What is the value of distinguishing search volumes for individual search terms?

Distinguishing search volumes for individual search terms has three main uses. It helps avoid overestimating a topic’s search traffic potential when adding up keyword volumes, guides the wording of page copy and titles, and, alongside search intent, helps identify content worth investing in. However, search volume reflects a term’s popularity. It does not directly represent the traffic a website can capture, nor does it guarantee visibility or conversions.

Distinguish each term’s search volume to avoid overestimating a topic’s potential

People may search for the same topic in several different ways. A 2021 Ahrefs article noted that identifying each query variant’s search volume can help avoid overestimating a topic’s total search traffic potential when adding up keyword volumes. The point is not to make the keyword list longer, but to establish whether each figure represents a single query or a group of queries reported together.

• Before evaluating a topic, check whether similar terms have separately reported search volumes.
• Do not treat a combined figure for a group of queries as the search volume for each individual term and then add those figures together.
• Even when individual terms are distinguished, their combined volume should not be treated as traffic a page is guaranteed to receive.

Use readers’ preferred wording to refine page copy

When different phrases point to similar needs, their individual search volumes can help identify which wording users choose more often. The Ahrefs article also noted that this can help refine page copy and develop more compelling titles. The aim is to match how readers phrase their questions, rather than rely solely on terminology familiar to the author or used internally by a business.

However, similar wording does not necessarily mean identical needs. Welly uses “buy a washing machine” and “washing machine recommendations” as examples: the former expresses purchase intent, while the latter may indicate that the user is still considering and comparing options. Besides comparing their search volumes, consider whether the content should help users make a purchase or compare options. Simply replacing a term in the title with a more popular one is not enough.

Consider how specific the need is when deciding which terms are worth targeting

Comparing terms individually also helps avoid overlooking low-volume queries with clearly defined needs. In a 2025 discussion of industrial B2B, tenten noted that individual long-tail queries may have lower search volumes but could come from potential customers seeking precise solutions and nearing a purchase decision.

For example, the query “fanless embedded PC for outdoor oil drilling platforms -40°C” specifies the operating environment, equipment type, and temperature requirement. For businesses offering relevant products, these details can help assess whether their content can address the need. However, they do not guarantee a sale, and long-tail queries should not be assumed to share these characteristics across all industries.

Search volume should be interpreted alongside intent and competition. Welly cautions that high-volume terms do not necessarily deliver strong results, while optimizing for low-volume terms may generate more visibility and traffic. Individual search volumes are therefore useful for comparing demand and planning content, but should not be the sole measure of a strategy’s success.

At Procrustes, we turn the questions customers genuinely care about into articles, with ongoing planning, writing, and updates to keep the content focused on answering specific questions.