To improve your search engine optimization (SEO) efforts, it’s important to understand keyword search volume.
This guide will dive into keyword search volume and its significance in SEO.
We will explore how search volume impacts your website’s visibility and ROI and discuss various tools and strategies to analyze and utilize search volume data effectively.
Table of Contents
What is Keyword Search Volume?
Search volume refers to the number of times a keyword is searched, and it is a key metric for identifying keywords with high relevance and the potential to attract more organic traffic to your website.
Keyword research involves analyzing search volume data to identify high-volume keywords and explore long-tail keywords that may have lower search volume but offer higher chances of ranking and attracting relevant traffic.
By strategically incorporating keywords with favorable search volume metrics into your content, you can enhance your website’s visibility and attract qualified traffic.
Using Keyword Search Volume in Your SEO Strategy
Leveraging keyword search volume for your SEO strategy is more than just looking at high numbers. Here’s how you can utilize this metric effectively:
- Keyword Prioritisation: Instead of focusing solely on the highest volume keywords, prioritize them based on relevance to your content, competition level, and your website’s current authority. This ensures that you’re not just chasing high volumes but targeting keywords you can realistically rank for.
- Identify Content Gaps: By comparing high-volume keywords to your current content, you can identify topics or areas you haven’t covered but have a significant demand. This can guide your content creation efforts.
- Optimise Existing Content: If you have content that aligns with high search volume keywords but isn’t getting traffic, optimize that content. This can include updating meta tags, improving content quality, or building backlinks to that piece.
- Diversify Keyword Strategy: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Aim for a mix of high-volume, competitive, long-tail, niche keywords. The former can offer potential high traffic, while the latter can bring in more specific, qualified traffic with better conversion rates.
- Monitor & Adjust: SEO is a dynamic field. Continuously monitor keyword search volumes, which can change based on trends, seasonality, and other factors. Adjust your strategy as needed.
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Incorporating these steps can provide a structured approach to using keyword search volume data, ensuring that you don’t just chase after big numbers but aim for strategic, sustainable growth.
How to Get Keyword Search Volume Data
As mentioned, assessing keyword search volume is critical in developing an effective SEO strategy.
You need to conduct thorough keyword research using specialized tools and techniques to find high-search volume keywords.
One of the essential tools for keyword research is the keyword tool.
This tool provides data on the average monthly search volume for specific keywords, allowing you to identify which keywords are relevant to your target audience’s search intent.
You can also use a long-tail keyword tool, like LowFruits, to explore keyword variations and phrases with lower search volume.
While these keywords may have a lower search volume, they offer higher chances of ranking and attracting relevant traffic to your website.
It’s important to note that high-volume keywords are not always the best option, as competition for these keywords can be intense.
Instead, focus on finding keywords with favorable search volume metrics that align with your target audience’s search intent.
Several keyword research tools are available, including paid search tools and free tools provided by search engines like Google. They offer insights into the average monthly search volume and competition for specific keywords.
| Keyword Research Tools | Description |
| Google Keyword Planner | A free tool that provides insights into the average monthly search volume for specific keywords. |
| Semrush | A search tool with both free and paid options that offers advanced features such as competition analysis, keyword difficulty assessments, and suggestions for related keywords. |
| Ahrefs | It is a paid SEO tool, but insights into keyword search volume and difficulty are available with their free version. |
| Ubersuggest | A freemium tool developed by Neil Patel that provides keyword ideas, search volume data, and even a competitive analysis. It offers keyword seasonality insights and content creation suggestions based on chosen keywords. |
| Keyword Surfer | A free Chrome extension that provides keyword search volume and related keywords directly in Google search results. It is a handy tool for those who want quick insights. |
Another valuable resource to analyze is search engine results pages (SERPs).
While SERPs don’t directly show keyword search volume, they can provide insights into search intent based on the content and type of results displayed for a particular keyword.
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Why Are Keyword Research Tools Useful For?
Keyword research tools are necessary for analyzing search volume data and understanding the changing landscape of SEO.
These tools provide insight into the search volume for keywords, including data on the number of times a specific keyword is searched for within a given time frame.
Google’s Keyword Planner is one of the most popular keyword research tools. This tool provides average monthly search volume estimates for keywords and phrases and information on competition levels and bid prices for paid search advertising.
Other SEO tools like Semrush, Ahrefs, and Moz offer similar features with additional insights into organic search traffic, keyword difficulty, and competitor research.
One of the primary benefits of these keyword research tools is seeing the search volume for specific keywords. By knowing the search volume, you can determine whether a certain keyword is worth targeting.
You should consider targeting keywords with high search volumes, as they offer more potential traffic for your website.
