which leads to better conversion rates, and higher revenues.

### **Myth 3: SEO is expensive**

Reality: With the right strategy, you can execute SEO by yourself with just time and no external cost!

By now you can tell that Long-tailed keywords are extremely powerful. Learn more about our [long-tail SaaS strategy](/blog/long-tailed-keywords/ "How to rank your SaaS website with long-tailed keywords") that helps Indie developers and early stage startups build their first acquisition channel quickly from scratch.

## **3. Commonly overlooked benefits of SEO that many founders miss out on**

### **Predictable**

SEO offers a level of predictability that's hard to match with other marketing channels. You can use search traffic data to estimate potential traffic and conversions, allowing you to make more informed decisions about your product and marketing strategies.

![Predictable search traffic](/assets/blog/why-seo/predictable-traffic.jpg)

Unlike the unpredictable nature of viral content on social media, search traffic tends to be stable and consistent. 

You don't have to worry about finding the next viral TikTok or tweet to bring in your next batch of customers. Instead, you can rely on a steady flow of interested visitors coming to your site day after day.

### **Low maintenance**

One of the most significant advantages of SEO is its low maintenance nature. Once you've ranked for your target keywords, you continue to receive visitors perpetually, giving you a reliable sales channel. 

This is in stark contrast to other channels like TikTok, X/Twitter, LinkedIn, or Reddit, where you need to constantly churn out fresh content to stay visible in the algorithm's favor.

With SEO, your content continues to work for you long after it's been published, providing a steady stream of visitors without requiring constant attention.

### **Quality visitors**

SEO targets visitors who are already actively searching for your solution. This means they're much further along in the buying journey compared to users on social media platforms. 

Unlike social channels where you need to guide users through the entire funnel - from awareness to consideration to decision - search engine users are often already in the decision phase. They're looking to buy, not just to browse.

This translates to higher conversion rates and more efficient use of your marketing efforts.

### **Pivot-friendly**

If you need to pivot your product, SEO provides a unique advantage. You'll already have a steady stream of relevant visitors that you can pitch your new offering to. This existing traffic can be a valuable asset as you test and refine your new direction.

For example, if you've been ranking for "project management software" and pivot to "team collaboration tools", you still have an interested audience to work with.


## **4. How to get quick results with SEO for new websites starting from scratch**

Ready to tap into the power of SEO for your product? Here are actionable steps that you can start on today.

### **Validate search demand with Google Keyword Planner**

Firstly, use the free Google Keyword Planner tool to validate search demand for your product or service. This tool provides valuable insights into search volumes and competition levels for different keywords.

![Screenshot of google keyword planner interface](/assets/blog/why-seo/keyword-planner.jpg)

This step is crucial as it helps you understand if there's a market for your offering and identifies potential keywords to target.

### **Find long-tail keywords with low competition**

Long-tail keywords are your secret weapon for quick SEO results. These are longer, more specific phrases that typically have lower search volumes but also lower competition. 

For a detailed strategy on identifying these golden opportunities, check out our comprehensive guide on finding low-competition long-tail keywords.

For a detailed strategy on identifying these golden opportunities, check out our [comprehensive guide on finding low-competition long-tail keywords](/blog/long-tailed-keywords/ "How to rank your SaaS website with long-tailed keywords").

### **Create optimized pages for your target keywords**

Once you've identified your target keywords, it's time to create content. Each page should be optimized for a specific long-tail keyword or closely related group of keywords.

But here's where many new websites stumble: How do you create enough content to cover all your target keywords without triggering Google's spam filters?

We've developed a [safe and effective method for pushing out hundreds or even thousands of pages](/blog/safe-programmatic-seo/ "How to do Programmatic SEO that is safe for Google"). Our guide walks you through the process step-by-step, ensuring you stay on Google's good side while maximizing your SEO potential.

<Disclaimer/>

### **Let us help you for faster results**

We understand that many indie hackers and early-stage startup founders prefer to focus on product development. If you have limited time or resources, professional SEO services can fast-track your results.

At SellYourMVP, we specialize in helping indie developers and early-stage startups with small budgets. Our tailored plans are designed to maximize your SEO potential without breaking the bank.

Whether you choose to tackle SEO yourself or engage professional help, remember that SEO is a powerful tool for sustainable growth. With the right strategy, even new websites can see quick results and build a strong foundation for long-term success.

Ready to supercharge your SEO efforts? [Start selling your MVP](/book-call/ "Start selling your MVP").

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