Why Keyword Search Volume Matters More Than Your Favourite Keywords
If a tree falls in the forest and no one's there to hear it, does it make a sound? Yes. But with keywords, the opposite is true - if no one's searching for your phrase, ranking first won't bring any visitors. There's one crucial exception, though: your brand name.
The Keyword Reality Check
Many business owners have strong opinions about which keywords they should rank for. One digital services company recently insisted they needed to rank for "document archiving" because it sounded more professional. But our keyword research revealed a surprising truth: "document scanning" gets 3,600 monthly searches compared to just 320 for "document archiving."
This gap between industry terminology and actual search behaviour appears across most sectors. While business owners often prefer formal or technical terms, their potential customers use more straightforward, more familiar language when searching online.
Brand Searches: The Exception to the Rule
When someone searches for "KickstartSEO," they already know us. They might want our phone number, pricing, or service details. Even with low search volume, optimising for your brand name helps these potential clients find precisely what they need. Your About Us and Contact pages should consistently rank well for your company name.
Finding What People Search For
The words we use within our industries often differ from our customers' language. Marketing teams might talk about "social media engagement metrics," but their clients search for "how many Instagram likes are good." Web designers discuss "responsive layouts" while clients look up "website works on mobile."
The KickstartSEO Portal's keyword research tool exposes these differences by showing exact monthly search volumes. Beyond raw numbers, it reveals patterns in how people search. Looking at our document services example, we found variations like:
- "scanning document app" (1,300 searches)
- "scanning document near me" (1,300 searches)
- "document scanning service" (890 searches)
- "scan documents to PDF" (720 searches)
If you are a fully managed SEO Optimiser Plus client, we'll use this tool to build and refine your keyword strategy. You'll have access to this powerful research if you use our Optimiser Essentials DIY SEO tools. Each variation shows how real people think about and search for these services.
Search Volumes Tell Customer Stories
Search volumes do more than count searches - they reveal customer thinking patterns. When someone types "document scanning near me," they're likely ready to hire a service. However, someone searching for a "document scanning app" might want a DIY solution. Understanding these patterns helps shape your content strategy.
The KickstartSEO Portal analyses these patterns by showing:
- Monthly search volumes for specific phrases
- Related terms you might have missed
- Local search variations
- Competition levels for each term
- Total traffic potential across all variations
Making Smart Keyword Choices
Choosing keywords isn't about personal preference but matching how your customers search. Before optimising for any keyword:
- Check its actual search volume in your target area
- Look for alternative phrases people use more often
- Consider the competition level in your market
- Compare traffic potential between different options
- Review the intent behind different search variations
Our difficulty ratings help you choose winnable battles. Low difficulty means fewer competing pages and a better chance of ranking quickly. Medium difficulty needs more effort but could bring good returns. High difficulty signals tough competition - worth targeting only if you have the resources for a long-term campaign.
When Zero Means Something
Finding low search volume for your preferred keyword isn't a failure - it's valuable market intelligence. In our document example, optimising for "scanning" instead of "archiving" could mean reaching ten times more potential customers. Those numbers tell a straightforward story about which words connect with your audience.
Bridging the Knowledge Gap
This gap between customer searches and industry terminology allows us to create better content. While we use popular search terms like "document scanning" to help people find us, we can introduce them to newer concepts like digital archiving. Explaining industry terms and building on what visitors already know will make your content more helpful while improving your search rankings.
Google's Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trust (E-E-A-T) standards recognise this helpful content. Clear explanations that connect familiar terms to industry concepts help establish your expertise and boost your visibility in search results.
Turn Research Into Results
The KickstartSEO Portal helps identify these opportunities by showing popular search terms and related industry concepts. Watch our demo to learn more about how our keyword research tool works.
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