How To Find Monthly Keyword Search Volume: A Comprehensive Guide

Intro

Understanding keyword search volume tells you if certain keywords are worth going after.

It’s a must for effective keyword research and SEO content strategy planning.

In this comprehensive guide, I’ll tell you everything you need about monthly keyword search volume.

You’ll learn:

What it is
Why it's important
How it is calculated
How to find it using various tools

I'll also provide insights on what constitutes a good monthly search volume and the reliability of search volume data.

Sounds good?

Let’s get it.

What Is Keyword Search Volume?

Keyword search volume refers to the number of times a specific keyword or phrase is searched for within a given timeframe. It is an important metric in SEO, helping to determine keyword popularity and demand.

It can vary based on:

Location
Language
Time period
Seasonality

But monthly keyword search volume…

Well, it’s for the month. It’s not rocket science.

Why Is Monthly Keyword Search Volume Important?

Monthly keyword search volume isn’t some magic metric…

But it's important because it helps:

Gauge popularity
Identify high-volume keywords
Prioritize efforts
Assess competition
With KOB Analysis

This data allows you to drive more organic traffic and make informed decisions about targeting specific keywords. This is the main reason why SEOs use keyword research tools rather than simply relying on Google’s data. When seeking optimal strategies to propel your startup forward, consider the benefits of collaborating with a specialized digital marketing agency for startups.

But why monthly over daily, quarterly, semi-yearly, or yearly search volumes?

Great question.

Here are some reasons why:

Seasonality: Analyzing the search volume data can provide insights into seasonal patterns and changes in keyword popularity. This information enables you to adjust your online content and marketing strategies, ensuring that you stay current with the fluctuations in user behavior. Other time frames might need to accurately capture these variations making monthly analysis crucial for effective decision-making.
Consistency: When conducting keyword research, it is helpful to rely on search volume as a reliable and easy-to-compare metric. Daily search volumes can fluctuate greatly due to short-term events, and quarterly, semi-yearly or yearly search volumes may offer little detail needed for analysis.
Timeliness: The search volume data is usually more current than longer timeframes. This lets you stay updated on keyword trends and adjust your strategy accordingly.

A perfect example is searching for a roofer near me. You will be able to see the search volume for that keyword and if it is worth targeting

How is Monthly Keyword Search Volume Calculated?

Monthly keyword search volume is calculated using two primary methods:

Google's data
Clickstream data

SEO sites like Ahrefs rely on Google's Keyword Planner data, which estimates the number of times a keyword is queried per month based on Google's data for all locations and language settings.

But has some limitations, such as being broad estimates, aggregated, rounded off, and having a time lag.

That’s why they supplement it with Clickstream data to provide more accurate and up-to-date search volume estimates.

It’s another method used to calculate search volume.

It involves collecting data from users' browsing behavior, including the search queries they enter. Some SEO tools use Clickstream data to provide more accurate and up-to-date search volume estimates.

However, this method can be more expensive and may not be as widely used as Google's data.

How Does Google Calculate Monthly Search Volume?

Google calculates search volume using its own data from the Keyword Planner tool. The search volume displayed in the tool represents Google's estimate of the number of times a keyword is queried per month based on all locations and language settings

The Keyword Planner tool reports the average search volume, which is the average of the last 12 months of search volume.

You don’t want to start any project without data insights. Say you are working with a massage therapist located in Rosebud, you would want to understand the search volume. Find data on customers looking for a massage in Rosebud is crucial to your success.

How Do Keyword Research Tools Calculate Monthly Search Volume?

Keyword research tools, such as Ranktracker calculate search volume using a combination of Google's data and their own algorithms or additional data sources, such as Clickstream data.

These tools aim to provide more accurate and granular search volume estimates to help users decide which keywords to target in their content and SEO strategy.

It's important to note that the monthly search volume is an estimate and will vary on different tools.

How To Find Monthly Keyword Search Volume?

To find monthly keyword search volume, utilize Google’s keyword research tools or Ranktracker.

Enter your targeted keyword into the tool to find its search volume.

Here are the various ways to find it.

1. Using Ranktracker Keyword Finder

Ranktracker Keyword Finder is a powerful tool that allows you to easily discover the monthly search volume for specific keywords.

All you need to do is enter your target keyword, and the monthly search volume will be shown in one of the columns.

For example, I enter “how to do keyword research,” and bam!

You get all the monthly search volume for that query and even secondary keywords.

It even gives you other metrics like:

Keyword difficultly
Trend (for the past 12 months)
CPC and PPC

This is the main reason why SEOs use keyword research tools rather than simply relying on Google’s data.

No one looks at search volume in a vacuum.

