How to Find Long-Tail Keywords Using Google Search Console in 2025

Long-tail keywords are a must-use if you want to create a successful SEO strategy. They’re specific, targeted phrases that often convert better than broader, more generic keywords. 

But how do you find these valuable long-tail keywords? 

While there are many keyword research tools, one of the best resources (and it’s free too) is Google Search Console. 

In this guide, we’ll show you how to find long-tail keywords using Google Search Console, step-by-step. By the time we are done, you will know how to find long-tail keywords using Google Search Console like a pro.

Why Long-Tail Keywords Matter

Let’s quickly recap why long-tail keywords are so important for your SEO strategy.

• Less Competition: Fewer websites are targeting these specific phrases, making it easier to rank higher in search results. For example, ranking for “best Italian restaurants in Lekki Phase 1” will be easier than ranking for “restaurants.”
• Higher Conversion Rates: Long-tail keywords often reflect specific user intent. Someone searching for “organic dog food for sensitive stomachs in Lagos” is more likely to buy than someone searching for just “dog food.” The first person is further along the buying cycle and knows what they want.
• Targeted Traffic: They attract visitors who are looking for exactly what you offer.
• Voice Search Optimization: As voice search becomes more popular, people are using longer, more conversational phrases to search online. For example, instead of typing “pizza delivery,” someone might ask their voice assistant, “Where can I find the best pizza delivery near me open now?”

Now, let’s see how you can find these top tail keywords using GSC.

Getting Started with Google Search Console

If you haven’t already, you’ll need to set up Google Search Console for your website. It’s a free tool provided by Google that gives you insights into your website’s performance in search results. 

Once your website is verified, you can start exploring the data. 

For our purposes, we will focus on how to use it to learn how to find long-tail keywords using Google Search Console.

How to Find Long-Tail Keywords Using Google Search Console

Here’s the process for using Google Search Console to discover those valuable long-tail keywords:

Step 1: Access the Performance Report

1. Log in to Google Search Console and select your website property.
2. Click on “Performance” in the left-hand menu.

Step 2: Set the Date Range

1. Click on the “Date” filter at the top of the report.
2. Select a relevant date range. For long-tail keyword research, it’s often helpful to look at a longer period, such as the last 3 or 6 months. This is to make sure you understand how to find long-tail keywords using Google Search Console that have performed for some time.

Step 3: Explore the Queries Tab

1. Below the performance graph, you’ll see a tab labeled “Queries.” This is where the magic happens. This tab shows you the actual search queries that people are using to find your website.
2. By default, you will see the keywords driving the most clicks to your website. But we are looking for something more specific. We want to learn how to find long-tail keywords using Google Search Console.

Step 4: Filter for Long-Tail Keywords

This is where it gets interesting. Start looking for queries that are longer and more specific, typically four words or more. These are your potential long-tail keywords. There is no direct filter for this but you can use some of the other filters available to help you on how to find long-tail keywords using Google Search Console.

Filter by Impressions

You can sort the “Queries” table by impressions (the number of times your website appeared in search results for a query). 

Look for keywords that have a decent number of impressions but maybe fewer clicks. These could be long-tail opportunities where you can improve your ranking and attract more traffic.

Filter by Clicks

You can also analyze the number of clicks on posts that appear in search results. Look for longer keywords where your clicks are lower compared to others in the search result.

These could be long-tail keywords where you have the potential to rank higher with some optimization. Combine this with the Impressions metric to find keywords that get seen but have a low average position and you have found yourself some low-hanging fruit

Export the Data

Consider exporting the data to a spreadsheet for easier analysis. This allows you to sort, filter, and manipulate the data more effectively. You can click on Export at the top right-hand corner of the page and select whether you want to export to Google Sheets, Download as CSV or as Excel.

With the data exported, you can use these spreadsheet software to find keywords of a certain length, for example. You can also use your spreadsheet to combine data from different date ranges, giving you even more data on how to find long-tail keywords using Google Search Console.

Step 5: Analyze and Prioritize

Once you’ve identified some potential long-tail keywords, closely look at each one. Consider the following:

• Relevance: Is the keyword relevant to your website’s content and your business offerings? For example, if you sell jewelry, a long-tail keyword like “silver earrings with blue topaz in Lagos” would be highly relevant.
• Search Intent: What is the user’s intent behind the query? Are they looking for information, a product, or a service? Make sure you understand this if you want to know how to find long-tail keywords using Google Search Console. For example, someone searching for “how to clean silver earrings” is likely looking for information, while someone searching for “buy silver earrings online Nigeria” is likely ready to make a purchase.
• Competition: While long-tail keywords generally have less competition, it’s still a good idea to assess the competition using other SEO tools if you have access to them.

Putting Your Long-Tail Keywords to Work 

Now that you’ve learned how to find long-tail keywords using Google Search Console, it is time to put them to work. 

One way to do that is to incorporate the keyword in your content creation efforts. Create new blog posts, articles, or website pages that target specific long-tail keywords. 

For example, if you found the long-tail keyword “best web design practices for e-commerce in Nigeria,” you could write a fresh blog post on that topic. You can also do the following;

• On-Page Optimization: Optimize your existing content by incorporating long-tail keywords naturally into your page titles, headings, body text, and image alt text.
• Content Updates: Refresh and update old content to include relevant long-tail keywords. This can give older pages a boost in search results.
• Meta Descriptions: Write compelling meta descriptions that include your long-tail keywords to improve click-through rates from search results. A good meta description acts like a mini-ad for your page, enticing users to click.
• Internal Linking: Link to your new content from other relevant pages on your website using anchor text that incorporates your long-tail keywords. For example, if you have a blog post about “web design services in Lagos,” you could link to it from a page about “e-commerce website development” using anchor text like “expert web design services in Lagos.”

Advanced Tips on Finding and Using Long-tail Keywords

Here are a few more advanced tips for finding and using long-tail keywords in Google Search Console:

• Regularly Monitor: Make it a habit to check the Search Console Performance report regularly (at least once a month) to identify new long-tail keyword opportunities. This will help your strategy on how to find long-tail keywords using Google Search Console
• Use with Other Tools: Combine GSC data with other keyword research tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, or Moz Keyword Explorer to get a more comprehensive view of the keyword landscape and find even more long-tail variations.
• Look for Question-Based Keywords: Pay attention to long-tail keywords that are phrased as questions (e.g., “how to,” “what is,” “where to”). These can be great for creating FAQ pages or blog posts that address common customer queries. For instance, if you notice many users are searching for “how to choose a web design agency in Nigeria,” you could create a blog post specifically addressing that question.
• Analyze Page Performance: Don’t just focus on the queries. Look at the “Pages” tab in the Performance report to see which pages are ranking for long-tail keywords and identify opportunities to improve their optimization. You can see which pages are ranking for which keywords.

Conclusion

By learning how to find long-tail keywords using Google Search Console, you can unlock valuable opportunities to attract targeted traffic, improve your SEO, and ultimately grow your business.

However navigating the tool, understanding the data, and effectively implementing the insights can be overwhelming. That is where we come in.

At Eden Digital, we can help you set up and configure your Search Console, analyze your data, identify those hidden long-tail keywords, and integrate them into a winning SEO strategy.

Ready to unlock the power of long-tail keywords and dominate search results? Let us be your guide. Chat with Edens now.