In general terms there are two major types of keywords: “Head terms” and “tail terms.” An example of a head term is the keyword “basketball.” An example of a related tail term keyword is “college basketball tshirts.”

Someone that owns a basketball t-shirt store would probably like to rank well on both of those terms, but each has its advantages and disadvantages.

The advantage of head terms is that they will get massive amounts of search volume, so ranking #1 for that head term (“basketball”) would inevitably get many people to your site. The disadvantages are that 1) people search head terms (like “basketball”) for all kinds of reasons, so the chances that they’re looking for your exact product/service are lessened and 2) since it’s such a broad term, it will be very competitive and difficult to rank on.

The disadvantage of tail terms is that they get fewer searches per month. But on the flip side, those individuals that do search for your tail terms pre-qualify themselves (for example, anyone searching for “college basketball tshirts” would certainly be interested in your site). Another advantage to tail terms is that they are less competitive and relatively easier to rank on.

In summary:

A keyword that consists of only one or two words is generally considered a “head term.” The characteristics of a head term are as follows:

  1. Head terms typically boast high search volumes (i.e. they get searched a lot)
  2. Head terms generally drive less-qualified traffic
  3. Head terms are typically more competitive and more difficult to rank well on

A keyword that consists of three or more words is generally considered a “tail term.” The characteristics of a tail term are as follows:

  1. Tail terms are typically boast lower search volumes
  2. Tail terms generally drive more-qualified traffic
  3. Tail terms are typically less competitive, and easier to rank well on.

So when you generate the list of keywords, its recommended that you choose 2/3’s tail terms to 1/3 head terms. This will ensure that you have a strategy that will help you achieve both short term and long terms success from a diverse set of keywords.