Google Keywords Tool Question

[Boxby]

Hi There

Quick question i don't know if someone can help me with.

On the keyword tool it shows Local Monthly Average Search volumes and global average search volumes.

My question is how local is local? Is it UK, or does it just relate the the datacentre that my connection is using? Or is it Scotland......? Or someother measurement.

Its quite important to me because i've got a choice of two keywords to use in one situation, and one has a much larger global search volume, the other much larger local search. It's a UK based website so my gut instincts are to tell me to go for Local.

 

[PeterHoggan]

What keyword tool are you using Boxby?

 

[stuarty]

For the benefit of everyone else who doesn't know.... The keyword tool located at https://adwords.google.co.uk/select/KeywordToolExternal

(There is also a new KW tool at http://www.google.com/sktool/# - but this is new and is to gain keyword ideas based on your own website.)

The keyword results based on country and language associated with your location.

Your location is based on IP address from that same country.

You can change the country and location by clicking "edit" next to the results when you perform a search. This will give you search volumes if you wish to geotarget other countries.

Local is not to do with datacentres - you would need to have a datacentre in every town otherwise to gather local result data.

Local as in "local business center" also takes values from postcode values and town names. This is seperate to local search volumes from the keyword tool.

Google aggregates the words and determines if there is suffiucient volume at a local level ie

search engine optimisation uk
search engine optimisation scotland
search engine optimisation edinburgh

In situations where you have two key phrase selections you use both. The local search volume from the phrase also belongs to the global group and vice versa.

 

[PeterHoggan]

There are lots of keyword tools online Stuart, I just wanted to check which one was being used. But thank you for the inference... totally unnecessary.

 

[stuarty]

But thank you for the inference... totally unnecessary.

Eh? I never saw your post and nothing was directed at you. Your comment was totally unneccessary.

For an SEO of your experience you should know that Google gives the local search volumes! It's their data nand any other search tool scrapes that from Google.

EDIT: The title of the thread actually says "Google Keywords Tool Question" if you bothered to read it.

 

[Boxby]

So, local = UK
The use is for wording is specifcally for on a menu bar, so I can only use one or other, not both. (both keywords used elsewhere throughout text/tags/etc)

 

[peteark]

Sandra local means UK or whatever the tools default setting is, in time we may get finer results, i.e England...Scotland etc as the results are IP populated it is possible but a way off yet.

A few links that may help readers

Google Apps for business

Create your profile

 

[stuarty]

So, local = UK
The use is for wording is specifcally for on a menu bar, so I can only use one or other, not both. (both keywords used elsewhere throughout text/tags/etc)

Yeah - local = UK. There is some debate (as yet unproven) that it means Scotland, Wales, Ireland etc

You can still use both in your menu bar if you do a split test over say 2-3 months. Since the local results are derived from the global data you still win. Refining via a split test will give you a more accurate rendering and you can make a decision based on the results of the split.

I'm presuming you know how to run a split test...if not you can set this up via Google's web optimizer.

If you have experience then you can take this further ysing a multivariate test and test different variations of the keyphrase.

Hope that helps

 

[PeterHoggan]

The title of the thread actually says "Google Keywords Tool Question" if you bothered to read it.

Sure it does, but from what you are saying I think your reading it as "Google's Keyword Tool Question" differnt meaning. Intresting distinction as this thread is about keywords. But as usual your advice is sound.

 

[peteark]

Stuart when offering general advice to the masses it would be beneficial to everyone if you used understandable (to everyone) English in your posts.

As you know I admire your postings I think you offer so much value to the forum, however the wording of your posts is far too technical, some very simple stuff you make reference to is made to sound like rocket science, when the truth is, it isn't.

I often come across this issue with techie clients, I read their websites and think god that sounds very complicated, the difficulty is getting this over to the owners, eventually they understand that simplification is the way forward, unless they are using non understandable terms as part of their ongoing business strategy.

 

[stuarty]

Stuart when offering general advice to the masses it would be beneficial to everyone if you used understandable (to everyone) English in your posts.

Thanks for that Peter.

No one's ever told me (privately or pucblicly) that anything I've wrote comes accross as rocket science or hard to understand - quite the opposite actually, so I'm not sure what you mean. :001_unsure:

Every PM/email I've received has been thanking me for explaining things in a very clear and easy to understand manner. With their permnission I'd happily make these public. I've just been thanked via email 2 mins ago from a member for telling where the keyword tool link is. :thumbup:

I know that Boxby has a certain amount of SEO knowledge hence the detail about split testing and multivariate stuff. This was for her benefit as it was specific to her project and hopefully she will benefit from this.

Some things can't be explained away easily because of the big words that are used but I didn't invent them.

If anyone doesn't understand anything then they can ask and I will do my best to explain in as simple language as I can.

 

[peteark]

Its a common problem we all have, I get reminded at least twice a week.

Of course levels of understanding will always vary, however on a non SEO related forum I think we should all be as 'Janet & John' as possible.