Keyword search volume is a rough estimate of the demand for a particular query. The main sources of search volume information are Google Ads (and its API users), Semrush, and Ahrefs. However, each one is different from the others when it comes to specific keywords.
For example, consider the keyword “reddit marketing.” Here are the monthly US searches for each:
- Google Ads: 880,000
- Semrush: 590,000
- Aref: 100,000
The difference stems from the source of the data and how it is calculated.
Google Ads Keyword Planner
Google Ads Keyword Planner Shows the average number of searches per month. each keyword For the past 12 months. Therefore, Google Ads may report a newly trending keyword as having low volume if it hasn’t been popular in the past 11 months.
Additionally, Keyword Planner aggregates the search volume of a query across phrases containing that term. For example, a partial match volume for “pool” includes searches for “swimming pool,” “billiard table,” etc., rather than a single query.
As a result, Google Ads search volumes are often overestimated and inaccurate for single words or phrases.
sem rush
Semlash’s explanation This is because search volume calculations are ambiguous.
Semrush takes a set of data from third-party providers and overlays it with historical clickstream data from trusted sources.
There is only one conclusion. Semrush is not like that. exclusively Uses Google Ads data.
Mr. Semlash talks about 2022 within the company study Search volume estimation has proven to be the most accurate. The study compared the volume reported by Search Console with the volume of popular platforms such as Semrush, Google Ads, Ahrefs, and Moz. Semlash’s volume was the closest. However, I’m cautious because the search volumes reported by these platforms are 12-month averages, whereas Search Console shows accurate monthly data.
Ahrefs
Ahrefs is also vague in its explanation of search volume calculations. Ahrefs quote Multiple data sources, including “clickstream” information, digital records of searches and web activity.
Ahrefs allows customers to download the search volume history for any keyword. You can then combine that keyword and volume with Google Trends to assess Ahrefs’ accuracy. I ran it and got mixed results.
This means that keyword search volumes are inaccurate and inconsistent across major sources. Other indicators: Keyword difficulty and search intentis also useful when evaluating the likelihood of a word or phrase being ranked.
Search volume is only useful for comparison and keyword sorting, not for estimating clicks for top rankings. Additionally, search results become more fluid; many components. The number of clicks can vary depending on the query and the results page it generates.
