Why It’s a Mistake to Ignore Low-Searched Phrases

Let me start by saying that this post isn’t for every business. But it could be a goldmine for yours!

In SEO, there is this idea that we should only be optimizing for high-volume search phrases. For the most part, this is good advice. After all, there is no value in optimizing for phrases that no one searches for.

But there are plenty of niche products and industries out there that can draw some very valuable traffic with infrequently searched phrases.

Niche products and industries can draw valuable traffic with infrequently searched phrases when two factors align.

There are two primary things to consider when it comes to low-volume search phrases. And it’s so important I’m going to put it into a numbered list:

1. The cost of the item. If we are talking about $0.25 sticker, walk away. In fact, any low-volume phrase targeting a product or service that costs under $100 just may not be worth the time. If the phrase is part of a larger, more significant group, then by all means throw it in there. Can’t hurt. But as a standalone phrase, you are better off focusing on something else. The clear rule breaker when it comes to optimizing low-volume search phrases is that big-ticket items are almost always worth optimizing for, despite what the keyword research tells you. When a single sale of that item means a big payday, then even the stray searcher landing on your page can be a big deal. But you won’t get that stray searcher unless you’ve optimized first.
2. The competitive nature of the phrase. Most low volume phrases are also very low on the competition scale. This provides a stellar opportunity to stake your claim on those top positions before someone else does. You can easily find yourself ranking high on the page with little to no competition on either the paid or organic side of things, which is a great opportunity, even when search volume is low.

Low volume phrases won’t work for everyone, but they can be hugely rewarding for many businesses. So don’t discount those phrases too soon. Check them out to see if there is some additional value to them that you might not have considered.