Google Keyword Planner May Overestimate Keyword Search Impressions by 163%, According to a New Large-Scale Study by Upgrow

SAN FRANCISCO, May 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Google's Keyword Planner and Search Console impression data reports were compared by analyzing 33,377 ranking keyword data over 16 months. The wide variances between the search volume of each tool revealed new insights into how each tool collects its data and changes in the Google search engine results page.

Introduction

In this freshly compiled data study, Upgrow revealed that Google Keyword Planner greatly exaggerates keyword impression data for 31% of keywords but actually under-reports impressions for 69% of keywords compared to Google Search Console.

View the Full Google Keyword Data Tool Comparison Study

Study Methodology

Google Search Console data from October 2021 through January 2023 was collected and processed through the Google Keyword Planner tool within Google Ads. In our analysis, we filtered the keyword data to "ranking," which includes only Search Console keywords ranking in the first 10 positions on average and with at least 100 impressions.

Summary of Results

Total impressions of ranking keywords were exaggerated by 163% in Keyword Planner.

• Due to keyword grouping of Keyword Planner's impressions, the volume was overestimated in some keywords by millions.

Only 31 % of ranking keywords showed more impressions in Search Console.

• Though combined impressions were higher in Keyword Planner, those impressions consolidated into only 31% of keywords, since 71% of keywords reported more impressions from Google Search Console.

24% of ranking keywords were highly overestimated in Keyword Planner.

• For 24% of keywords, Keyword Planner overshot impressions by over 20%.

63% of ranking keywords were extremely underestimated by Keyword Planner

• Conversely, Keyword Planner underreported impressions for 63% of keywords by more than 20%.

7% of keywords tracked in Search Console reported no impressions in Keyword Planner.

• Keyword Planner reported no impressions for 7% of keywords, many with thousands of impressions in Search Console.

Keyword Planner underreported 23% of impressions for branded searches.

• Brand searches were consistently lower in Keyword Planner compared to Search Console impression data.

72% of local ranking terms reported higher impressions in Keyword Planner, and 63% reported over 20% more impressions.

• Searches including cities, states, or "near me" reported much higher impressions for 72% of keywords.

Company Background

This study was facilitated by Upgrow, a digital marketing agency based in San Francisco, CA, and ranked #2,013 on the Inc 5,000 list. Learn more at www.Upgrow.io.

SOURCE Upgrow