Google keyword tool: how can local results be higher than global results?

[miked]

Had this again when conducting a search today: local search results being higher than global. It's always struck me as odd, unless they're making some strange geo-political point about the UK not being part of the world.

Any ideas, anyone?

Mike.

 

[ratboy]

Localisation.. i.e. "Leeds" more locally, i.e. uk, and global?

Is that the type of thing you are seeing?

 

[miked]

Sorry, Ratboy, I wasn't really clear enough. I'll try again!

I used the Google Keyword Tool to check search volumes for a specific keyphrase. The results returned showed the local search volume (UK only) returning over double the search results when compared to the global search volume (the world). How could this be, since the UK is, I assume, part of the world? Surely local results could only ever be a fraction of global ones, except in a rare case where they might be equal (say if a word or phrase is specific to one country).

 

[rob]

The manner google stats change and are always specific round numbers would call into doubt the overall value of them.

IMHO they are good indicators with other data, but to rely on them soley is a folly.

 

[stevebrowne]

I think Ty explained it in a post on here; local and global figures are different as local is for the previous month, whilst global is the average across the last 12 months.

 

[miked]

Rob: agree that they should be used in conjunction with other stats, as well as a dose of common sense. Quite a few times I've seen results I simply don't believe based on additional knowledge I have of that particular sector.

Steve: thanks for the info! I see now. Explains it, but perhaps reinforces Rob's point that such results should be treated with caution...

Mike.

 

[DomainTastic]

Apart from using Google Adwords free tool https://adwords.google.co.uk/select/KeywordToolExternal

What does everyone else use, with Google, instead of Google? Where's the best place to find good keywords with reliable data?