How Accurate is Google's Keyword Tool

[manicmethods]

Basically, the traffic, on the Keyword tool... How accurate is it?

I am ranking in the top spot for a term that gets over 30,000 searches a month according to the Keyword tool but a VERY small percentage are coming to my site, even in that top spot.

So my question: How accurate is the traffic estimate on the Keyword Tool?

[Starfusion]

Are you sure when your researching the keyword that you have the "Exact" searches selected? not "broad"

Also google keyword tool is only a estimator - all google keyword tool is it takes last years figures for the whole year then divide them by 12 months coming up with x amount of searches per month.

I did some investigation when i found a keyword that had 2000 exact searches a month in google keyword tool, but that one keyword had 3500 unique visitors in one month alone.

So to base your exact figures on google keyword tool is not important. it's just an estimate!

[brightgravity]

its not accurate, lots of people will tell you this. I have never received the so called 38 - 42% which #1 is supposed to get (if you go off GKT figures)

[jonnyhardbaked]

That number of searches you see in Google Adwords is just an information "according" to Google.

Have you tried other keyword tools? Though in my experience, I don't personally believe in all keywords tool totally. Don't rely on numbers that you see from them. Remember that the more searches a keyword gets, the level of competition gets higher.

So just focus on techniques that will drive traffic to your site.

[outwest]

I would say the number is sometimes very accurate sometimes way off

[Johnno]

What is your site title and description like?
You need to write it so that it entices a searcher to click thru to your site.

Ranking in the top spot is one thing - getting the click is another.

[manicmethods]

Thanks a lot for all your responses. I know my title/description that appears in the SERPs is all good.

I know Google KW Tool isn't going to be perfect. Just wandered how accurate etc.

Thanks!

[ldfreeman]

We can give you all our "theories." But marketing comes down to testing.

Like the previous post said #1 page rank is suppose to get 38% of clicks and drops from there to #10 getting 2.2% and so on.

So using those #s what are you seeing from your search traffic?

Seems like you should be telling us your REAL results. Instead of us giving you our 2cents!

[MikeFriedman]

Are you sure you checked the EXACT searches in the keyword tool? There can be a big difference in the number.

[Dentist]

Such a simple explanation, I have been in SEO and brought websites with high competition to the first page of Google and still I didn't know it. I never saw "exact match" before this post. Google's default is on "broad match" which is highly misleading specially when it comes to keywords with high competition and the "exact match" which is almost accurate is on an almost invisible area in the left bar.
Answering your question, per my experience "broad match" is way off. You can export the keywords you like to an excel file and then you can check them on a monthly basis. You will see that those numbers are average and highly volatile depending on the month.

Originally Posted by Innow

Are you sure when your researching the keyword that you have the "Exact" searches selected? not "broad"

Also google keyword tool is only a estimator - all google keyword tool is it takes last years figures for the whole year then divide them by 12 months coming up with x amount of searches per month.

I did some investigation when i found a keyword that had 2000 exact searches a month in google keyword tool, but that one keyword had 3500 unique visitors in one month alone.

So to base your exact figures on google keyword tool is not important. it's just an estimate!

[MikeFriedman]

Originally Posted by Dentist

Answering your question, per my experience "broad match" is way off.

Actually, the broad match is pretty accurate for what it is. It is not telling you how many people search for a specific keyword. It is telling you how many times those keywords are searched for in any order and the search query could contain additional words.

In other words... If your keyword is blue widgets...

blue widgets
where to buy blue widgets
the best blue widgets
what if my widgets turned blue
should I buy widgets that are blue

All of those searches would contribute to the "blue widgets" broad match total.

[JakeSmithOZ]

google adwords keyword tool is good, in terms of providing data...its a matter of picking base on data and what would people type in their query

[Dentist]

That's true yet I was thinking of that as "exact match" before this post. Lol! I was always confused why my results are different from the numbers in keyword tool. What can I say... Happy that I learnt it but I wanted to hit my head to the wall at first for not knowing a basic principle like that after some experience in SEO...

Originally Posted by MikeFriedman

Actually, the broad match is pretty accurate for what it is. It is not telling you how many people search for a specific keyword. It is telling you how many times those keywords are searched for in any order and the search query could contain additional words.

In other words... If your keyword is blue widgets...

blue widgets
where to buy blue widgets
the best blue widgets
what if my widgets turned blue
should I buy widgets that are blue

All of those searches would contribute to the "blue widgets" broad match total.

[manicmethods]

Thanks for all the replies.

What the best way to get a list of searched terms related to my keyword. Like in your example of blue widgets. Is there a way Google Keyword Tool will give you a list of keywords containing your keyword, like a list of the terms that contain your broad search.

[mikest4u]

In My Opinion Google Keywords Tools Search Terms are Just Estimates not accurates!

[VinceLaw]

No one knows the truth except for Google. We can only take these numbers as estimates.

[Targeted Traffic]

Unfortunately, at times those numbers are notoriously out of whack. At best, I'd use them for a vague sense of the opportunity/difficulty and to cross-compare.

[mikeavery10]

All of search results are an estimation. Its never be accurate and calculated 100%. But we can think think that the results near about correct.

[dburk]

Originally Posted by brightgravity

its not accurate, lots of people will tell you this. I have never received the so called 38 - 42% which #1 is supposed to get (if you go off GKT figures)

Hi brightgravity,

Sorry, but you have been misled. The tool is nearly always accurate. You shouldn't believe folks when they quote those high percentage numbers, they are nowhere near the average CTR.

Originally Posted by mikest4u

In My Opinion Google Keywords Tools Search Terms are Just Estimates not accurates!

Hi mikest4u,

No, they are not estimates, it actually data from the previous 12 months' searches. And yes, they are generally very accurate. Perhaps you are mis reading the numbers, or don't understand what they represent.

Originally Posted by VinceLaw

No one knows the truth except for Google. We can only take these numbers as estimates.

Hi VinceLaw,

No, not estimates, but actual data.

Originally Posted by Targeted Traffic

Unfortunately, at times those numbers are notoriously out of whack. At best, I'd use them for a vague sense of the opportunity/difficulty and to cross-compare.

Hi Targeted,

I have seen the occasional data that seemed "out of whack". Those are likely data outliers, and not an indication of a problem with the tool.

Originally Posted by mikeavery10

All of search results are an estimation. Its never be accurate and calculated 100%. But we can think think that the results near about correct.

Hi mikeavery10,

It's not an estimate, it is actually data, however it does take a basic understanding of statistics to interpret the data for proper analysis.

[David Tan]

it's pretty accurate. most, if not all, software/tools/scripts that helps you do keyword research fetch their data from google keyword tool

[keven brown]

I don't think that it's accurate in any ways. often shows searched 3 times more than the actual volume. But it gives you some good info that can help you to choose the right keywords.