Long Tail Keyword Analysis using Regex in Search Console

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What are Long Tail Keywords?

Keyphrases with 3+ words tend to be less competitive in Google, but the more interesting fact is that long keyphrases make up for 90% of the total searches on Google. This is more prominent even today with the advent of voice search where people tend to ask long and descriptive queries.

The Role of Regex in SEO

Regular Expressions (Regex) are a powerful tool in SEO for filtering, analyzing, and organizing large datasets. Regex is a sequence of characters that form search patterns, allowing SEO professionals to search, match, and manipulate text strings in ways that would be impossible with traditional search techniques. In SEO, Regex is used to process search queries, URLs, metadata, and logs, among other data sources.

Regex is particularly useful for sorting through large amounts of data in Google Search Console or analytics tools. SEO professionals can create custom Regex patterns to extract specific keywords, filter traffic data, or identify particular search behaviors. This helps with organizing search data and pinpointing areas that need attention.

Regex also plays a significant role in identifying and resolving technical SEO issues. For example, Regex can be used to detect URLs that need to be redirected or to filter out unwanted traffic, improving the overall accuracy of SEO reports.

How Regex is Used in SEO Analysis

In SEO, Regex is used for a wide variety of purposes. One of its most significant applications is filtering data to extract meaningful insights from Google Search Console and analytics tools. With Regex, you can filter out search queries that contain specific words, phrases, or patterns, helping you analyze the performance of specific long-tail keywords or identify emerging search trends.

For instance, Regex can be used to filter queries with three or more words to isolate long-tail keyword data in GSC. This allows SEO professionals to focus on more targeted search traffic that typically has higher conversion potential. Regex is also useful for identifying common search patterns, such as location-based searches, brand-related queries, or seasonal trends.

Another key use of Regex in SEO is to clean up raw data. It can help exclude unwanted traffic sources, such as bot traffic or internal searches, from SEO reports, ensuring that your analysis is based on high-quality, relevant data.

Benefits of Using Regex for Keyword Research and Analysis

Regex provides several advantages when used for keyword research and analysis in SEO:

Improved Data Segmentation: Regex helps segment search query data, enabling SEO professionals to target specific keywords or search behaviors, such as long-tail keywords or branded searches.
Efficiency: Regex allows for automated and precise filtering of large datasets, saving time and effort when analyzing extensive keyword lists or search traffic reports.
Advanced Filtering: With Regex, you can perform advanced filtering operations, such as excluding certain terms, including specific keyword patterns, or identifying trends in search behavior.
Keyword Grouping: Regex makes it easier to group similar keywords, allowing SEO professionals to optimize content and track keyword performance based on patterns rather than individual terms.
Accurate Reporting: By filtering out irrelevant data, Regex ensures that your keyword analysis is based on clean, accurate, and relevant information, leading to better decision-making and optimized SEO strategies.

Why Worry About Long Tail Keywords?

Now obviously these keywords have extremely low search volumes but don’t let that obstruct your SEO instincts. If you are clever you will understand, that adding these up strategically in your content marketing could earn you a sizeable number of high intent traffic.

I say high intent since according to studies people making long-tail queries have a higher conversion intent than other keywords, as shown by the below graph from SEMRush.

Keyword Search Volume to Conversion Rate Graph by SEMRush

While you have searched some good keywords with decent search volumes. You may have also ranked your website for some of those keywords and may be happy and relaxed knowing that you might be dominating a chunk of the traffic on Google for your niche.

If you think like that, perhaps this report would change your mind.

Source: ahrefs

As you might have just realized over 92% of the keywords searched in Google are long-tail keywords with low search volume. And since it’s true for Google overall it must be true for your niche too.

That is a tremendously huge number of keywords considering the number of searches that happen on Google every minute. So you are not only missing out on a sizeable chunk of traffic but potential conversions since as pointed long-tail keywords drive the highest intent.

So What are the Exact SEO Benefits of Long Tail Keywords?

Let’s summarize them:

Long Tail Keywords have low competition
Higher Conversion Intent.

