# How to Rank for Head Terms \| Ep\. \#201

**URL:** https://www.singlegrain.com/episodes/marketing-school/how-to-rank-for-head-terms-ep-201/  
**Published:** 2017-02-17  
**Updated:** 2017-12-06  
**Author:** Selena Templeton  
**Summary:** In Episode \#201, Eric and Neil discuss how to rank for head terms\. Tune in to know if the head terms and long\-tail terms you are using are ranking well\.\.\.\.  

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In Episode #201, Eric and Neil discuss how to rank for head terms. Tune in to know if the head terms and long-tail terms you are using are ranking well. Also, find out how easy it is for Google to read and rank your head terms.

### Time Stamped Show Notes:

- 00:27 – Today’s topic: _How to Rank for Head Terms_
- 00:35 – Head terms are 1 or 2 keywords or a phrase like: shoes, basketball shoes, running shoes
- 01:18 – Long-tail terms are three or more keyword phrases like “gray Nike running shoes”
- 01:36 – To rank for head terms, first look at your external links; the more that people link to you, the better 
    - 01:45 – “The sites with the highest domain authority tend to do well in ranking head terms”
    - 01:53 – Second is brand queries; the more people type in your brand name, the more likely you are to rank
- 02:04 – If your term is the head term itself, it is easier to rank
- 02:30 – Read the [case study](http://www.viperchill.com/case-study/) of [Glen Allsopp](http://www.viperchill.com/hey/) of [ViperChill](http://www.viperchill.com)
    - 02:36 – Glen studied a group of companies who linked to each other internally
    - 02:50 – Glen called out [Condé Nast](http://www.condenast.com/)
- 04:17 – Your content page should be in-depth and thorough
- 04:42 – Use the software, [Market](https://www.marketmuse.com/) [Muse](https://www.marketmuse.com/)
- 04:58 – That’s it for today’s episode!

### 3 Key Points:

1. The sites with the highest domain authority tend to do well in ranking head terms.
2. If your term is the head term itself, it is easier to rank.
3. Make sure your content page is thorough and in-depth, making it easier for Google to rank the head terms.

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