Estimating Search Volume

[SearchEnginePPC]

Anyone have suggestions for the best way to accurately estimate search traffic (preferably impressions, but clicks work too) before running a campaign?

I've looked over various tools, and they all seem to disagree with each other on numbers. Google's estimator is way off my actual campaign data in many cases. Plus it doesn't match with WordTracker's 24 hour predict column. And WordTracker is based only on 2/3% of search traffic, which seems pretty tenuous to me.

So, any other suggestions for making my traffic estimates more accurate? Has anyone tried any other tools out there that they'd recommend? Any experiences with KeywordDiscovery?

[AussieWebmaster]

If you use AdWords there is a traffoc estimator that can give you Google numbers.... also arron wall has a tool at seobook.com that is decent

[SearchEnginePPC]

Yeah, I know about the AdWords tool. I've been advertising there for 4 years.

My problem now is finding something with great accuracy. The AdWords traffic estimator can give me a general sense of the marketplace, but it's subject to inflation due to bid management tools which constantly check on keywords. Plus, they only provide clicks and hide the CTR which it's based on, only saying that it's from industry standards. Because of those reasons, I don't think it's a great tool from which to make business decisions on budgets or to predict accurate traffic estimates.

I did just find Aaron's tool at SEOBook, and think it's pretty good. But, again, it's based on the impressions estimates from Yahoo/Overture's tool, which are also subject to inflation. Plus, Overture's tool hasn't been updated since January 2007, so it's lagging behind the times.

[AussieWebmaster]

if you have been active in PPC and in the top position you get the impression numbers for search on that term

[SearchEnginePPC]

Aussie,

I'm trying to make an estimate before running a campaign. My husband is launching a business, and needs to know what his estimated clicks/cost and sales will be. I'm confident in my CTR and conversion rate numbers, at least as far as we need them to be. The only missing part is the actual traffic, whether that be impressions or clicks. I just haven't found a tool that provides me with the accuracy that I'd like to have without running an actual campaign and starting to spend money.

[AussieWebmaster]

if you use a high max bid really high it should allow you to get a number worked through all traffic... so the number of clicks and average CTR they suggest can be worked backwards

[akintosyali]

You run the campaign for few hours each day at a set CPC, and mark your conversion (and ROI) at that bid. Then you run it a t different bids to calculate roi at different bids.

Make a note that I am not suggesting you to record roi at positions, but at bids. In a few days, you will see if the KW is worth buying for you at the first place, and if so what the CPC and the traffic will be at a point where it makes sense to buy the KW..

[Del Boy]

I use www.google.com/trends and I compare the term I am looking for to a keyword that i know the impression rates/clicks

e.g. I know the clicks that come from health insurance in Australia so I type in "health insurance, spiders" this way I can see roughly if it is in the same ball park or if it has 1/2 the amount of traffic plus the tool breaks it down into countries so I can see in Australia that "spiders" is searched at a rate of about 3/4 in relation to health insurance.

I know it’s a rough estimate but it’s the best way I can work it out without putting an ad in ad words and letting competitors know I am thinking about it

[Reflection]

Originally Posted by SearchEnginePPC

Yeah, I know about the AdWords tool. I've been advertising there for 4 years.

My problem now is finding something with great accuracy. The AdWords traffic estimator can give me a general sense of the marketplace, but it's subject to inflation due to bid management tools which constantly check on keywords. Plus, they only provide clicks and hide the CTR which it's based on, only saying that it's from industry standards. Because of those reasons, I don't think it's a great tool from which to make business decisions on budgets or to predict accurate traffic estimates.

I did just find Aaron's tool at SEOBook, and think it's pretty good. But, again, it's based on the impressions estimates from Yahoo/Overture's tool, which are also subject to inflation. Plus, Overture's tool hasn't been updated since January 2007, so it's lagging behind the times.

hi,

This is very true that different tools give different results and estimation as the logic of every tool is different from each other. the adword traffic estimator contains the search volume and this estimation is generic that does not give any sense of CTC.

next vital thing is estimated ad position. it is written as estimated position, but how far is this true. i think this gives some idea about the position.

[Xyone]

I have posted this already in the web analystics part of the forum, but as this is a similar thread, i will post here aswell, sorry if you have read twice!
I am having a very similar problem to this lady, but to make it more difficult i need UK markey only search counts.
I understand what aussie is saying, if you have a ppc campaign, and are on the first page, your impressions will tell you your search count info, but this could deem to be a very expensive, especially if bidding in a competative area of PPC. As you know, you need to be on the first page of google for your term, for this method to work.

I have written to trellian, and they informed me 'Roughly under 5% is what we cover of the UK market' which to me doesnt seem to be very comprhensive.

Does anyone know of any tools available for researching search counts / keywords in the UK market?

Thanks for your time,

Xy

[AussieWebmaster]

Originally Posted by Xyone

I have posted this already in the web analystics part of the forum, but as this is a similar thread, i will post here aswell, sorry if you have read twice!
I am having a very similar problem to this lady, but to make it more difficult i need UK markey only search counts.
I understand what aussie is saying, if you have a ppc campaign, and are on the first page, your impressions will tell you your search count info, but this could deem to be a very expensive, especially if bidding in a competative area of PPC. As you know, you need to be on the first page of google for your term, for this method to work.

I have written to trellian, and they informed me 'Roughly under 5% is what we cover of the UK market' which to me doesnt seem to be very comprhensive.

Does anyone know of any tools available for researching search counts / keywords in the UK market?

Thanks for your time,

Xy

If you want a decent ball park use the search estimator tool.... just boost the bid really high... 4 times normal and set the restrictions of country etc.

[Xyone]

Aussie,
Thanks for trying to help on this matter.

I followed your instructions, and the information provided by Google's traffic estimator isnt very useful. All i get is a search volume bar, which without knowing the values associated is useless, and an estimated clicks per day.
OK if we knew the percentages Google use to work out the clicks per impression we could get some usefull figures, but other than that, im back to square one.

Has anyone in the UK market tried the trellian software?

Cheers,
Xy

[adamap]

Personally, in these situations I forecast the budget first and try to maximize clicks/conversions for the budget. If you know people are searching for the product/service, then you know that market is ready to be served. If you start small then you can see how many impressions you are getting and then do much more accurate forecasts based on actual data.

[AussieWebmaster]

Haven't used the estimator recently... did not know that they are no longer giving impression numbers

[The Generator]

I've used KeywordDiscovery and it was pretty good for creating lists of thousands upon thousands of words with somewhat accurate search volume estimates. You can sign up month by month and quit when you want, so it may be worth paying for a single month and going gung ho to create as solid a list as you can in that period.

[AussieWebmaster]

Originally Posted by The Generator

I've used KeywordDiscovery and it was pretty good for creating lists of thousands upon thousands of words with somewhat accurate search volume estimates. You can sign up month by month and quit when you want, so it may be worth paying for a single month and going gung ho to create as solid a list as you can in that period.

yeah that one is not bad.... good to see you posting mate

[jewboy]

MSN is the most translucent with releasing keyword volume stats. Try MSN's adlabs tool, and figure that MSN has about 10-15% of the search market. Awall's tool predicts Google search volume using Yahoo's numbers and a multiplier of 2.5.

[Reflection]

Yes, Google uses the largest search volume. It is due to the fact that it has around 110 or above regional domains and in different languages.

[AussieWebmaster]

If you are looking for Google stats they can be gotten through PPC but you have to be bidding at the top of the keyword... then just look at the impressions

[Reflection]

The more you bid the higher business you get in google adsense.