Your search long tail can be measured very easily. The main metric you should be considered with is *how many different keywords do you get traffic for?*

You can determine this with your Google Analytics (http://analytics.google.com/) account or other stats program. You should also be tracking your process using your Google Webmaster Tools account (http://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/). Here (Google Webmaster Tools - Recommended for All vBSEO Customers) is how vBSEO customers can make efficient use of their Google Webmaster Tools account.

When this number is growing, you are *effectively growing your search long tail*.

* You can also determine the average # of search hits per term. The lowest this #, the more powerful your search long tail is likely to be.*

The search long tail at vBSEO contained more than 18,000 search terms in the last 30 days.

*Example A: NOT Long Tail Dominated / Search Traffic for Top Terms*

* You have 100 keywords delivering traffic.
* Your top 3 keywords get 10,000 hits.
* Your remaining 97 keywords get 1,000 hits total.
* 10,000 hits / 100 keywords = *100 hits per keyword*

* Analysis:* The above is a very high # of average hits per keyword, and accurately indicates that this search traffic is more dominated by top keywords than long tail search keywords.
*
Example B: Long Tail Dominated*

* Now, let's say you have 2,000 keywords delivering traffic and you get 30,000 hits from all keywords.
* 30,000 hits / 2,000 keywords = *15 hits per keyword*

*Analysis:* The above is a lower average # of hits per keyword, indicating it's more *long tail dominated*. However, a bigger long tail can lower the average significantly, even as low as 2-5 keywords per keyword.

In fact, Danny Sullivan of Search Engine Watch mentions a long tail search metric (http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/blog/050314-164653) indicating:

*Top 50% of All Unique Search Keywords = 80% of Total Hits*

Keep this in mind when you are looking at your stats the next time. *If you see your total # of search keywords growing, you are seeing vBSEO help your forum capitalize on the long tail search phenomenon.*

If the trend continues, you are going to be positioned to get **a lot** of traffic!

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