However, it’s essential also to evaluate the competition for those keywords. Ideally, you’d want to target keywords with high search volume but low competition, as they can offer the best opportunity for visibility and traffic.
When using keyword research tools, it’s important to utilize various sources for search volume data. While Google’s Keyword Planner is a reliable keyword search volume data source, it may not always provide the most accurate results.
Additionally, utilizing different tools can give you a broader perspective on search volume data, allowing you to make more informed decisions when optimizing your website’s content strategy.
Understanding Local Search Volume for Keywords
Local search volume is very important in SEO for businesses aiming to target specific regions or locales.
This metric shows the number of times a keyword or phrase is searched within a particular geographical area.
Knowing local search volume can help you fine-tune your SEO strategies to cater to local audiences, improving visibility and driving region-specific traffic.
How to Find Local Search Volume:
- Google Keyword Planner: This tool lets you specify a location while researching keywords. Enter your desired keyword and set the target location to get local search volume data.
- Semrush: When using the Keyword Magic Tool in Semrush, you can set a specific country to analyze search volume data. While it doesn’t allow city-level targeting, it does give a country-specific estimate.
- Ahrefs: Within the keyword explorer feature, set your desired country to gauge local search volume. Like Semrush, it provides country-level data.
- Local Search Volume Checkers: Dedicated tools and platforms like Keywords Everywhere offer localized search volume data down to the city or region level.
- Google Trends: While it doesn’t provide exact numbers, Google Trends can show the popularity of a keyword in specific regions, helping you gauge interest levels.
By integrating local search volume data into your SEO strategy, you can optimize your online presence to cater to regional audiences, improving visibility, engagement, and conversions.
Mobile SEO and Keyword Search Volume
While we’ve touched on the importance of local search volume, it’s impossible to discuss this without delving into the increasingly significant realm of mobile SEO.
Users often employ different search queries on mobile devices than desktops due to voice search, predictive text, and shorter search phrases for convenience.
When assessing keyword search volume, it’s essential to differentiate between desktop and mobile data. Most modern keyword research tools allow you to filter by device type and see search volumes specifically for mobile users. Using this feature can help identify potential keyword opportunities tailored for mobile audiences.
Some keywords might have a higher search volume on mobile devices, especially local search terms, given the on-the-go nature of mobile users.
Mobile SEO also places a significant emphasis on the user experience. Even if a keyword has high search volume, if a website isn’t mobile-friendly, it’s unlikely to rank well in mobile search results.
Therefore, websites must be optimized for mobile devices, offer quick load times, and provide an intuitive user experience.
Factors Impacting Search Volume
Several factors contribute to the variations in keyword search volume. One of the main factors is seasonality.
Search volumes tend to fluctuate throughout the year, with some keywords experiencing higher search volumes during specific seasons.
For example, “Christmas gifts” may have a high search volume in November and December but a significantly lower search volume in other months.
Understanding seasonality can help you plan your content strategy and target keywords with favorable search volume conditions.
Trends also play a role in search volume variations. As new trends emerge or existing trends change, search volumes for related keywords may also change.
This means that continuously monitoring search volume data is crucial for staying current with trends and adapting your keyword strategy accordingly.
Industry shifts can also impact search volume. Changes in the industry landscape, such as new regulations or technological advances, can affect how people search for information and influence the search volumes for specific keywords.
Keeping abreast of industry changes and their potential impact on search volumes can give you a competitive edge in your content strategy.
It is important to note that search volume estimates provided by keyword research tools like Google’s Keyword Planner are estimates.
Actual search volumes for a given keyword may be higher or lower than estimated.
Instead, using multiple tools to find search volume data can give you a more accurate picture of the search landscape for a particular keyword.
Understanding the factors that impact search volume is essential for effective keyword strategy and optimization.
By continually monitoring search volume data, you can stay ahead of the competition and target relevant keywords with high search volume and lower competition.
Wrap-Up
Hopefully, this comprehensive guide has demonstrated what keyword search volume is and the important role that keyword search volume plays in SEO.
By analyzing search volume data, you can identify high-volume keywords that align with your target audience’s search intent and optimize your content strategy accordingly.
However, balancing search volume and keyword relevance is essential, considering factors such as competition, user intent, and industry trends.
To assess keyword search volume, you can utilize various keyword research tools that provide valuable insights into the average monthly search volume for given keywords.
By incorporating strategic keyword research into your SEO strategy, you can stay ahead of your competitors and continue attracting qualified website traffic.
Search volume is a key metric for keyword selection and content optimization efforts.
As search volume data can change over time, monitoring it regularly and adapting your keyword strategy is crucial.
