Search volume
SEO and AI visibility
SEO and AI visibility
Search volume is the estimated number of monthly searches for a keyword, usually a twelve-month average per country or language.
It is an estimate, not a count. Tools disagree because they use different sources and rounding; use them to compare terms, not as absolute truth.
Watch season and trend. An average of 400 can mean 400 every month, or 3,000 in December and almost nothing in July. Always check the curve across the year.
Low volume is not a disqualifier. Fifty monthly searches from people looking for exactly your service beat five thousand generic ones.
In practice
Choosing on volume alone. Work out what a term could deliver: volume × realistic position × click-through rate × conversion rate × customer value.
Related terms
- KeywordA keyword is the word or phrase someone types into a search engine — in other words, how a question gets phrased.
- Keyword researchKeyword research maps the words and questions your audience searches with, including how often that happens and how strong the competition is.
- Long tailLong-tail keywords are longer, more specific queries with little volume each, but together often the bulk of your traffic.
- SemrushSemrush is an SEO and competitive research tool for keywords, rankings, ads and backlinks — for your site and your competitors'.