When creating SEO content pages, it is crucial to pay attention to Google search volumes. By investigating search volumes, you can identify keywords that have high user interest. Creating pages with high-search-volume keywords can drive user traffic when your content ranks well in SEO.

Conversely, even if your content ranks high in SEO for keywords with no search volume, it will result in minimal user traffic and little to no search revenue.

This time, I will explain the overview of Google search volumes and effective keyword selection. To implement effective SEO strategies, it is important to know how to check search volumes and the appropriate contexts for their use.

What Are Google Search Volumes?

The number of times a keyword is displayed in Google’s search engine results is called the search volume. This metric, also known as search volume, is crucial when creating pages. The reason search volume is so important is that it indicates the level of user interest and engagement with a particular keyword.

The higher the search volume for a keyword, the greater the user interest. Recently, many free tools allow you to check search volumes simply by entering a keyword, making it easy for anyone to access this information.

Relationship Between Search Volume and SEO

Keywords with high search volumes indicate high user interest and engagement. Creating pages with these keywords can lead to increased user traffic when the content ranks well in SEO.

The following image shows Google’s Keyword Planner.

The term ‘SEO’ gets 49,500 monthly searches, ‘SEO tactics’ gets 27,100 monthly searches, and ‘What is SEO’ gets 22,000 monthly searches. These terms are considered as big keywords.

‘SEO consulting’ gets 1,300 monthly searches, ‘WordPress SEO’ gets 1,000 monthly searches, and ‘All in One SEO’ gets 3,600 monthly searches. These are categorized as middle keywords.

Then, terms like ‘SEO web’ with 140 monthly searches, ‘SEO SEM’ with 590 monthly searches, and ‘SEO 2021’ with 70 monthly searches are considered as small keywords.

SEO consultants strategize based on the search volume of these keywords, classifying them into big, middle, and small keywords.

Big keywords with high search volumes are highly competitive. Thus, merely creating a large number of thin content pages won’t likely rank well. It’s crucial to create pages that satisfy the high expectations of users.

Four Situations Where Search Volumes Should Be Utilized

To rank pages higher and increase search traffic to your website, it’s important to understand and effectively use search volumes. The following are key situations where search volumes can be beneficial in site management.

• 1.Keyword selection
• 2.Content creation
• 3.Monitoring traffic
• 4.Enhancing site awareness

Keyword Selection

The most crucial aspect of creating SEO content pages is keyword selection. If you choose the wrong keywords, your content won’t be searched for, and you won’t achieve any results. It is essential to select keywords with high search volumes and use them to create content.

If you can create quality pages using high-search-volume keywords, you can expect to rank higher and attract more traffic. For small-scale sites, it is recommended to choose long-tail keywords with less than 500 searches per month.

Content Creation

Search volumes are also useful when creating content to post on your site. Keywords with high search volumes indicate high user interest. This makes it easier to decide which suggested keywords and related keywords to include in your content.

Since competing sites also target high-search-volume keywords, merely creating content is not enough. To differentiate your site, you should also check the search volumes of suggested keywords and related keywords in addition to the main keyword.

Always understand what your readers (users) are looking for and provide relevant content.

Consider the keywords users might search for when looking for your content. Users well-versed in a topic might use different keywords in their search queries compared to those less familiar with the topic.

Reference: SEO Starter Guide: Basics | Google Search Central

Monitoring Traffic

When a keyword ranks high, you might want to know how much traffic it can generate. Search volumes are useful for this purpose. You can easily calculate page traffic using the formula: ‘monthly search volume × average click-through rate by search ranking.’

For example,

Suppose the keyword “SEO” has a monthly search volume of 49,500 and ranks 7th. If the click-through rate for the 7th position is 4%, then

49,500 × 4% = 1,980

This figure is for Google alone, so you would also add traffic from Yahoo! and Bing.

Click-through rates fluctuate daily, so the number of users is just an estimate. However, search volumes are undeniably helpful for keyword selection and content creation. Many cases have reported more traffic than expected, so considering traffic volume is crucial.

Site Awareness

Many site operators are curious about how many users are aware of or interested in their site. Search volumes can also help evaluate site awareness. This is known as branded search, which has become increasingly important in site management. By checking how often your site’s name is searched, you can gauge its recognition.

Google values expertise, authority, and trustworthiness when evaluating pages, so increasing branded searches is essential. Being recognized as an expert in a specific field will result in higher rankings for branded searches. Use search volumes to assess awareness and enhance your site management strategies.

How to Check Search Volumes Using Keyword Tools

Search volumes can be easily checked using keyword tools. Here is how to use keyword tools to check search volumes.

-Investigate the Main Keyword

-Identify Compound Keywords

-Research Search Volumes

-Investigate Related and Suggested Keywords

-Conduct Difficulty Analysis Before Creating Content

-Be Cautious of Trending Words and Seasonal Products

Investigate the Main Keyword

When creating SEO content pages, first investigate the main keywords related to your site. The main keyword serves as the core search query for your page, so it’s essential to choose it carefully. While it’s beneficial to have a keyword with high search volumes, selecting an irrelevant keyword can misalign your site’s focus. Choose a main keyword that stays true to your site’s core purpose.

Identify Compound Keywords

Identify compound keywords, which are combinations of multiple keywords. Although main keywords generally have higher search volumes, they also come with more competition, making it challenging to rank highly. 

