Google Keyword Tool Numbers Changed DRASTICALLY?!

by 103 replies
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A few weeks ago, I had some keywords in the google keyword tool that were getting massive numbers in search volume. I advised a client of my to by the dead-on .com domain names for a couple of these.

For example:
---On keyword 1 it was 800,000+ global searches/month.
---On keyword 2 it was 600,000+ global searches/month.
---On keyword 3 it was 250,000+ global searches/month.

Granted, these were broad search results (not "exact" or "phrase").

Now, out of nowhere, the numbers are (still "broad", still "global"):

---Keyword 1 has dropped to 2,400/month.
---Keyword 2 has dropped to 880/month
---Keyword 3 has dropped to 27,100/month

The numbers on keyword 1 and 3 even changed from this morning to this afternoon.

The kicker? When you check the past months search volume, google ALSO has changed their historical search numbers. I have excel spread sheets with the old numbers from just a few weeks ago. The 'new' numbers the keyword tool is putting out are down by a RIDICULOUS amount.

Does anyone have ANY idea what is going on with this?

Is google figuring out how to filter out non-human search volume and these new numbers are real human searches only?

Has anybody else ever seen this happen with a keyword? I'm not talking about seasonal fluctuations. I'm saying it's like the old numbers never even existed!

PLEASE HELP.

Josh
#search engine optimization #changed #drastically #google #keyword #numbers #tool
  • are you sure there was no misspelling? sure that no other filters had been inadvertently selected?
    • [1] reply
    • I'm absolutely positive. I've checked this from every angle I can. I've involved my business partner.

      I'm at a total loss, frankly.
  • i seen some time
    • [1] reply
    • Glad to hear at least I'm not alone in having this happen.

      Any other input out there?
  • OMG this is great news!

    It seems the numbers are finally accurate!!!

    GO GOOGLE!

    I have verified some search numbers against sites top for positions and it does work out, it never did before!!!

    E.G. Before 'mp3 player accessories' was down as like 300k monthly EXACT searches, I got a site top and nothing!!! Hardly any traffic, check the figures now and the term gets barely 2k searches a month. This ties up to what I experienced being at no.2 for a while!

    Thanks for bringing this to our attention!

    Finally Google may be publishing deadly accurate numbers!!

    Way to go Google!!!!!!!!!!!!
    • [3] replies
    • Thanks for your reply, Adam.

      I was wondering if this actually represented a shift in google to more accurate, reliable data. Perhaps they have learned to filter out automated queries that inflate their search volume?

      I also think this might have serious implications for their PPC revenue, causing it to drop significantly for a lot of terms.

      Also, what does this say about Google's market share in search? Does this mean Bing and Yahoo, etc are doing better than we thought?
      • [1] reply
    • ????? Why would you give kudos to Google for putting out GROSSLY INACCURATE BS information for so long - information that many people have trusted and placed good hard eanred $$ on???

      Take in to account all of the other shenanigans like disabled PPC accounts and now this?

      Google sucks. I hope they are eventually buried and gone.
      • [1] reply
    • I agree with your observation that the numbers are now more accurate, which is great news indeed!

      Chris-


  • I've just noticed the exact same thing, and created a thread at http://www.warriorforum.com/adsense-...t-samurai.html before noticing this thread that you created.

    I've only checked a couple of my sites, but the keyword estimate for them has now slumped DRASTICALLY. Maybe this is a good thing after all, as although it seems i've been wasting my time on these sites, as they hardly had much traffic when i finally got them into the top 3 on google, and the new data in google's tool seems to back this up, at least in going forward i'll be able to rely on accurate data from google for new sites in the future
  • This sucks!!! I'm developing a website with 600k exact keyword searches ( this was in adwords 2 weeks ago ) and now its like 3000. How can this be???
  • There certainly seems to be a major shift in the amount of traffic that they are reporting now which is good.
  • I've had a competitor's backlinks go from 2 to 650 this week.
    • [1] reply
    • This is a thread about the Google Keyword Tool, right?:rolleyes:
      • [1] reply
  • Banned
    [DELETED]
    • [1] reply
    • This could be a good thing. But it also makes you wonder whats going on behind Google.... I dunno this is defiantly a wave we must ride out!
  • I think this is that thing having to do with whether or not you are signed in to google for some reason. I think when you are signed in the numbers are way lower because it's based off adwords stats or soomething. this is just what' iv'e heard
  • I noticed yesterday that the numbers shown were about 10-20% what was being reported before. I checked against KW where I rank in the top 3 and the new data looks far more realistic.

