Search volume

Generating organic traffic efficiently, how do you do it? In this article, we talk about what search volume means. We also discuss what the difference is between long tail or short tail keywords. Finally, we cover the best strategy for generating organic traffic.

What is search volume?

Search volume reflects how many times a particular search term is searched for within a given time period (often this is monthly). It’s a way to map out how you advertise in the best possible way. This term is most commonly encountered within SEO and SEA.

The purpose of the search volume number is to define the demand for a particular search term in a single number.

How accurate is the given monthly search volume by tool?

There are several tools available for checking monthly search volumes, just not every tool is equally accurate. Below I list some popular tools:

ToolAccuracy (on a scale of 1 to 100)
Google Keyword Planner80
SEMRush75
Ahrefs70
MOZ70
Ubersuggest65
Search volume by tool.

The best way to determine volume is to turn on Google Ads and see how often the ads are shown. This is the only, completely accurate method.

Long tail or short tail keyword

The options are a general (short tail), or a specific (long tail) keyword. Short tail keywords are keywords that are general. General keywords typically involve high search volume. In short, this means they are popular keywords. Examples of short tail words are vacation, cars or vacation home. In other words, general search terms where it is more likely that the keyword already has a lot of competition.

Long tail keywords are keywords you wouldn’t think of right away. These are often great opportunities for websites to target. With this strategy, you focus on the search terms that consist of 3, 4 or 5 words. This makes the search specific. The searcher has often already gone through the orientation process. As a result, the searcher’s need is already clear. A keyword research provides a good picture of all relevant search terms.

Benefits of a long tail strategy

There are a number of advantages of adopting a long tail strategy:

  • Get high rankings on Google faster → There is less competition on long tail words. As a result, these keywords rank high and fast.
  • Optimal conversions → Longer keywords often yield higher conversions. Because it addresses a specific need, a visitor is more likely to make a purchase.
  • A higher Click Through Ratio (CTR) → This percentage is part of the quality score recognized by Google. It basically indicates how often the page is clicked. The better your website matches the search query, the higher your CTR. On this percentage, Google bases the position of your page.

Conclusion: don’t look at volume, but focus on long tail keywords

When you want to attract quality organic traffic, it is helpful to focus on long tail keywords. By using longer search terms with lower search volume, you typically get higher conversions.

I always prefer to rank higher in Google for a number of long tail search terms than one short tail search term (when they both contain the same search volume).

Senior SEO-specialist

Ralf van Veen

Senior SEO-specialist
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I have been working for 12 years as an independent SEO specialist for companies (in the Netherlands and abroad) that want to rank higher in Google in a sustainable manner. During this period I have consulted A-brands, set up large-scale international SEO campaigns and coached global development teams in the field of search engine optimization.

With this broad experience within SEO, I have developed the SEO course and helped hundreds of companies with improved findability in Google in a sustainable and transparent way. For this you can consult my portfolio, references and collaborations.

This article was originally published on 29 March 2024. The last update of this article was on 17 May 2024. The content of this page was written and approved by Ralf van Veen. Learn more about the creation of my articles in my editorial guidelines.