Google Serach - What am I missing?

[GlenH]

I think I’ve lost the plot today!!!

In the Google Search window (not Adwords Tool) I type:

golf club reviews (broad match) I get back 61,500, 000 competing page

Then I type:

“golf club reviews” (phrase match). I get back 82,200 competing pages

Then I type:

[golf club reviews] (exact match). I get back 61,500, 000 competing pages. Same as broad match.

If Google recognizes “Phrase Match” …why not [Exact Match]

What am I missing?

--Glen

[David Wolfman]

I get the same results on various keywords.

You've discovered google glitch!

[digitalproductreporter]

why would you care what the total results are?

1. They have nothing to do with competition

MYTH-BUSTER: Google Total Results is NOT "Competition" For A Keyword

2. They are "estimate" a "ballpark figure" and can even change: " when you click on the next page of search results, the total number of search results can change." That's not my opinion, that's what google says themselves.

How does Google calculate the number of results? - Webmasters/Site owners Help

Google total results are nonsense and so is any system using them imho

[David Wolfman]

Google total results are nonsense and so is any system using them imho

What other ways would you suggest to evaluate number of sites competing for a keyword?

[Scott Ames]

Here is what I think is happening:

golf club reviews and [golf club reviews] are the same in search, the brackets are ignored. There is such a thing as a phrase match operator "golf club reviews" but none for exact match in search.

Adwords however does use [ ] to qualify a hit.

Originally Posted by GlenH

I think I’ve lost the plot today!!!

In the Google Search window (not Adwords Tool) I type:

golf club reviews (broad match) I get back 61,500, 000 competing page

Then I type:

“golf club reviews” (phrase match). I get back 82,200 competing pages

Then I type:

[golf club reviews] (exact match). I get back 61,500, 000 competing pages. Same as broad match.

If Google recognizes “Phrase Match” …why not [Exact Match]

What am I missing?

--Glen

[GlenH]

Thanks Scott,

It does seem that the [exact match] is for Adwords only and not for general search

--Glen