Google Adwords - trying to understand the figures...

[Gordon_Hall]

Whilst researching keywords I often find the global monthly search on google adwords tool differs, yet the local (UK) is the same (or vice versa)

Example:

ready mix concrete - global 90,500 & local 18,100

ready mixed concrete - global 60,500 & local 18,100

or

forklift truck hire - global 18,100 & local 4,400
forklift truck rental - global 22,200 & local 4,400

I'm making an assumption that for my local country, the phrases ready mix" and "ready mixed" are being treated the same, as are "hire" and "rental" but globally they are not. Am I correct?

Of course, they could be two completely separate terms according to Google but coincidentally, have the same search volume. However, I find this happens quite regularly.

Anybody shed any light?

[activitysuper]

You are looking at broad match Gordon, I tend to look at the exact term (exact match), you could have terms coming off which are not relevant, which you would almost neg out straight away but anyway that's another thread.

Just so you know Google takes the last 12 months of data and averages it, and it's not the exact number of searches either it's rounded.

If you put both terms in again, tick both of them and choose 'Download' it will break the search volume down into months for you, you will then see different search volumes for the local search each month.

Hope that helped a little.

[Gordon_Hall]

Thanks Chris. Yes, some of these can indeed differ when exact type is chosen, but it's not the case all the time..

[Gordon_Hall]

dare I ask what keyword tool you do use?

[chris.kent]

In addition to what everyone else has said, be sure to check your match types. On a broad match level "ready mix" and "ready mixed" aren't different. On an exact match I would assume it could be different.

[EGOL]

I expect that the search volume for these terms varies by season - very strongly in some parts of the USA or world.

Where I live ready mix will not be searched during the winter and the use of forklifts also has seasonal change.

So, flux in the reported volumes should be expected.

[JaredMumford]

Remember, Google uses LSI in their algorithms - so usually when you see strange discrepancies like this it means that the terms are being treated as semantically related. E.g. - if you search for "ready mix concrete" you'll see both terms (mix / mixed) in bold. Same for forklift truck / hire - you'll see both in bold.

I cant say that I know if this is the reason its just food for thought. I no longer use the Google Keyword Tool to estimate traffic as it can be really off - but what it still does well is measure relative traffic (keyword x has 2.5x the traffic as keyword y, and so on).

[danatanseo]

Yes, I would say that is a very accurate assessment Gordon. For example,  "ready mix" and "ready mixed" are probably used interchangeably in the UK, however, in the USA the term "ready mixed" would be used much less often and instead we would maybe use "premix" or "premixed."

I do believe those kinds of differences would effect global search. Hope that helps!

Also, keep in mind that those Google numbers are estimates. They aren't hard and fast. They are based on data samplings and not complete data sets.

Dana