In natural web search, as keyword term length increases, so do conversions, peaking at four-word terms, according to a new study by search marketing firm Oneupweb. The study did find one exception to the trend: conversions were higher on single-word keywords when the searched keyword included a corporate name.
In examining a group of 100 highly-trafficked keywords that did not include corporate names, Oneupweb found that average conversion rates rose steadily from one-word terms to peak at four-word terms. In December 2004, for example, the average conversion rate on a one-word term, 6.34%, rose to 15.43% for two-word terms, 33.17% for three words, and 38.2% for four-word terms, dropping off sharply to 9.69% for five-word terms.
Examining hundreds of thousands of non-paid keyword phrases that included corporate names, maintained by businesses across several industry sectors, Oneupweb found that single keywords had high conversion rates. In fact, conversions on one-word phrases in this group exceeded conversions on two-word phrases significantly. In December 2004, for example, the average conversion rate on one-word phrases for this group was 32.5%, which dropped to 6.8% for two-word phrases. Conversions for three-word phrases averaged 14.4% and for four-word phrases, 20.4%. Conversion rates dropped off after that for five- and six-word phrases.
“Many businesses focus natural optimization on one- and two-word phrases,” says Lisa Wehr, president of Oneupweb. “With this study in hand, marketers should expand and balance search engine optimization campaigns to include three- and four-word phrases.”
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