Is Google's Data for High Traffic Volume Keywords Unreliable?

[The Expert]

I just came across this article where the SEO company did some research trying to figure out why some of the company's they help promote are not seeing traffic figures when those clients' sites rank for a particular keyword that relates to the data served up by Google.

Article: How Accurate are Google AdWords Search Volumes? | Pear Analytics

The end determination in the article (I think) is that the data for high-volume keywords is inflated by google AND that the behavior of people who type in high-volume keyword phrases is atypical and results in the top three sites for those keywords not getting the types of traffic that would be expected based on typical estimates we hear about top sites earning.

Does anyone think these guys are right?

[Awesomo]

not sure if they are right but then I don't think Google Adwords search volumes are accurate, it's more of an estimate...

[The Expert]

I do take all of the values that Google provides with a grain of salt...but let's hope the "estimate" isn't off by...oh, say 50%.

[outwest]

Google inflating their figures? say it aint so

[yukon]

IMO they (link in OP) need to brush up on their keyword research.

They are trying to squeeze exact data out of global data in GKWT.

Global data is just that "Global", how can you expect to get an exact number even with a +/- percentage when you are only checking a single Google SERPs? They didn't test anything outside of their own country when testing.

If your ranking in a single country/SERP use [exact] + Local Monthly Searches in GKWT.

That whole blog post is just whacked, lol.

hxxp://www.google.ae
hxxp://www.google.com.af
hxxp://www.google.com.ag
hxxp://www.google.off.ai
hxxp://www.google.am
hxxp://www.google.com.ar
hxxp://www.google.as
hxxp://www.google.at
hxxp://www.google.com.au
hxxp://www.google.az
hxxp://www.google.ba
hxxp://www.google.com.bd
hxxp://www.google.be
hxxp://www.google.bg
hxxp://www.google.com.bh
hxxp://www.google.bi
hxxp://www.google.com.bo
hxxp://www.google.com.br
hxxp://www.google.bs
hxxp://www.google.co.bw
hxxp://www.google.com.bz
hxxp://www.google.ca
hxxp://www.google.cd
hxxp://www.google.cg
hxxp://www.google.ch
hxxp://www.google.ci
hxxp://www.google.co.ck
hxxp://www.google.cl
hxxp://www.google.cn
hxxp://www.google.com.co
hxxp://www.google.co.cr
hxxp://www.google.com.cu
hxxp://www.google.cz
hxxp://www.google.de
hxxp://www.google.dj
hxxp://www.google.dk
hxxp://www.google.dm
hxxp://www.google.com.do
hxxp://www.google.com.ec
hxxp://www.google.ee
hxxp://www.google.com.eg
hxxp://www.google.es
hxxp://www.google.com.et
hxxp://www.google.fi
hxxp://www.google.com.fj
hxxp://www.google.fm
hxxp://www.google.fr
hxxp://www.google.ge
hxxp://www.google.gg
hxxp://www.google.com.gi
hxxp://www.google.gl
hxxp://www.google.gm
hxxp://www.google.gr
hxxp://www.google.com.gt
hxxp://www.google.gy
hxxp://www.google.com.hk
hxxp://www.google.hn
hxxp://www.google.hr
hxxp://www.google.ht
hxxp://www.google.hu
hxxp://www.google.co.id
hxxp://www.google.ie
hxxp://www.google.co.il
hxxp://www.google.co.im
hxxp://www.google.co.in
hxxp://www.google.is
hxxp://www.google.it
hxxp://www.google.co.je
hxxp://www.google.com.jm
hxxp://www.google.jo
hxxp://www.google.co.jp
hxxp://www.google.co.ke
hxxp://www.google.kg
hxxp://www.google.co.kr
hxxp://www.google.kz
hxxp://www.google.li
hxxp://www.google.lk
hxxp://www.google.co.ls
hxxp://www.google.lt
hxxp://www.google.lu
hxxp://www.google.lv
hxxp://www.google.com.ly
hxxp://www.google.co.ma
hxxp://www.google.md
hxxp://www.google.mn
hxxp://www.google.ms
hxxp://www.google.com.mt
hxxp://www.google.mu
hxxp://www.google.mw
hxxp://www.google.com.mx
hxxp://www.google.com.my
hxxp://www.google.com.na
hxxp://www.google.com.nf
hxxp://www.google.com.ng
hxxp://www.google.com.ni
hxxp://www.google.nl
hxxp://www.google.no
hxxp://www.google.com.np
hxxp://www.google.nr
hxxp://www.google.nu
hxxp://www.google.co.nz
hxxp://www.google.com.om
hxxp://www.google.com.pa
hxxp://www.google.com.pe
hxxp://www.google.com.ph
hxxp://www.google.com.pk
hxxp://www.google.pl
hxxp://www.google.pn
hxxp://www.google.com.pr
hxxp://www.google.pt
hxxp://www.google.com.py
hxxp://www.google.com.qa
hxxp://www.google.ro
hxxp://www.google.ru
hxxp://www.google.rw
hxxp://www.google.com.sa
hxxp://www.google.com.sb
hxxp://www.google.sc
hxxp://www.google.se
hxxp://www.google.com.sg
hxxp://www.google.sh
hxxp://www.google.si
hxxp://www.google.sk
hxxp://www.google.sn
hxxp://www.google.sm
hxxp://www.google.com.sv
hxxp://www.google.co.th
hxxp://www.google.com.tj
hxxp://www.google.tm
hxxp://www.google.to
hxxp://www.google.tp
hxxp://www.google.com.tr
hxxp://www.google.tt
hxxp://www.google.com.tw
hxxp://www.google.com.ua
hxxp://www.google.co.ug
hxxp://www.google.co.uk
hxxp://www.google.com.uy
hxxp://www.google.co.uz
hxxp://www.google.com.vc
hxxp://www.google.co.ve
hxxp://www.google.vg
hxxp://www.google.co.vi
hxxp://www.google.com.vn
hxxp://www.google.vu
hxxp://www.google.ws
hxxp://www.google.co.za
hxxp://www.google.co.zm

[RBenson]

The search data is a joke. One keyword phrase shows just 12 searches a month globally. I make a full time income off just that one keyword.

Nowhere near accurate. I gave up on it a long time ago. Good for finding keywords but the search volume data is so far out.