Ever wondered whether you should prioritize short-tail or long-tail keywords in your content strategy, especially with the rise of AI-generated content?
We’ve analyzed over 1 million AI overviews to finally uncover what type of keywords truly matter when it comes to AIOs. To bring even greater clarity, we’ve also included insights from SEO industry experts.
So, let’s dive into the numbers!
What Are Short-Tail and Long-Tail Keywords?
Before we jump into the data, let’s quickly clarify:
- Short-tail keywords are brief, general phrases, typically 1-2 words like “coffee” or “running shoes.”
- Long-tail keywords are more specific, usually 3+ words like “best laptop for graphic designing” or “running shoes for flat feet.”
Short-tail keywords attract high volumes but intense competition, while long-tail keywords bring targeted, high-intent traffic, often with less competition.
But how does this difference translate into AI overviews? Let’s find out.
Writesonic’s Data Insights from 1M+ AIOs (AI Overviews)
After analyzing over 1 million AI overviews, here’s what we discovered about keyword distribution:
| Keyword Type | Percentage | Average Word Count |
| Long Tail (>4 words) | 35.33% | 293.2 |
| Mid Tail (3-4 words) | 30.43% | 250.31 |
| Question | 20.09% | 273.93 |
| Short Tail (2 words) | 9.92% | 226.99 |
| Single Word | 4.22% | 202.13 |
The Dominance of Long-Tail Keywords
One clear takeaway from our data: long-tail keywords dominate AI-generated overviews. They account for over 35.33% of all AIOs, and the reason behind this is compelling.
Long-tail keywords clearly express user intent. They’re exactly the type of queries that AI excels at answering. The content generated tends to be more detailed, aligning perfectly with searcher intent.
Our analysis shows that AI overviews generated for long-tail keywords are longer, averaging 293.2 words. More words typically mean deeper insights, higher engagement, and potentially better ranking.
Short-Tail Keywords: Still Relevant?
While short-tail keywords constitute only 9.92% of AI overview triggers, they’re far from irrelevant.
Short-tail keywords help build topical authority and visibility at scale. They’re crucial for broad market presence, even though they’re tougher to rank for.
They average fewer words (226.99), indicating that the content tends to be more concise. However, these keywords often reflect broader topics, potentially attracting wider, though less targeted, audiences.
In essence:
- Long-tail: Deeper insights, targeted traffic, higher chance of conversions.
- Short-tail: Broader reach, less targeted, more competition.
Questions as Keywords: A Rising Trend
Our data revealed something intriguing – On average, the AI overviews for question-based keywords are around 20.09% of the total, which is 273.93 words.
Users who search using questions (e.g., “What is the best SEO strategy for 2025?”) are clearly signaling intent for detailed information, and AI tools are stepping up to provide in-depth answers.
This trend highlights the growing importance of crafting content optimized for conversational queries, a shift accelerated by voice search and conversational AI assistants like ChatGPT and Google’s Bard.
Why These Insights Matter for Your SEO Strategy
Aligning your keyword research and strategy with these insights is essential. Writesonic’s Generative Engine Optimization tool can help you leverage these insights to deliver targeted, high-quality AI-generated content tailored to both search intent and keyword type. Here’s how you can apply this knowledge:
1. Prioritize Long-Tail Keywords
Given their effectiveness in triggering AI overviews and their potential for driving high-quality traffic, long-tail keywords should be central to your strategy. With Writesonic, you can easily generate detailed, highly optimized content for these specific keywords, ensuring your AI-generated content outperforms the competition.
2. Optimize for Question-Based Keywords
With AI-driven search becoming conversational, optimizing your content for question-based keywords ensures you attract high-intent traffic. Writesonic can help you optimize content for these conversational queries, producing detailed, authoritative AI overviews that resonate with both users and search engines.
3. Don’t Completely Eliminate Short-Tail Keywords
While long-tail keywords dominate AI overviews, short-tail keywords still have a place in your content strategy. They help you build topical authority, capture broader interest, and establish initial visibility in highly competitive markets. Writesonic helps you balance content creation for both keyword types seamlessly.
The Role of GEO in Enhancing AI Visibility
Writesonic’s Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) platform is designed to help brands monitor and improve their visibility across AI search platforms like ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Claude, and more.
Key features include:
- Brand Presence Explorer: Track how AI platforms mention your brand and compare your visibility against competitors.
- AI Traffic Analytics: Identify which AI platforms are accessing your content and understand the impact on traffic.
- Optimization Suggestions: Receive actionable recommendations to enhance your content’s presence in AI-generated responses.
By leveraging GEO, businesses can ensure their content is structured and optimized to be effectively interpreted and cited by AI systems.
Practical Steps for Optimizing Keyword Strategy
Here’s how to put these insights into action with GEO:
- Prioritize long-tail keywords
- Strategically integrate short-tail keywords
- Focus on questions for conversational queries
- Leverage the Writesonic Generative Engine Optimization tool
Final Thoughts
Our data-driven analysis clearly shows that long-tail and question-based keywords dominate AI-driven content generation. However, short-tail keywords remain vital for overall brand visibility.
By leveraging Writesonic’s Generative Engine Optimization platform, you can accurately track, analyze, and optimize your content strategies for maximum impact in an AI-driven era.
Ready to dominate AI-driven search visibility? Explore Writesonic GEO today and see exactly how powerful a keyword-optimized AI strategy can be.
