Google Keyword Monthly Sales Figure...an average or individual month basis?

[phil.wheatley]

Hi Warrior and Warrioresses

You know in the Google Keyword tool, it has "Global Monthly Searches" for your term, is that the actual search amount for each individual month or is it looking at the searches for the whole year and then dividing it by 12 months? The reason I ask is I found a term which says gets about 40,000 searches a month, but google trends shows it's low but had two huge spikes throughout the year...which I'm thinking could have distorted the monthly search figure.

Any ideas?

Thanks
Phil