You’ve probably heard the phrase “content is king,” but content without strategy is just noise. When businesses want to boost their online visibility, the conversation usually circles back to one thing: keywords. Specifically, which keywords are worth going after, and how many people are actually searching for them. That’s where keyword search volume enters the picture. It sounds straightforward, but understanding what makes a search volume “good” can get a little murky. What works for a large eCommerce brand may not work for a boutique consultancy. The key isn’t always aiming for the highest number—it’s knowing which numbers make sense for your business goals, resources, and industry.
What is Keyword Search Volume?
Keyword search volume is the estimated number of times a specific keyword is searched for in a given time frame, usually per month. It’s one of the core data points used to evaluate how popular or competitive a keyword is.
For example, if “bulk email marketing software” averages 600 monthly searches over a twelve month period, it may suggest a high demand for content around that topic. But it doesn’t tell the whole story. Search volume alone isn’t enough to guide your SEO strategy—it’s just one piece of the puzzle.
Search volume can also vary by region, device, or season. A keyword that performs well globally might not hold the same weight in your local market. That’s why context matters just as much as the number.
What Exactly is a Good Keyword Search Volume?
There’s no universal benchmark for what makes a search volume “good.” It depends on your niche, competition level, and how much effort you’re ready to put into ranking. Still, here’s a breakdown of how different volume ranges typically shake out.
High Search Volume (10,000+ per month)
These keywords draw serious traffic and attention, which makes them extremely competitive. For example, the broad keyword “running shoes” attracts approximately 145,000 searches per month. Everyone wants to rank for them, so unless you’re an established player with solid domain authority, you’ll be fighting an uphill battle. This broad range is typically held by enterprise-level organizations.
Large Search Volume (1,000–10,000 per month)
This range is packed with opportunity, but comes with its challenges. Keywords in this tier tend to belong to broad topics with multiple subtopics and layers. For instance, “content marketing strategy” might pull in over 6,000 searches a month, but it could break down into dozens of narrower questions, tools, and how-to guides. These keywords are still quite competitive, but they offer more entry points. To stand out, you’ll need focused, in-depth content that targets specific user needs within the larger topic.
Medium Search Volume (100-1,000 per month)
This is the sweet spot for many businesses. These keywords bring in solid traffic without being as cutthroat as high-volume terms. They can still be competitive, but with the right content and SEO practices, they’re within reach—even for smaller brands.
Low Search Volume (30–1,000 per month)
These keywords might look underwhelming at first glance, but they can be highly valuable. Often, they’re more specific, less competitive, and better at capturing searcher intent. For niche businesses, low-volume keywords can be gold mines.
Niche Search Volume (0–30 per month)
Most SEO tools flag these as not worth pursuing, but that’s not always true. They may represent emerging trends, or hyper-specific pain points your audience cares about. It’s a long game, but in the right context, even these can pay off.
How Can Keyword Volume Be Measured?
Keyword tools don’t all agree on the numbers, but they’ll still give you a solid direction. Here are the most common ways to gather keyword volume data:
Google Keyword Planner
It’s free and directly tied to Google Ads, so the data is very useful. Even though it doesn’t use live data, it still offers reliable numbers.
SEO Tools (Ahrefs, SEMrush, Moz)
These platforms estimate search volumes based on clickstream data and Google’s APIs. They also show you keyword difficulty, trends, and related terms, giving you a more complete picture.
Like Google’s Keyword Planner, they don’t use live data; however, they maintain a large database for search volume, which is updated regularly.
Google Trends
Google Trends doesn’t give you exact volume, but it does show you how interest in a topic has changed over time. It’s great for spotting seasonality or emerging search patterns.
Search Console
If your site is already ranking for certain keywords, Google Search Console can tell you how often they’re getting impressions and clicks. It’s data straight from the source, specific to your site.
What to Consider When Choosing Keywords Based on Volume
Volume is important, but it should never be the only factor. Here’s what else to weigh when making keyword decisions:
Search Intent
What is the user really trying to do when they search this term? There are four main types of search intent: informational, navigational, commercial, and transactional. Informational keywords like “how to write a resume” won’t convert the same way transactional ones like “buy resume template” will, so you’ll want to clarify search intent to reach your target audience efficiently.
Relevance
Even if a keyword has thousands of searches, it’s useless if it doesn’t align with what you offer. Stay focused on topics that actually drive business. A mismatch between keyword and offering leads to high bounce rates and wasted effort. If you’re a B2B SaaS company, ranking for “free resume templates” might bring traffic, but it won’t bring qualified leads. Choose keywords that reflect your solutions, your audience’s pain points, and the stage they’re at in the buying journey.
Seasonal Shifts
Some keywords fluctuate in volume throughout the year. Think “holiday gift ideas” or “tax filing help”—searches spike during specific months and drop off outside those windows. If you’re targeting seasonal terms, timing is everything. Plan your content and SEO strategy to publish ahead of the curve so you’re ranking when interest peaks. For evergreen topics, consider how seasonal variations could complement your broader keyword strategy without depending on them year-round.
Competition
Higher volume often means higher competition. If you’re a smaller site, you’ll likely get better results targeting less competitive keywords first and working your way up. Big brands tend to dominate high-volume terms with large content budgets and strong domain authority. Instead of going head-to-head, focus on keywords with a realistic chance of ranking—those that still have solid volume but fewer strong competitors on page one. As your site gains authority, you can gradually expand into more competitive territory.
Should You Ever Target Keywords with Low Search Volume?
Absolutely! Low-volume keywords often signal high intent, and they’re usually less competitive. For example, “best CRM for law firms” might only get 200-300 monthly searches, but if you’re a CRM provider targeting law firms, that’s exactly who you want.
These keywords can also reflect voice searches or very specific questions your audience is asking. Ranking for a cluster of these can drive more qualified traffic than one high-volume term ever could.
Choosing the Right Keywords with CadenceSEO
The right keyword strategy doesn’t just attract clicks—it attracts customers. That’s where we come in. CadenceSEO is a full-service digital marketing agency and consultancy built around partnership, not guesswork. We work closely with businesses to uncover the search terms that actually move the needle—whether that means driving sales, generating leads, or building long-term visibility.
At CadenceSEO, we don’t fixate on the biggest numbers—we focus on finding strategic gaps and untapped opportunities your competitors are overlooking. Our SEO nerds analyze search intent, competition, trends, and real audience behavior to create a data-backed strategy that aligns with your goals and industry landscape.
Launching a new site? Auditing old content? Gunning for the top spot in your niche? We’ve got you covered. Let’s turn search data into a growth engine for your business. Schedule your free strategy session with our SEO experts today!