For small-scale sites, it might be difficult to rank immediately even with quality content. Depending on the search volume of the main keyword, it may be better to create pages centered around compound keywords. Identifying compound keywords and implementing long-tail SEO strategies can be effective. Research what terms are included in compound keywords.

Research Search Volumes

Search volumes fall into three categories: big keywords, middle keywords, and small keywords. Understanding these categories is crucial when choosing keywords. The general guidelines for search volumes are as follows.

• Big Keywords (10,000+ searches)
• Middle Keywords (1,000–10,000 searches)
• Small Keywords (under 1,000 searches)

While keywords with high search volumes seem appealing, they also attract more competition. For small-scale sites, it can be challenging to rank highly quickly. In such cases, using small keywords may yield better results.

Investigate Related and Suggested Keywords

Research related and suggested keywords that should be included in your content. High search volume keywords indicate high user interest, making it easier to decide which related and suggested keywords to incorporate.

Conduct Difficulty Analysis Before Creating Content

When targeting highly searched big keywords, you might wonder how difficult it is to rank well. In fact, you can research the difficulty of ranking before creating your content pages. Knowing the difficulty in advance means you don’t have to waste unnecessary effort or time. Since the difficulty of ranking changes depending on the combination of keywords chosen, it’s wise to conduct this difficulty research beforehand.

Being Cautious of Trending Words and Seasonal Products

When dealing with high-search-volume keywords, be mindful of trending words and seasonal products. Search volumes can fluctuate significantly depending on the timing of your research, often influenced by trends. Just because a keyword has a high search volume doesn’t mean user interest will be consistent. It’s important to verify the trend status using tools when such keywords are involved.

Recommended article: What is Google Trends? Explaining its features and how to use them

Recommended Keyword Tools

To investigate Google search volumes, it’s best to use keyword tools. There are various keyword tools available, so understanding their features and selecting the right one is essential. Here are four recommended keyword tools for checking search volumes.

• Google Keyword Planner
• SEMrush
• Google Trends
• Ubersuggest

Google Keyword Planner

Google Keyword Planner is the official keyword tool provided by Google. It allows you to check monthly search volumes, related keywords, and cost-per-click data. Basic functions are available for free upon registration, but for more detailed information, you need to switch to a paid plan. 

Recommended Article: Understanding How to Use Google Keyword Planner

SEMRUSH

SEMRUSH is an all-in-one competitive analysis tool used worldwide. It enables various investigations and analyses related to site SEO. With over 10 million users globally and implementation in over 25% of companies in the United States, it is a highly reliable tool. Starting at $119.95 per month, it is ideal for those who want to conduct SEO research and analysis cost-effectively.

Google Trends

Google Trends is a tool that allows you to examine the search demand trends for keywords. It can check trending words and popular past keywords. No registration is required, and it is freely available to everyone. You can obtain real-time information from the database collected by the search engine. If you want to investigate trending words, use Google Trends.

Recommended Article: What is Google Trends? Functions and How to Use It

Ubersuggest

Ubersuggest is an SEO tool that allows for keyword research, site analysis, and backlink analysis. Although there are usage limits, it can be used for free and is beneficial for SEO measures. By subscribing to a paid plan, you can also use consulting functions such as site improvement advice. If you want to use functions that are useful for site management, consider using the paid plan of Ubersuggest.

-Don’t ignore user needs.

-Not necessarily high in clicks.

-Check the search result status.

Points to Consider When Using Search Volume for SEO

Considering search volume when selecting keywords and creating content is important. However, focusing solely on search volume may not yield the desired SEO effects. Here are some key points to consider when using search volume for SEO.

Do Not Ignore User Needs

High search volume keywords do not necessarily align with user interests or concerns. Focusing solely on search volume may result in pages that do not meet user intent. This will not increase user satisfaction, making it difficult to achieve higher rankings. While it is essential to understand search volume, it is equally important to create content that addresses user needs and ensures high satisfaction.

High Search Volume Does Not Always Mean High Clicks

Although high search volume indicates significant user interest, it does not always translate to clicks. This is known as the zero-click search phenomenon, where users find answers directly on the search results page without visiting any website. 

If zero-click searches increase, the page may not be clicked, leading to lower conversions. When creating content, consider the zero-click search phenomenon and choose keywords and create pages accordingly.

Check the Search Results Situation

Google’s search results now include visual information such as videos and images to enhance user convenience (usability). Users tend to click on the content that best resolves their queries, meaning that even if a page ranks high organically, users may click on more convenient images or videos. Therefore, it is crucial to check the search results situation and not just focus on search volume when selecting keywords and creating pages.

Summary

When managing a website, always keep track of keyword search volumes. Investigate how many users are interested in specific keywords, and use that data for keyword selection and page creation. Nowadays, there are many free tools available to check search volumes, making it easy for anyone to conduct this research. Utilize search volume data to implement effective SEO strategies and create valuable content.

Author Profile

Mr. Takeshi Amano, CEO of Admano Co., Ltd.

Mr. Takeshi Amano is a graduate of the Faculty of Law at Nihon University. With 12 years of experience working in the advertising agency industry, he discovered SEO and began his research during the early days of SEO. He self-taught and conducted experiments and verifications on over 100 websites. Using this expertise, he founded Admano Co., Ltd., which is currently in its 11th year of operation. Mr. Amano handles sales, SEO consulting, web analytics (holding the Google Analytics Individual Qualification certification), coding, and website development. The company has successfully managed SEO strategies for over 2000 websites to date.

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