Search volume alone does not set content priorities
A popular search topic does not automatically fit your offer. Assess the audience, the decision it supports and the question you can actually answer.
Search volume is useful information about demand when planning topics. On its own, however, it does not tell you whether searchers fit your offer or whether you can answer their question well. The first page you publish should therefore have a rationale beyond a high number.
Two topics for the same service
A hypothetical service company develops B2B customer portals. Its choices are a general explanation of “What is a website?” and an article on how customer-specific prices and order approvals work together in a B2B portal. No measured search volumes are available here for these example topics.
You can still prepare the choice on business grounds:
Criterion | General website explanation | Customer prices and order approval |
|---|---|---|
Situation addressed | Someone is learning a basic concept | A business is planning its business customers’ ordering process |
Connection to the offer | Broad; many readers do not need a B2B portal | Directly connected to the portal project offered |
Possible decision support | A basic understanding of websites | Clarifying responsibility for prices and approval rules |
Original contribution | Another definition would offer little specificity | A worked order example with different customer groups |
For this service, I would develop the second article first. That is an editorial assessment of fit, rather than a forecast of visitors or orders. The general concept remains a possible later topic.
What the metric leaves unanswered
In Google Keyword Planner, average monthly searches depend on settings including the selected period, location and Search Network. The figure does not count qualified project enquiries. Its competition metric also describes advertisers; it is not a direct measure of organic ranking difficulty.
A narrow topic is therefore no automatic success either. The assumed customer question may occur rarely, be expressed differently or already have an adequate answer. A long search phrase proves neither purchase intent nor low competition.
When the broad topic could come first
For a provider of introductory training, “What is a website?” might fit the product and audience precisely. A deliberate educational offering can also justify a broad topic. What matters is the role the content plays within your offer.
Before drafting, write one sentence: “This article helps this audience make this decision.” Add the concrete evidence or example you can provide. After publication, use actual enquiries and conversations to check whether you are reaching the intended audience. Page views alone do not answer that question.
Sources
Written by
- Anna NeumannEditor for Content and Digital MarketingAnna Neumann plans and writes content on digital marketing at ASES. Her topics include search engine optimisation, content strategy and web analytics, with a focus on evaluating marketing activities and their results in a transparent way.
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