Comments on: Tool Discrepancies? Google’s Keyword Tool vs Trends & Insights

By: Amanda

Amanda — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:40:53 +0000

Have you tried doing a deep dive using several different keyword research tools and compared volumes across them to see what the results were? It would be interesting to see a case study on this…

By: Keyword Tool Discrepancies – How Broad Match Affects Trend Lines | Seer Interactive SEO Blog

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 19:26:13 +0000

[...] have been trying to figure out the tool discrepancies between Google Insights, Google Trends, and the Adwords Keyword Tool . We noticed that the [...]

By: Angel Lee Dresses

Angel Lee Dresses — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 12:49:51 +0000

I was so confused about the results for Tends and keyword tools so I found my self on this post.

I still feeling confused!!! hehe

Is the keyword tool more accurate then?

By: David de Souza

David de Souza — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 11:41:09 +0000

I would start an adwords campaign using the exact match for each and compare the number of impressions over 7 days to the various tools.

In my experience using the above method, the keyword tool seems to be more accurate.

By: Laura

Laura — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 02:00:42 +0000

@Sam – Thank you for your feedback. You are correct — insights and trends are supposed to use the same data set. My questioning was in the differences between insights/trends vs adwords traffic estimator. In my research, I actually couldn’t find anything that concretely stated that Adwords traffic estimator uses only Google traffic/partner data and that Insights/Trends uses some different data set. And while it does seem that they might use different data, my ultimate question was which set should be trusted?

By: Mark Kennedy

Mark Kennedy — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 01:48:05 +0000

Hi Everyone,

Sam, you actually bring up a good point coming straight from Google. However, you are also bringing a 3rd tool into the mix. The traffic estimator and the Google adwords keyword tool are two different tools and trends would be the 3rd. Now as of recently, Google has combined some of the traffic estimator features in the new Google adwords keyword tool (beta), but I’m not sure if it’s perfected yet. Maybe we can consider this a 4th tool as well

But as you pointed out, Google states that they not only pull data from their own search engine, but the partners as well. So that could be screwing with the numbers. Maybe trends doesn’t pull that partner data.

So I think it really comes down to two questions for each keyword tool. Where do they get their data? And what time frame do they use when pulling that data? I think those two answers may be different for each tool. Kind of like how each algo is different for each search engine.

So it really comes down to using the tools as a guide, but using your testing, skills, and results to find your answer.

By: Sam Diener

Sam Diener — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 20:38:05 +0000

But let’s not forget…. google is VERY mysterious…

By: Wil Reynolds

Wil Reynolds — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 20:14:57 +0000

I think Laura’s assumption is that it appears that Google is not using the same data source for insights and adwords estimates and when they are wildly divergent in terms of their results which of the two do we believe for search volumes, Insights or The adwords tool. Both are showing search volumes. To me its still a puzzle because in the example above we got two different outcomes for the same keyword, I am hoping others chime in with their experiences as well – since I am still not entirely sure.

By: Sam Diener

Sam Diener — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 19:59:31 +0000

Wil. Thank you for the phone conversation. We will be in touch soon.

Per my understanding, The basic assumption from this article is incorrect. (The data used in Insights/Trends is the same as in the keyword tool.) Google correlates this fact in their help section…

The Traffic Estimator (keyword tool) is designed to give you keyword search traffic and cost estimates at a glance. (The estimates are for search on Google and search partner sites only; they don’t include estimates for the number of clicks your ads might receive on placements you choose or on the rest of the Content Network……

So by this, of course trends/insights would provide different trend lines.

Happy SEOing..

Sam Diener
(Who is this guy?)

By: Wil Reynolds

Wil Reynolds — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 18:14:38 +0000

Hey Sam, if we missed something major its OK to let us know here. You can’t create something great if you aren’t willing to make mistakes on the way, so we’re fine with a little embarrassment if we learn from it.