Long Tail Keyword Analysis In Google Search Console

We are all well-known for the most effective architectural tool offered by Google which is Google Search Console. It lets you manage all the technicalities for your website. Inside GSC, there are several advanced features are available. One of them is Regex (Regular Expression).

To assist users to find and analyze data depending on the queries and pages Google rolled out a new feature called Regex in Google Seach Console. It also assists to filter data according to the user’s needs.

Long-tail keywords are a perfect way to optimize for higher intent search queries and increase conversion from Google.

You can use the following expression to find Long tail keywords you are currently ranking for.

Open search console
Click “performance”
Click “new” and then “query”

There is a bunch of stuff you can do with REGEX, but I’m just going to focus on one specific strategy I created.

We’re going to use the regular expression:

([^” “]*\s){4,}?

Type this into “query” “Custom (regex)” and it will show you all the keyword with 5 or more words in them.

If you want keywords with 10 words or more change the 7 to a 9.

If you want to find keywords with 4 words or more, change the 7 to 3.

Analyzing the Long Tail Keywords

Analyzing long-tail catchphrases includes looking at different information measurements to get their execution and distinguish optimization openings. When surveying impressions, clicks, click-through rates (CTR), and average position for sifted long-tail watchwords, a few key bits of knowledge can develop:

Impressions: Assess the number of times clients saw the website’s interface in look comes about for a specific watchword. Higher impressions demonstrate permeability, but they must be contextualized with other measurements. Recognize long-tail watchwords with reliable impressions over time, demonstrating supported intrigue from clients.

Clicks: Look at the number of times clients clicked on the website’s connect after seeing it in look comes about. Tall clicks illustrate the significance and engaging quality of the substance. Compare clicks with impressions to calculate the click-through rate (CTR), showing the adequacy of the catchphrase in driving activity.

Click-Through Rate (CTR): CTR reflects the rate of clients who clicked on the website’s interface out of the overall number of clients who saw it (impressions). A tall CTR recommends that the catchphrase is exceedingly important to users’ look questions and empowers them to tap through to the site. Distinguish long-tail catchphrases with above-average CTRs, as they show solid arrangement between client aim and site substance.

Normal Position: Normal position signifies the commonplace rank of the website’s connect in look that comes about for a particular catchphrase. A lower normal position shows higher permeability. Long-tail watchwords with lower normal positions but tall clicks and CTRs may speak to optimization openings. Making strides in their rankings advance seems to lead to expanded activity.

Distinguishing high-performing long-tail catchphrases includes finding those with a combination of:

Reliable impressions.
Tall clicks and CTRs are relative to impressions.
Achievable enhancements in normal position.

Once distinguished, these catchphrases ought to be focused on for optimization endeavors, such as:

Making devoted landing pages or substance to superior address client aim.
Consolidating long-tail watchwords normally into site substance.
Making strides in meta labels and portrayals to upgrade pertinence and clickability in look comes about.

Customary checking and alteration based on execution measurements are crucial for the continuous optimization of long-tail watchword procedures.

How to Perform Long Tail Keyword Analysis in Google Search Console

Long-tail keywords are essential for SEO as they are often less competitive, more specific, and can drive highly targeted traffic to your website. Performing long-tail keyword analysis in Google Search Console (GSC) is a crucial step in uncovering opportunities to optimize your content for these valuable terms. In this section, we’ll walk through the process of performing long-tail keyword analysis using GSC and Regex filtering.

Accessing the Performance Report in GSC

The Performance Report in Google Search Console is one of the most powerful tools for tracking how your website performs in Google search. It provides detailed data about your website’s traffic, search queries, and user interactions. To access the Performance Report and begin your analysis, follow these steps:

Step-by-step guide to navigating the Google Search Console dashboard
After logging into GSC, you’ll land on the Overview page. Here, you’ll find a quick summary of your website’s performance, including impressions, clicks, and average position. However, to dive deeper into your keyword data, click on the Performance tab on the left-hand side of the dashboard. This will open a detailed report where you can explore key metrics.
How to access the “Performance” tab and understand the key metrics
Once you click on the Performance tab, you’ll see a variety of metrics such as:
- Total Clicks: The number of clicks your website received from Google search results.
- Total Impressions: The total number of times your website appeared in search results.
- Average CTR (Click-Through Rate): The percentage of impressions that resulted in clicks.
- Average Position: The average ranking position of your website’s pages.
For long-tail keyword analysis, focus on the Queries section. This section shows the search queries that triggered your website to appear in Google search. By analyzing this data, you can identify opportunities to target long-tail keywords.

