Google Keyword Search Volume – It Matters For SEO
If you’ve ever had to write content for your website, then you may already know that keyword search volume is a critical component for ranking your webpage on search engines.
You want to drive as much organic traffic to your site as possible, so using the keywords with the highest search volume should do that right?
Yes and no…
While search volume is a key factor in ranking your page for SEO, it’s not the be-all and end-all for getting customers to click on your link.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to use search volume to your advantage so you can drive even more traffic to your website starting today.
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Contents
What Is Search Volume?
Search volume is the amount or quantity of internet searches that are expected for any given keyword.
Search volume is typically measured by how many searches occur within a distinct timeframe (usually a month) for a particular keyword.
Marketers use search volume data to see how much traffic a specific keyword drives to websites over time.
Seasonality can affect search volume, causing some keywords to have a lower volume at certain times of the year.
For example, most people aren’t searching for a tropical vacation in the middle of July, so travel agencies may focus their SEO (search engine optimization) efforts on directing traffic towards pages that appeal to seasonal vacationers.
Another search term is “evergreen,” which describes keywords that have no seasonality, and their search volume remains constant throughout the year.
No matter what you’re writing about, using a keyword search volume tool will improve your chances of driving more traffic to your website.
You can use any search volume tool, like Google’s tool before writing to give you the best advantage over competing websites.
Search Volume Google
It’s no secret that Google is the chosen search engine for the majority of internet users. With a worldwide market share of almost 88%, Google dominates the web.
So, just how does Google rank a website, and what can you do to improve your chances of being found among more than 1.5 billion websites on the internet today?
First, you have to understand a little bit about the way Google’s ranking systems work, and that can be tricky because it’s always changing.
However, based on research and trends we can get a pretty good idea of what they are looking for, and therefore how to write content with SEO in mind.
Google uses a whole series of algorithms to give you the most helpful information available.
These search algorithms consider many factors, such as:
- The wording of your query
- The relevance of the pages
- The expertise of sources (high authority backlinks)
- Your location
- Your settings
Using a search volume tool is the first step to writing content that Google will recognize as relevant and useful.
We’ll dive deeper into the best search volume tools a little further into the guide, but first let’s look at keywords and why they matter to Google.
With Google Search Volume: Choosing The Right Keyword Matters
You want to connect potential visitors with your site, specifically, but how do you do this?
Keywords for SEO.
What are keywords, exactly?
Keywords for SEO can range from a single word to a complex question. Ultimately, keywords act as a direct pipeline connecting your target audience to your website.
People turn to the internet for almost everything these days, and their searches are creating the keywords you want to have in your content.
If you write a piece of content for your website and don’t consider what keywords your target clientele would be using to search, then you’re missing out on the potential for new traffic to your site.
But how do you know exactly which keywords to use for SEO?
First things first, you need to understand your target audience and what questions they may have about your product, service, or information. From here you can develop your own set of phrases and words that best describe what you’re offering.
Next, you want to learn how your website is ranking for keywords by using a keyword ranking tool, such as:
- Ahrefs
- Ubersuggest
- SEMrush
- Keywords Everywhere
Using these tools, you’ll be able to expand the list of keywords for SEO on your website and watch the traffic start rolling in.
Once Google has had the opportunity to react to your newly optimized website, go back, and do it again. There’s always room for improvement.
OR…
Instead of spending hours (or days) doing keyword research and getting frustrated, Portland SEO Growth can help.
Portland SEO Growth services Portland-based businesses and businesses across the United States. Click here to learn more.
How Understanding Search Volume Can Benefit Your Business
We live in the age of information where people can find a solution to any problem within seconds using the internet.
This has made it possible for businesses to cut out traditional means of advertising and create websites that are designed for SEO.
Let’s say for example, that you own an HVAC company, and summer is quickly approaching. You know that customers are going to be searching for new air conditioners, so you want to optimize your website to match the intent of the searcher.
Ultimately, you want customers to choose your top model, so you’ve decided to write an informative piece to try and nudge them toward a purchase.
Knowing which keywords are ranking the highest is important if you want your page to rank anywhere near the pages of your competitors on Google.
You need to know how to find the keyword search volume, and you need to know what your potential customers may be typing in their search bar.
Using one of the keyword search volume checker tools we listed above, as well as using what you now know about Google’s search algorithms, you’ll be able to successfully add keywords to your content that will be recognized by Google.
The result?
Your website’s ranking will improve resulting in more customers seeing your products.
Search Volume For Beginners: How To Get Started
Now that you understand a little more about keyword research and search volume, let’s get you started with your own website.
Search volume is important, but if you focus on the numbers alone then you’ll be missing some key components that will help your website to rank for SEO.
Some components to consider are:
- Keyword difficulty – This tells us the level of competition for any keyword. If the difficulty level is high, that means that there are MANY competing websites using that keyword, so you will have to focus on other ways to have your site stand out.