You need not only accurate and up-to-date data but other metrics as well.

Only then can you gain valuable insights into the popularity of keywords and optimize your SEO strategy accordingly.

By making data-driven decisions with Ranktracker Keyword Finder, you can significantly improve your visibility in search engine results.

2. Using Google Trends

Google Trends is a free tool that gives us insights into how often specific keywords are searched for.

It allows us to compare the search volume of keywords over time.

You can filter via:

Location
Time period
Category
Google service

The tool assigns a score from 0 to 100, which represents the search frequency of a topic compared to all searches over time.

While it doesn't provide exact search volume data, it can give you an idea of the keyword's relative popularity.

You can even automate your Google Trends workflow by sending notifications to your favorite platforms.

But you can roughly figure out that if it’s trending up, it’s highly like there’s decent search volume.

3. Using Google Keyword Planner

Google Keyword Planner is another useful and FREE tool that allows you to find out how often certain keywords are searched for each month.

I know you got bamboozled with Google trends…

But I promise Google Keyword planner does show search volume.

First, create a Google Ads account… it’s free.

(it’s free…)

Then click “tools and setting”.

You should be able to see “Keyword Planner” under the “Planning” tab.

Next, click “Get search volume and forecast.”

Enter your desired keyword into the field and click “Get started.”

Note: You can analyze more than one by entering more keywords on a new line or uploading a CSV file.

The results will show information on:

Average monthly searches
Period percentage changes
Competition levels
Suggested bid amounts for keywords

And what did I tell you?

The keyword “AI tools” we searched for on Google Trends has 1,000 to 10,000 monthly searches.

Even though Google Trends doesn’t provide search volume…

You can be pretty confident it has some if it’s trending up.

One thing to note is… this is Ad data.

The competition metric indicates the bidding difficulty and not ranking.

But beggars can’t be choosers.

It’s a free tool, and you still get search volume data.

4. Using Google Search Console

Last up is Google search console.

While it’s also another free tool by Google, it does require you to have a website already.

Google Search Console provides valuable insights into the monthly search performance for specific keywords.

It shows metrics proxies for search volume like:

Impressions: The number of times your site appeared in search results for a particular keyword.
Clicks: The number of clicks you got from the search results.

By accessing the Performance report in Search Console, you can indirectly view the monthly popularity of keywords.

The data provided by Search Console is going to be way more accurate than simply relying on third-party tools.

It’s from Google. Need I say more?

You should utilize all these tool to get a comprehensive view of the overall popularity of keywords.

Not just volume.

What Is a Good Monthly Search Volume?

A good monthly search volume varies depending on the keywords and industry. Generally, a higher search volume suggests more potential traffic and interest. However, it is essential to consider competition and relevance. Aim for moderate to high search volume keywords that align with your target audience and goals.

How Reliable is Search Volume Data?

Search volume data can provide insights into keyword popularity, but it's important to remember that it's not always 100% accurate. Factors like location, search history, and personalization can affect the numbers. It's best to use search volume data as a guide rather than relying solely on it for decision-making.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Reliable is Search Volume Data?

Search volume data can offer valuable insights into keyword popularity and demand. However, it's important to remember that search volume data isn't always 100% accurate. Factors like seasonality and location can influence search volumes. It's best to use this data as a general guide rather than an absolute measure. If you want to know more about keywords and SEO in general, check out this page: https://seopurposes.com/seo-for-dummies/.

How Can I Compare Search Volume by a Period of Time?

To compare search volume over a specific period, utilize keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner or SEMrush. Enter your desired keywords and choose the timeframe for analysis. Compare search volume data across different time periods to identify trends and fluctuations. Consider factors like seasonality, industry trends, or marketing campaigns that may impact search volume changes. Selecting the ideal keywords will make or break the lawyer SEO campaign.

Conclusion

So we have established that there are many ways to find monthly search volume data.

Both free and paid methods.

These include using:

Ranktracker Keyword Finder
Google Trends
Google Keyword Planner
Google Search Console

Understanding the monthly search volume of keywords is crucial for successful SEO strategies.

It helps you identify popular and relevant keywords to drive organic traffic to your website.

However, it's important to note that search volume data may only sometimes be reliable due to various factors such as seasonality, location, and user behavior.

Therefore, it's essential to use search volume data as a guideline rather than an absolute measure.

By leveraging these tools and techniques, you can gain valuable insights into the search habits of your target audience and optimize your content accordingly. The author is pointing out with the help of an AI essay writer https://eduwriter.ai/ that knowing about the keyword search volumes is one of the most important factors of SEO. It outlines the role of monthly search volume (MSV) and its determination as well as those factors that could affect this variable, e.g. location, language and seasonality.