pageoneresults - 3:51 pm on Mar 6, 2008 (gmt 0)

I look at the long tail as "bread and butter". We see long tail conversions that far exceed the trophy stuff. Does it last longer? To tell you the truth, I've never personally analyized how long it lasts, has anyone? I mean, I look at metrics and see long tail counts in the thousands, hundreds of thousands and sometimes millions.

Doesn't your longtail traffic usually come first? I mean, for the average site owner who has basic SEO knowledge, they will experience the longtail first. As time passes, then the other more competitive phrases come into play. If I look at it from that perspective, then yes, the longtail traffic lasts longer because it is the first to market and becomes "seated". The more competitive terms are usually volatile and are in constant flux, at the beginning. Again, as time passes, the flux diminishes and you eventually settle into a pattern. That's when the tweaking comes into play.

Longtail traffic is the result of "natural" occurrences. You can probably force long tail terms but I think if you "think" about it too hard, it is going to look forced. Why even fret over the longtail? Isn't it a given for most? And, doesn't the longtail drive the more competitive terms as time passes and you become "established"?