Which keyword rankings have marketing value? Start with goals, search intent, and conversion potential

Keywords with marketing value are not simply those that are easy to rank for on the first page. They must also be relevant to your audience and products, be terms people actually search for, and support your marketing goals. If the goal is to increase organic traffic, check whether rankings are accompanied by meaningful site visits. If the goal is inquiries or sales, examine search intent and conversion performance. Search volume, tool-generated value estimates, and rankings can all inform decisions, but none alone demonstrates marketing success.

Understand what searchers want before comparing search volumes

In its 2016 discussion of keyword research, Semrush identified relevance and search intent as important considerations: Is the keyword relevant to the audience, product, or service? Can the content address customers’ questions and needs? Would the target audience actually search for it? Answer these questions before comparing which group of terms has the highest search volume.

• Relevance to the business: People searching for a term do not necessarily need your product.
• Intent aligned with goals: Seeking information and preparing to buy are different needs. Traffic volume alone cannot determine their value.
• Content that meets the need: When choosing keywords, check that your website can provide the information searchers need, rather than simply adding the terms to a page.

For example, a 2023 Semrush article used a gardening tool retailer to illustrate how “buy gardening tools” might have sales potential. That judgment is based on the business and search intent; it does not mean that including “buy” in a keyword guarantees a sale.

Use marketing goals to decide what to measure beyond rankings

A 2024 Semrush article on content evaluation noted that performance metrics should be chosen according to marketing goals. These may include organic traffic, keyword rankings, the quantity and quality of backlinks, conversion rates, and engagement rates. Rankings therefore belong in performance tracking, but should not serve as the sole measure of marketing value.

• For organic traffic goals: Also monitor the organic search visits each page receives.
• For sales or inquiry goals: Prioritize tracking terms with conversion potential and check conversion rates.
• For content engagement goals: Also monitor engagement rates rather than judging performance solely by ranking position.

The article used 1,000 organic visits per product page per month to illustrate how to set an evaluation threshold. That was an assumption for the example, not a standard every website should meet.

Choosing initial keywords: Weigh high value estimates against competition

If you have three candidate keyword groups but can target only one initially, start by screening for relevance and search intent, then compare traffic potential and competition. In a Market Samurai discussion, one respondent felt that keywords with an SEOV above 2300 were worth considering, but warned that keywords with high estimated values usually face intense competition. Another preferred to consult the ratio of SEO Traffic to SEO Competition. These are personal keyword-selection methods, not official standards.

The discussion also compared options with PBR values of 20% and 82%. One respondent said they considered anything below 15% too low, so they would not reject the first group solely because its PBR was 20%. That is a personal judgment, not a universal rule. The discussion does not provide complete data for the three keyword groups, nor does it support assigning fixed weights to PBR and SEO Value. It is therefore not possible to conclude which group is best, and tool-generated value estimates should not be treated as expected revenue.