Can somebody please explain keyword research to me?!

7 replies
I just can't quite get my head around this.

I'm using the google keyword research tool. I find a phrase that has 4,100,000 searches, and 4,100 competing sites (when i search on google using the phrase in inverted commas).

I then use change from "broad" to "exact" on the keyword research tool, which shows only 320 searches for the same phrase.

Can somebody please explain why/how this work? "Broad" always shows tons of searches, but "exact" shows far less.

Please forgive my ignorance in this area of IM. Thanks for your help.
#explain #keyword #research
  • Profile picture of the author Tsnyder
    The difference is in the definition of the words.

    Exact means they had to type in those exact words.
    Broad means those words were included but were not
    the exact words typed.

    For example...

    When I'm doing keyword research for local businesses
    I include the name of the city... "Cedar Rapids Dentist"
    because I want to know how many people are searching
    for a dentist in Cedar Rapids.

    A broad search might also include people who type in
    Cedar Rapids cosmetic dentistry or Cedar Rapids Dental
    Supplies.

    Even broader would be people who typed in Cosmetic Dentist
    but not the name of a city.

    Tsnyder
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    If you knew what I know you'd be doing what I do...
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  • Profile picture of the author warner444
    In the Adwords keyword tool "exact" means the number of searches when only that word of phrase is typed in by itself and with no other words - like [blue nike shoe]

    "broad" match means the phrase typed in any combination - like blue nike shoe could also return a result on "I felt blue because I got a rock in my nike shoe"

    Then there is "phrase" match which means it would be in the same order "blue nike shoe" but it coule be with additional words like- I threw a blue nike shoe at the president...
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  • Profile picture of the author mookinman
    Thanks, guys. So, basically it looks like it'd be a waste of time building a site around the keyword phrase i found! 320 searches per month... bah
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    • Profile picture of the author Kevin Riley
      Originally Posted by mookinman View Post

      Thanks, guys. So, basically it looks like it'd be a waste of time building a site around the keyword phrase i found! 320 searches per month... bah

      Don't be led by numbers. It's the keyword phrase that is most important. Will it lead to a sale? If you only have 320/mth but get 10% conversion, it's better than 10,000/mth at 0.1% conversion because it's poorly targeted.
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      Kevin Riley, long-time Warrior living in Osaka, Japan

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  • Profile picture of the author Successpass
    Humbug! lol
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  • Profile picture of the author racso316
    great responses guys. this helps me too. since im a real noob
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    • Profile picture of the author youngnbold
      Keywords can get to be really freakin frustrating... right when I think I understand it all, something else happens and i'm clueless again.
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