The term short tail keyword is defined as follows:

Short tail means simple search queries that consist of only one relatively general term with a very high search volume (example: tires). Short-tail search terms are highly competitive, search engine optimization can be very time-consuming and costly in this case.

Definition of Shorthead / Short-Tail Keyword

Shortheads are keywords that usually consist of only one word and therefore have a high search volume.

Due to the general nature of shorthead keywords, there is a high search volume and therefore a lot of competition, making it extremely difficult (if not impossible) to reach the top positions in organic rankings. For example, for the Amazon keyword “shoes”. Nobody, except the person himself, knows what the intention is with the search term.

Contrary to the shorthead keywords, there are the so-called longtail keywords, i.e. specific and concrete keywords, which are composed of several terms. These have a rather low search volume, but in their sum can lead to considerable traffic on a page.

Many Amazon sellers consider “short tail keywords” to be their so-called major keyword (the main search term for their own product). In most cases, however, the major keyword is not a shorttail keyword because the search query is far too general and undefined. The competition for these keywords is much tougher than in the mid- or longtail range.

Amazon Brand Guide

Shorttail-Keyword Example

Sale of lined boots for ladies.

Search query “Winter shoes”

The search query “Winter shoes” delivers a wide selection of results. The first three shoes are for men, although the example is about women’s shoes. For this reason, focusing on a shorttail keyword is usually not suitable.

If you make a more precise search query, the search results page will look different.

By defining the product more precisely, it is easier for Amazon to provide the customer with relevant results.

Shorttail Keywords in Amazon PPC Marketing

Similar to the search queries, the sponsored products on Amazon or AMS Marketing are similar. The more general the search terms, the greater the competition and the lower the relevant playout of a product. The higher the competition, the higher the click prices.

Depending on the product category and the planned company goal, it can be useful to consciously advertise shorttail keywords, because the number of impressions there is significantly greater than with more precisely defined search queries.

In order to increase brand awareness and gain market share, maximizing impressions should be the primary goal and therefore the use of short tail keywords. However, when it comes to having a controlled ACoS, it is usually advisable to go into the mid- and long-tail range.