Identifying Long Tail Keywords

Long-tail keywords typically consist of three or more words, and they are more specific and targeted than generic, broad keywords. Identifying these keywords within your GSC data is critical for understanding which specific search terms are driving traffic to your site. Here’s how you can identify long-tail keywords:

Using query data to identify long-tail keywords
In the Queries section of the Performance Report, you will see a list of search queries that led users to your website. To identify long-tail keywords, you should look for queries that contain at least three words. Long-tail keywords often reflect user intent more accurately and have lower competition.
The significance of filtering by queries that have 3+ words
By focusing on queries with three or more words, you can identify highly targeted, less competitive search terms. These keywords usually have higher conversion rates because they reflect more specific search intent. Filtering for long-tail keywords in GSC allows you to spot patterns in user behavior and create content that directly addresses these needs.
Analyzing click-through rates (CTR) for long-tail queries
Once you’ve identified long-tail keywords, it’s important to assess their CTR. A high CTR for a long-tail keyword suggests that your content is highly relevant to the search query and users are more likely to click on your site. On the other hand, a low CTR may indicate that your page title or meta description needs optimization to make it more compelling. Focus on improving CTR for long-tail keywords to drive more traffic.

Advanced Techniques and Best Practices

More sophisticated regex pattern techniques enable more complex and accurate queries, which greatly improves keyword analysis. Some sophisticated regex patterns for intricate keyword analysis are as follows:

Linked Patterns:

To match particular sequences within a larger text, use nested patterns. As an illustration, “word1word2” or “word1word3” match (word1(word2|word3)).

Lookahead and Lookbehind

Matching patterns are permitted only if lookahead assertions (?=…) and lookbehind assertions (?<=…) are preceded or followed by specific conditions, respectively. As an example, (?<=\bword\b\s)\w+ matches a word that comes before “word.”

Back references:

Backreferences let you refer to groups that have already matched within the same regex pattern. For instance, “word1 word1” or “word2 word2” match (word1|word2)\s\1.

Quantifiers and Inattentive Pairing:

Quantifiers that allow you to specify the number of occurrences of a pattern include *, +, and {}. Combining lazy matching with quantifiers? guarantees the quickest match. For example, <.+?> matches non-greedily to HTML tags.

Predicted Patterns:

Conditional patterns enable matching under predetermined parameters. For instance, if the condition is satisfied, “then” is matched; if not, “else”.

By deriving useful insights from the search terms, Regex can be used to analyze query strings and user search behavior. Here are some examples of how to use regex for this:

Identifying Patterns:

Regex can be used to find themes or patterns in user queries, such as location-based searches, product category-specific queries, or user intent (transactional, navigational, or informational).

Segmenting keywords:

Divide search queries using regex capturing groups into digestible parts. This makes it possible to comprehend user intent more fully, which can help with content creation and optimization tactics.

Classification of Queries:

Use regex patterns to group search queries into predefined categories (such as brand-related, product-related, and informational). This aids in setting priorities for optimization work and customizing content for various user groups.

Analysis of User Behavior:

Using regex to extract and analyze search query data, you can examine user behavior patterns such as seasonality, popular queries, and search trends. This helps with content planning and strategic decision-making.

The following are some best practices for continuous long-tail keyword analysis and optimization:

Frequent Observation:

To spot trends and opportunities, keep a close eye on performance metrics for long-tail keywords like impressions, clicks, CTR, and average position.

Extension of Keywords:

Using resources like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs, regularly add new variations, synonyms, and related terms to the long-tail keyword list.