    I wonder how this change will affect those following KW research methods that recommend particular search volumes (xfactor comes to mind)?
  • lol yeah saw all those funny statistics...
    • [1] reply
    • I've seen this too, but is it not because you're logged in to Google Adwords? That's the real downer - uncovering what you think are killer keywords in the Keyword Tool and then logging in to Adwords and seeing the same keyword numbers drop by 90%. I'm now basing my keyword research on these logged in numbers.

      EDIT: There you go, just checked the Keyword Tool (haven't been there for a week or so) and the numbers now match the Adwords logged in numbers. Looks like G has been making some big updates over the last few days...but at least the numbers are more realistic. Although my hot fave keyword dropped from 12000 searches to 590...
  • I think previous information was for July and current information you get on Google adwords, are for August and its the reason of difference on the amount of searches.
    Its my opinion.
    • [1] reply
    • So are you saying that 80% of the world took the month of August off?:confused:
      • [ 1 ] Thanks
      • [1] reply
  • I really do not know about the changes in numbers but the numbers displayed are not 100% accurate in most cases. They would tell you generally how popular some terms are over the net. I have examined some terms which were told to be used more than 15 thousand times a month by people but the No.1 site received only 50 clicks a day. The important thing is to know what words are to be chosen and forgetting about those digits shown.
  • From 100K to 260 only broad match
    From 50K to 36 only [exact match]

    I noticed it yesterday but my site is just jumped to #4th place on 1st page and got
    almost 500 hits yesterday. It's odd, this not seems to be VERY accurate, what happened
    to GAKT????
    • [1] reply
    • Good to see you notice this. This is something I noticed 3 days back. Not only that, if you go to the older API interface you would still see the older data (that is what I had seen yesterday). And these newer numbers look much more practical than the older ones.
      • [1] reply
  • Banned
    [DELETED]
  • Yup,

    that's why you use other tools to determine the true traffic

    SEOBOOK
    Semrush
    Market Samurai

    Han
    p.s. Google keyword has not been very actual...

    • [2] replies
    • maybe its the new kw tool?
    • Ah, I'm glad I found this thread as I was about to start another one because I've found these numbers down and just posted about it on the DP forum - my site is ranked #1 on google but i only get 5 clicks a day from google ? - Page 4 - The funny thing is that, for the keyword example on that thread Market Samurai still comes up with the old search figure so my question is...where does Market Samurai get it's data from?




      1 month ago exact [Bathroom Supplies] was 9900 global and 2900 local - MS today still says 91 local per day. Who is right?
      • [1] reply
  • They are changing thei algos it seems. This kind of things makes me less confident about google products.
    • [1] reply
    • I was about to post a similar thread.

      I've noticed that the "new" keyword tool gives different results that are much lower than the "legacy" keyword tool.

      Market Samurai's results match the legacy keyword tool results, so it may be a bug in the new "beta" tool.
      • [1] reply
  • Now THIS will change aspects of the whole game!
    • [1] reply
    • Something is weird about the tool right now.
      Yesterday I found keywords with 100,000 exact global searches and today when I checked it has 480 exact global searches!

      Until I checked that keyword phrase today I had decided that it was just a normal monthly fluctuation, however, now I think its BUGGY!!!

      DEcided to take the rest of the day off in Protest!!!

      Di
      • [1] reply
  • Well, Google actually has a set of accurate figures. Just that they display an estimated search/month.

    The real numbers can be obtained by exporting the results (from adwords keyword tools) in CSV file.

    Those numbers are the REAL number of searches/month. It's accurate because someone from Google told me
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
  • I thought it was a problem with my keyword tool until I found this thread! I used to check certain terms regually and I was targetting an exact match keyword with 90k, now I find out it only has 27k. The country specific totals don't seem to have changed so much it is the global that seems drastically different

    Do you think this is more or less accruate? has google made a statement about it?
  • It's all fixed I think, I can see the figure is just like before.
    • [1] reply
    • I still get the same low figures but now I see that it's the same figures as if you are logged into your adwords account so I think someone has linked to the wrong data or something and it will probably return to normal soon.

      The reason for the lower logged in figures could be explained here - Logged In/Out: Google Keyword Tool Gives Different Results
      • [1] reply
  • In reply to Fking ...

