Don't trust google adwords keyword tool

[CDawson]

A prime example of why you can't rely on google adwords keyword tool? I'm currently ranked for a keyword getting 1,900,000 monthly searches per month. The keyword also has 50 million competiting sites, which doesn't really matter. I'm on the first page at the moment and have been for the last few days, around the 5th result on the first page. Oh, I guess I should mention that I haven't had a single search for the keyword.

[UMS]

I'm highly sceptical that you found a keyword with 1.9 million EXACT monthly searches a month.

Do you mind sharing the keyword?

[CDawson]

Originally Posted by UMS

I'm highly sceptical that you found a keyword is 1.9 million EXACT monthly searches a month.

Do you mind sharing the keyword?

I would but it was easy to rank for, lol.

[nebraska]

Which part aren't you trusting, the monthly search volume, or that you aren't getting any clicks?

[UMS]

Are you definitely using exact match results and not broad match? I've lost count of the number of times people think they have a great keyword with loads of searches only to get a very rude shock when they check the exact match figures.

[GoodnightSweetRatRace]

I'm also skeptical that you found a keyword with 1.9 million exact searches per month.

And not a single search? The keyword tool isn't 100% accurate but there's no way it be off by that much. Sometimes firefox and internet explorer can bring your website to the top if searched and clicked on enough.

[zSpecialist]

Chances are its a keyword in the board match range.

Its ok, since time & energy was already invested all you have to do is bring that to number one position if you can then find a exact match keyword for your next push.

Btw, the google keyword tools will never be 100% accurate all figures are just estimated based on their data.

Cheers = )

[CDawson]

I don't want to start a democracy, but I just find it weird and my research is accurate. I just wanted to point out that it is kind of weird.

[Gary J Martin]

I think his point is its not actually getting 1.9 million a month. That's just what the google tool was saying.

[alcymart]

Understanding Google is almost impossible guys, you all know that... I'm #1 on page 1 for my keyword on Yahoo and Bing.. #14 in Google with very little competition, and it does make me wonder at times how they compile all this. I was expecting #1 on page 1 in Google too, but everything I tried got me an equivalent or lower ranking, and top 10 competition have less backlinks than I do...Go figure especially since I optimized my main page for Google.

Bernard St-Pierre

[SerKur]

Did you use Exact or Broad Search?

[xxdksxx]

My first attempt at ranking for a keyword I thought was amazing was because I was searching "Broad" and not "Exact" easy to get excited about a keyword then find out it isn't what you thought. But then again you may have found one.

[Thojon]

Sounds like a broad match to me..
If you search for, my blanket is. wow 1million searches.
Check out if there is also 1million searches for my blanket is warm, my blanket is cosy, my blanket is stinky.. etc... Because if you were to search my blanket is stinky, there is no broad match for this.
do you think your domain could be used in a broader sentence which is something you do not have to offer or are ranking for?

[maame]

It really does sound you might be using broad search.

[MaverickUK]

There is no chance the tool is that far off. I think you made a mistake somewhere along the way, I'm afraid.

[BloggingPro]

1.9 MILLION searches is most likely a BROAD MATCH. Use the EXACT match and I bet that big number drops faster than my money in a casino.

[Carl Donovan]

One way or the other, this is a valuable lesson in not putting to much trust in any one tool. I always check my KWs in a few tools before investing anymore time in them.

[jdwhite]

Keyword tool accuracy aside...

I have had top 6 rankings on very competitive keywords -- and in the niche I was dealing with -- the top 1 or 2 just had so much brand loyalty and pulling power that they just drew the click-throughs like mad. In these cases, it was like you couldn't hang unless you out ranked them, period.

So we were left with rankings that SOUNDED good for the exact match search volume ... but the reality was that being 5th place did no more for us than being 15th.

It's quite possible that you (CDawson) just can't hang with the pulling power of the competitors just above you in the search. And I say that as someone who has experienced the same difficulty.

Josh

P.S. I have also seen wildly inaccurate keywords numbers in Google comparable to what you are mentioning ... then seen them "corrected" out of nowhere. It's sent exact match domain name prices crashing and everything... You have to have a close eye on your niche to catch these events, though.

[jdwhite]

Originally Posted by Carl Donovan

One way or the other, this is a valuable lesson in not putting to much trust in any one tool. I always check my KWs in a few tools before investing anymore time in them.

Good point.

There's also no substitute for subjective, human analysis by someone who actually knows what they are looking at ... I never trust software alone.

JOsh

[ProvenViral]

Did you forget to put in quotation for the keyword you are ranking for?

I honestly use market samurai - it's a much more powerful tool

[bilaldsa]

Google tool does give wrong results sometimes. Sometimes google keyword would say that a keyword has a very low competition while there are around a million websites competing for that keyword. This leads me to think how can I trust the total searches column!

[Vlad Romanov]

I think the mistake was on your part, for one i bet it isnt exact search, for two i bet you arent looking in google.com and for three i bet you are ranked 5th in some google.br or something like that which doesnt get close to that search volume.

[Wakunahum]

It could have been an fluke in the system. It might have helped to look at trends, compare with other keyword tools, or realize that the 1.9 million number was wrong when the competition looked easy to rank for.

[hashbury]

Originally Posted by bilaldsa

Google tool does give wrong results sometimes. Sometimes google keyword would say that a keyword has a very low competition while there are around a million websites competing for that keyword. This leads me to think how can I trust the total searches column!

The google keyword tool gives you the competition for a keyword in adwords not search results.

[BAcheson]

You sure this isn't personalization at work as the scenario you described sounds very unlikely. Add "&pws=0" to the end of your query...still 5th??

[high_plains_drifter]

Originally Posted by bilaldsa

Google tool does give wrong results sometimes. Sometimes google keyword would say that a keyword has a very low competition while there are around a million websites competing for that keyword. This leads me to think how can I trust the total searches column!

haha i made the same mistake when i started out too but its as hashbury pointed out

[MikeFriedman]

Originally Posted by CDawson

I would but it was easy to rank for, lol.

There are no keywords getting 1.9 million EXACT match searches that are easy to rank for.

[amiramin]

every tool has some errors, you will not found any keyword with 100% accuracy,
if the human is not 100% then how do think that his creation would be 100%.
Some error are always there

[bilaldsa]

Originally Posted by high_plains_drifter

haha i made the same mistake when i started out too but its as hashbury pointed out

Originally Posted by hashbury

The google keyword tool gives you the competition for a keyword in adwords not search results.

Okay now that explains alot of stuff!
Thanks guys

[razorhound]

It sounds like a broad match to me. I can hardly find anything over 300k exact search within the make money, weight loss, insurance niche.