Optimization of Content:

Make new content specifically suited to long-tail keywords found through analysis, and optimize already-existing content. Make sure the material is useful, pertinent, and instructive for readers.

Alignment of User Intent:

By comprehending the context of long-tail keywords and creating content that specifically addresses users’ needs, inquiries, or issues, you can align your content with user intent.

Iteration and Testing:

To determine efficacy, test out various keyword variations, content formats, and optimization techniques. Iterate continuously based on feedback from performance.

Analysis of Competitors:

Keep an eye on rivals’ tactics and look for chances to target long-tail keywords that they might be under or overusing.

You can raise search visibility, draw in relevant traffic, and increase the overall efficacy of your SEO campaigns by optimizing your keyword analysis with advanced regex patterns and adhering to best practices for continuous optimization.

Implementing Long Tail Keyword Strategy Based on GSC Insights

After identifying long-tail keywords using Google Search Console (GSC), the next crucial step is to implement a long-tail keyword strategy that will enhance your website’s search visibility, attract targeted traffic, and ultimately improve conversions. In this section, we will cover how to optimize your existing content for long-tail keywords, create new content around them, and track the effectiveness of your strategy.

Optimizing Existing Content for Long Tail Keywords

How to Map Long-Tail Keywords to Existing Content
Mapping long-tail keywords to existing content is a great way to maximize the value of your website’s current pages. By strategically integrating relevant long-tail keywords into your existing blog posts, landing pages, and product descriptions, you can quickly enhance their relevance and searchability without creating entirely new content. Here’s how to do it:

Review the long-tail keywords identified in GSC that align with the existing content on your site.
Identify which keywords naturally fit into the content’s context. For example, if a blog post is about “SEO tips,” and you find a long-tail keyword like “SEO tips for beginners,” this would be a perfect match.
Add these long-tail keywords to the title, meta descriptions, subheadings, and throughout the body of the content where relevant, ensuring the flow remains natural and helpful to users.

Using GSC Data to Identify Content Gaps and Keyword Opportunities
GSC’s query report helps to identify content gaps and potential opportunities for targeting additional long-tail keywords. When analyzing data, focus on queries that have a high number of impressions but low CTRs. This could indicate that users are seeing your content but not engaging with it. It may be a signal that the content is relevant but not optimized for specific long-tail keywords, or the title/description needs improvement.

Steps to fill content gaps:

Identify top-performing long-tail keywords that could bring more traffic and conversions.
Create content that addresses these gaps or enhance existing content by adding these keywords.
Use GSC’s Search Analytics to monitor how well the changes are performing after optimization.

Steps for Optimizing On-Page SEO for Long-Tail Keywords
To optimize existing content for long-tail keywords, focus on the following elements:

Title Tags: Ensure that your long-tail keywords appear in the title tag. A strong title helps improve rankings and CTR.
Meta Descriptions: Incorporate your long-tail keywords into the meta description to ensure it accurately reflects the search query and entices users to click.
Headings and Subheadings: Use long-tail keywords in H1, H2, and H3 tags to make it easier for search engines to understand the content’s relevance.
Content: Include long-tail keywords throughout the body, but make sure the text reads naturally. Avoid keyword stuffing.
Internal Linking: Link to other relevant pages on your site that also target long-tail keywords to boost SEO and provide a better user experience.

Creating New Content Around Long Tail Keywords

How to Develop Content Specifically Targeting Long-Tail Keywords
After analyzing your GSC data, you’ll likely find opportunities to create content tailored to long-tail keywords that are currently underrepresented. New content allows you to strategically target these keywords and fill gaps in your SEO strategy. Here’s how to develop content around long-tail keywords:

Identify long-tail keywords with low competition: These keywords will likely have a higher chance of ranking, bringing targeted traffic.
Create detailed, high-quality content: For example, if a long-tail keyword is “best SEO tools for small businesses,” create an in-depth guide that addresses this query with thorough research and helpful insights.
Use the keyword naturally: Include the keyword in the introduction, subheadings, and throughout the content, making sure it fits within the context of the post.