    Heck yeah! If someone with a google inside connection can help us out with some info, that would be fantastic. Frankly, though, I think we're going to be stuck making the best educated guess we can, and never hearing anything out of google.

    As for the degree of change ... I just want to repeat that I saw my top keyword for a major marketing campaign (one I have been paid 5 figures for) drop from over 800,000 searches to just over 1,000.
    • [2] replies
    • Should i trust Google Keyword Tool Beta or old Google Keyword Tool?
      • [1] reply
    • Oooo, will you rivise your fee by the same amount?
  • I think most Internet Marketers always understood the GKWT results were not accurate, and we always used them with a degree of relativity. In other words, we looked for a certain range of results. And a lot of us know, based on real world observation, certain results could be translated into a certain number of hits depending on search engine position.

    So now we need to find that new range that will fit into our current personal formula.

    If that search term that we thought was 50,000 local exact is really 5,000, or maybe more accurately stated, is now thought to be 5,000, it shouldn't really matter that much. What does matter is we need to figure out our new personal ranges, then it should be business as usual.
  • Damn this is so terrible. Old Keyword tool shows exact global vol at 8900 , and new keyword tool shows 1600.

    At one instance -- old keyword tool shows 1000 , where as new keyword tool 16000. what to believe. can someone really help
  • Unreal... Its good if the new data is more accurate, but we should all be seriously pissed at google for screwing up so bad and not even fessing up to it. If you think of the time and money invested collectively by all internet marketers, google has cost us hundreds of millions, if not a billions+!!

    I'd almost go as far to say its criminally negligent. The fact their service is free is irrelevant. They capitalize on PPC Ad revenue which has been drastically distorted/manipulated by them.

    Of course they will walk away from this scot free...
  • there is some useful input from the MS guys here as well:
    MS Results Vastly Differ From Google KW Tool
  • I was baffled by this at first! I have a site in position #1 in Google for a keyword that claimed to have 2500 searches per month but the traffic I was getting does not reflect this at all! Has anyone noticed a massive drop in the level of competition on the tool too? There is very low level of competition reported for quite high volume searches!
    • [1] reply
    • Exactly! In fact, many of the keywords I've searched in the last 7 days have a very low competition, and I haven't seen any keyword that has a full bar of competition; including the ones that had full bars just a couple of days before then! I actually contacted google about this and the drop in the number of searches, and their reply wasn't very helpful. I plan to contact them again and try to get a bit of info. But I think these new figures look much more realistic definitely.
  • you mean the bars that indicate the adwords competition? Why would they matter to you anyway? I guess your goal is organic listing, and organic competition should be the factor?
  • I just checked some of my keywords and I am really disappointed to see the numbers to be very low compared when I first made the keyword research. Anyway, as what they say, it is now more accurate so it's time to go back to the drawing board...
  • when you rank #1 at google, where do you rank at those search partners if at all?
    How exactly does it work?
  • OK friend.
    This is my latest finding:

    Keyword A:
    Old Keyword Tool = 2400
    New Keyword Tool = 2400
    SemRush, KW A = 4400
    Market Samurai = 4350

    Actual Data
    keyword A rank #1 and traffic = 50% of 4400 per month

    Keyword B:
    Old Keyword Tool = 5400
    New Keyword Tool = 480
    SemRush = 5400
    MS = 5430

    Actual Data:
    Keyword B Rank #1 = 50% of 480 per month.

    This is just my finding of two keywods listed. I have done a lot of research with more than 20 keywords with actual #1 ranking traffic results and the results is accurate based on NEW GOOGLE KEYWORD TOOL.

    *Market Samurai is based on OLD GKWT (*with latest MS updates)
    *Semrush is using OLD GKWT as well

    OMG.. It means.. I have lost more than 15 domains based on OLD GKWT searched. How about your finding?
    • [1] reply
    • Thanks, that's great data you are sharing
      Only one thing here, prolly a mistake, Since MS is based on the old GKT how yu've got it to show 4350 when the old tool shows 2400?


      Based on my personal observations and lots of reading around the forums, also the new tool seems to be much more accurate.
      • [2] replies
  • The Google Keyword Suggestion Tool is a free tool that gives you keyword suggestions. For instance, if you type in "widgets" it gives you other suggestions that contain the word widgets, based on searches people have done, such as dashboard widgets, weather widgets, free widgets, etc.
    I've always assumed that the suggestions are a full list taken from things people searched for in Google. So Google would show you every widgets keyword, up to a max number.
    But I just discovered that it's only a partial list even if the max number has not been reached.