If you’re using a free keyword search volume tool then you may miss out on this metric.
- Keyword relevancy – A simple way to check if the keyword you’re using is relevant to your content is to run a search of that keyword. If the top ranking websites are similar to yours, then you should add that keyword to your content.
Pro Tip: You want to avoid “keyword stuffing”, which is considered web spam and is picked up by Google’s algorithms.
Keyword stuffing is adding keywords to your content that appear unnaturally in lists, or out of context, and can harm your website’s ranking.
Regardless of the search volume, all keywords should flow organically with the script or content of your page.
Or maybe there’s an easier way.
You can save yourself the headache of hours, or even days, of keyword research, and let Portland SEO Growth do the work for you.
5 Search Volume Tools To Take Your Content Reach To The Next Level
Keyword search volume has quickly become the cornerstone of developing any website.
As a result, there are multiple search volume tools available for free, or by subscription, that can be used to optimize your website.
We’ve chosen five of the top tools to help you make an informed decision for your business and website needs.
Search Volume Tool #1: SEMrush
One of the more popular choices, SEMrush is an online visibility management tool that offers users a basic version for free or the choice between a monthly or yearly subscription for their full-service tool.
The main features of this platform are:
- Keyword research
- Comparative competitive intelligence
- Competitor analysis
- Identifies new keyword opportunities
- Tracks your rankings
- And more
SEMrush is widely recognized as one of the top keyword search volume tools and is used by over 5 million marketers worldwide, including Portland SEO Growth.
Search Volume Tool #2: Ahrefs
Another popular search volume tool is Ahrefs, which offers a free backlink checker as well as a variety of custom monthly and yearly plans.
Some of the features you can expect, depending on the plan you choose, are:
- Keyword research
- Competitive analysis
- Backlink research
- Rank tracking
- Content research
- And more
Ahrefs is most commonly known for backlink analysis, but many users enjoy the variety of other tools offered.
Search Volume Tool #3: Ubersuggest
Ubersuggest is a favorite among users looking for a free keyword discovery tool.
But, with a paid monthly or annual subscription, you’ll also have access to:
- Rank tracking
- Search volume
- Site audit
- Keyword research
- Competitive analysis
- Backlinks
They offer a 7-day free trial, so if you’re not sure what you’re looking for in a keyword search volume tool, this could be a good place to start.
Search Volume Tool #4: Keywords Everywhere
Keywords Everywhere is a browser add-on for Chrome or Firefox. In order to use the tool, you pay for credits that you cash in for information about keywords.
Once you’ve added the extension, Keywords Everywhere shows data for multiple websites, such as:
- Monthly search volume
- Cost per click
- Competition data
- Related keywords
This tool allows you to see all the relevant search volume data for any keyword list in real-time.
Search Volume Tool #5: Google Trends
Although it’s not a traditional search volume tool, Google Trends analyzes top Google search queries to compare the search volume over time.
What’s also interesting about Google Trends, is the comparison tool, which allows you to enter multiple keywords and compare the search volume over multiple timeframes.
It’s free to use but limited in its capabilities for anyone serious about search volume for SEO.
It Can’t Stop At Search Volume: 3 Additional Ways To Rank Higher
Search volume carries a lot of weight when it comes to ranking for SEO, but it’s not everything.
Google’s algorithms are complex, and while search volume is important, there’s more to those keywords than the number of people typing them into their search bar.
Keyword Difficulty
Using a keyword search volume tool like SEMrush allows you to get an idea of how difficult it will be to rank for the keywords you choose.
But why is this important?
Say, for example, that you’re a bicycle retailer in Portland, and you want to stand out against your local competition.
You decide to go through your website and update your content based on what you’ve learned about search volume, starting with the webpage of your biggest seller—mountain bikes.
But, if the top keywords are “best mountain bikes” or “best mountain bike brands”, then you simply won’t outweigh the national brands and retailers using just these keywords alone.
Search Volume Potential
When using a tool like SEMrush you can see your potential return on investment for any given keyword.
Let’s use “best mountain bike brands” for example.
The top-ranking website on Google gets nearly 6000 organic visitors to their site every month because they’ve organically added this keyword to their website content.
In SEMrush we can see the traffic cost, which is the average estimated monthly cost to rank for organic keywords in Google Adwords.
By adding this keyword to its content, the top-ranking company’s ROI could potentially be around $4500/month in advertising costs.
As you can see, the potential for the keyword is just as valuable as the keyword itself.
Related Keywords
Search volume tools like SEMrush allow you to generate a list of related keywords to add to the content.
This helps Google’s algorithm rank it higher.
Instead of “best mountain bikes”, or “best mountain bike brands” as your focus, you can add to your content based on the related keywords found by your tool.
While “best mountain bikes” shows almost 10,000 searches per month, there are more than 14,000 related keywords that can be used to help you rank higher, and diversify your content.
Search Volume – When To Bring In The Heavy Hitters
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