Content Strategy Based on Keyword Research from GSC
Building a content strategy around long-tail keywords identified in GSC requires prioritizing the keywords that align with user intent. Here’s how to develop an actionable strategy:

Keyword Mapping: Map each long-tail keyword to a specific piece of content or a new blog post.
Content Pillars: Establish content pillars around core topics related to your business and fill these pillars with multiple long-tail keywords.
Focus on User Intent: For each long-tail keyword, understand the search intent (informational, navigational, transactional, etc.) and create content that answers that need. For example, if users are searching for “best running shoes for women,” provide reviews, buying guides, and expert recommendations.

Balancing Content Creation with Keyword Intent for Higher Conversion Rates
It’s not just about creating content with long-tail keywords; it’s also about addressing user intent effectively. High conversion rates come when content satisfies both the keyword query and user expectations. This means:

Optimizing for user intent: Ensure that your content answers the question or need implied by the long-tail keyword.
Encouraging conversions: Include calls-to-action (CTAs) that drive users toward the desired conversion goal, such as making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or contacting your business.

Tracking the Effectiveness of Long Tail Keyword Strategy

Measuring Improvements in Rankings, CTR, and Traffic Over Time
Once you’ve implemented your long-tail keyword strategy, the next step is tracking its performance. Google Search Console offers several features to monitor the effectiveness of your long-tail keyword strategy:

Track rankings over time: Monitor how the rankings for long-tail keywords change over time, particularly those you’ve targeted with content optimization or creation.
Analyze CTR: Check if the CTR has improved for long-tail queries, especially those that previously had low engagement. Improvements here may indicate that your content is more compelling.
Monitor traffic: Check for increases in traffic from long-tail keywords. More targeted traffic should result in better user engagement and potentially higher conversion rates.

Setting Up Goal Tracking and Custom Reports to Monitor Keyword Performance
Google Analytics and Google Search Console both allow you to set up goal tracking for specific user actions (such as form submissions, purchases, or downloads). To ensure that your long-tail keyword strategy is delivering the desired results, follow these steps:

Set specific goals in Google Analytics that align with your business objectives (e.g., purchase completions, lead generation).
Create custom reports in GSC to track keyword performance, impressions, clicks, and average position over time.
Regularly review these reports to identify areas where long-tail keyword optimization is succeeding or where adjustments may be needed.

Adjusting Strategies Based on Performance Data from GSC
As you track the performance of your long-tail keywords, you’ll want to adjust your strategy as necessary:

If rankings are not improving, reassess the content and its optimization, ensuring the keyword is naturally incorporated and aligns with user intent.
If CTR remains low, experiment with new titles, meta descriptions, and CTAs to make the content more enticing to users.
Reevaluate the keywords: If certain long-tail keywords are not performing as expected, consider whether there are other terms that could be more effective in driving targeted traffic.

By continually analyzing your GSC data and adjusting your strategy based on performance, you can fine-tune your long-tail keyword approach and ensure that your SEO efforts continue to yield optimal results over time.

Bottom Line

long-tail keywords are crucial for SEO success as they help target specific search intent and drive relevant traffic. Using Google Search Console for keyword analysis allows you to identify high-performing keywords and discover valuable insights. Regex enhances the efficiency of keyword analysis by enabling precise filtering, saving time, and increasing accuracy in identifying valuable long-tail keywords. To implement a successful SEO strategy, integrate long-tail keywords into your content, monitor performance, and continuously refine your approach. By leveraging Google Search Console and Regex, you can improve your SEO efforts and stay ahead in search engine rankings.

Tuhin Banik

Thatware | Founder & CEO

Tuhin is recognized across the globe for his vision to revolutionize digital transformation industry with the help of cutting-edge technology. He won bronze for India at the Stevie Awards USA as well as winning the India Business Awards, India Technology Award, Top 100 influential tech leaders from Analytics Insights, Clutch Global Front runner in digital marketing, founder of the fastest growing company in Asia by The CEO Magazine and is a TEDx speaker and BrightonSEO speaker.