    Don't assume the keyword tool is showing you everything that was searched for.

    It makes sense, sort of that the google keyword Tool numbers may changed drastically , But the might not be all the Time
    • [1] reply
    • We all know what Google Keyword Suggestion Tool is. The question is, why it's data has changed so drastically.
  • I think this comment taken from another site says it perfectly

    "Class action, anyone? How many of us have wasted our time and money trying to capture traffic that never actually existed? What is the opportunity cost of projects that have failed because Google intentionally mislead us? Ever wonder why some of your projects have failed? Perhaps it's because your audience was much lower than you thought, meanwhile, another similiar site gained the lead because Google made you waste your time. You could have been multi-millionaires if Google hadn't tricked you into advertising to people who never even existed."

    I have to say, Google really do deserve to be punished for what they've done.

    This, coupled with instant search, makes you think that they really, really want to mess up a lot of people's lives.
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
    • [1] reply
    • While, I don't like Instant search much and I did see a slight decline in traffic, it did go somewhere, so it's not like Google took that traffic away. Sure, some of it probably went to Adwords and others went to different search terms. However, that traffic still went somewhere, so there are some people winning through all of this.

      They aren't out to ruin lives. They are out to make a profit and as much of a profit as they can. Just like me and you.
  • I met personally with an SEO stud the other day who thinks this might also have to do with the way impressions are counted --- now that Google is doing the "google instant" results thing.

    I mean --- would you really want the keyword tool to count all those split second impressions as people type in their real search term?

    Obviously this doesn't explain it all. But it adds another piece to the puzzle...
    • [1] reply
    • that's not tha case for 2 reasons
      1. we have this issue from before google instant was announced, not to mention we have a year back of data
      2. google instant counts impression if the user stopped for more than 3 seconds, hit enter, or navigated via link
  • Sometimes the Google Keyword tools are not exact, they may be getting an update as many of the things in Google currently are
    • [1] reply
    • I've been going through some of the keywords I've been targeting, and I noticed something interesting.

      The commercial keywords seem to have dropped substantially, but more informational ones haven't dropped as much.

      Perhaps this has something to do with the "search partners" and how they were working on product pages.
  • this is confusing. where can you set exact matches in the new tool?
    • [1] reply
    • Set exact in the left menu
  • Just built my first site around keyword that was getting 60,500 ( local & extact ) according to the old interface.

    I check the new google keyword tool & it says 880 - Seriously what's happening here?

    I've spent alot of time & money on the site. I'm not happy.

    So what do we believe, old or new?
  • Have built over 200 sites...and you all are cranky over 1 ....DEAR GOD! I really hope somebody will come up with the right answers to this mistery.
    • [2] replies
    • I bought 40 domains relying on the data from old Google Keyword Tool, they were all like 30-40k per month. Now they are all like 800-1500.
    • There's a mystery?
  • Yeah, I completely agree - it's very unnerving to see these numbers bounce around like this. I think what's important is the relative numbers. That is, what keywords are higher than others. Then bid and test yourself with those keywords and adjust from there.




    • [1] reply
    • Why does everyone on this thread keep referring to exact matches? I thought most searchers search on broad matches (without the quotes or brackets). Therefore, I generally only look at the local broad matches. Is this is a mistake?
  • Maybe there's an update on some kind of a keyword tool that changed drastically or an update version of this method that reflects the google keyword tool.
    • [1] reply
    • One thing i dont understand is why the Market Samurai folks keep insisting this is affecting only small number of keywords, and they are still using data from the old API.
      It's obvious thsi data is flat out wrong, i'm hardly finding any keywords that even remotely match their data.
      Even google admitted it was affected by partners....

      Too bad for the otherwise wonderful tool.
      Please if someone is using it, send them a ticket as well, about this.
    • [DELETED]
  • Thanks for the info.

    Great food for thought.
  • I just checked a couple of my sites, but the key word now is an estimate of the fallen dramatically. Maybe this is a good thing, after all, because even if it seems I have wasted time on these sites, so just had a lot of traffic, when I finally got the top 3 in Google, and new information shows up on Google tool to support this
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