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Search Volume: Definition, Role, and How to Analyze it

Last updated: Sep 15, 2022

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Definition of Search Volume

Search volume is the average number of searches for a keyword in a month. The larger the number it has, the more popular a keyword is. Therefore, keyword search volume is one indicator that you can use to determine target keywords.

You can find out the number of keyword search volumes by using a variety of tools available for free or paid, such as Google Keyword Planner.

The Role of Search Volume in SEO

In SEO, search volume plays the role of an indicator that measures how big is the potential of a keyword in bringing in some traffic. The greater the number of a keyword search volume is, the greater the traffic opportunities you can get.

How Important is Search Volume?

While the number of search volumes is something you need to pay attention to, it is not the main indicator that determines the keyword usage. There are other indicators that are no less important, namely topic relevance and search intent.

You can consider keywords that match your business niche or have a buying intent. Even if their search volume is low, both of those aspects can bring a positive impact to your website’s SEO performance.

Keywords that Match Your Business Niche

If you find a low keyword search volume but is very relevant to your topic or business niche, then don't hesitate to use it. It can happen because websites that have many keywords on one specific topic will have a bigger chance to get topical authority.

Keywords that Attract Buyer Interest

The thing you have to pay attention to when you want to increase website conversions is no longer a keyword search volume, but its purchase intent. You can find keywords with high purchase intent in the transactional keyword type.

Transactional keywords usually have a low search volume. However, the people who are looking for it already have the intention to make a purchase. The features of the keywords contain action words such as 'buy', 'sell', 'rent', 'download', and so on.

How to Analyze Search Volume

There are several things you should consider when analyzing the potential of a keyword search volume. The way to analyze it is to consider competitors, current trends, website capabilities, and location.

Pay Attention to Your Competitors

Pay attention to each keyword that you will target. Are your competitors ranking on these keywords? Your findings can give an insight to develop an SEO strategy.

If your competitors are already ranking in your target keyword, then you can analyze their content and make one that is better. However, if the competitors’ pages have not yet been ranked, then the target keyword has a high chance to increase your ranking and you should prioritize it.

Be Aware of the Latest Trends

One thing you should know about a keyword search volume is that its number changes over time. Such changes can occur, depending on the trend of these keywords.

Perhaps your target keyword has a high search volume at the moment. A few months later, the number may decrease. Therefore, make sure you pay attention to the changing trends before determining the keywords to be targeted.

Perform Optimization Accordingly

Pay attention to the performance of your website before you determine the keywords to be targeted. A new website with a low domain authority and a small amount of content will have a difficult time winning the competition in the SERPs.

Therefore, use keywords with low search volume, but easy competition. This method can increase the visibility of your website gradually.

Consider Your Location

It is also important for a website to target keywords with specific locations. Local SEO is very useful, especially for those who run a business in certain areas.

In addition to helping you get the right audience according to your business location, content that focuses on specific locations is also highly recommended by Google as it has a bigger chance to rank on the SERP.

There are still many ways to optimize the use of keywords based on search volume. You can read the search volume guide from cmlabs to learn more.