Keyword Planner Tool - How to get "Exact" search numbers again?

I can't seem to get my results from the new Keyword Planner Tool to match that of the old Keyword Tool.

I've tried searching every which way I can but the results are always different when comparing the two different tools.

Here is a search I did: See Attachment.

As you can see the new Keyword Planner shows that there is a lot more searches for the term, "Black Hat World".

Curious if any of you can get the same numbers across the two tools.

Remember that at the end of the day they both provide estimates (although I agree the results are strange).

iDeserved said:

Remember that at the end of the day they both provide estimates (although I agree the results are strange).

Click to expand...

Estimations are OK with me, but the numbers are so far off when you start looking at search terms with more volume that it can actually hurt your SEO research efforts because something on the old tool that showed 18,000 searches a month is now showing 40,000 a month. That's actually the reality for a keyword I checked. That's a huge difference and so much so that focusing time and money on it could prove to be a bad investment.

I posted this thread because I have a feeling that I'm doing my search incorrectly, I have to be, it's just too big of swings when you compare the numbers.

Keyword Planner's numbers are higher because it includeds numbers from devices other than computers such as tablets, mobile phone, etc. Are those additional numbers valid? My guess is that yes they are. It's a fact that more people are using tablets and smartphones to do some of the same things they used to do on their computers.

I used Planner for the first time just yesterday and did not fully explore it yet. But initial impression is that it's missing some of the functionalities that the old keyword tool had or maybe they're still there but now have to dig for them, not sure yet.

The numbers being combined from all the separate devices could explain the huge difference in search volume numbers. That's a real curve ball though to try and work with because how do you monetize your site correctly since maybe a Keyword shows that 10K searches are done each month but a hidden fact is only 1,000 are done on a computer. If that's the case (and I'm not sure how you would know anymore) that would mean it would be wise to have your site optimized for the other types of users visiting your site i.e tablets/phones etc.

I think the hardest things at this point is re-thinking how I currently gauge a market that I might be interested in. For example my previous market I mentioned before where it was 18K searches on the old tool but now 40K on the current tool would mean that if I used the same system to gauge how much I could make when placed in the top 3 is completely mute at this point. I almost feel that any numbers I see on the Keyword Planner I should cut by 50% for a more accurate number just from the few split tests I've done.

I'm not going to worry about making a seperate mobile version of my sites for the mobile users. Have enough work already with making the traditional websites. Mobile users can look at my sites the same way as everyone else. One question that comes to my mind as a result of our discussion is are the mobile users going to click the buy button on my website without any reservation same as they would on a puter? If the answer is yes, then it's all good. But without seeing any statistical studies, I don't have a clue what the answer really is.

As for using the new numbers to gauge a market, it's going to be a little like flying blind if we don't really know if the behavior of mobile users are the same as puter users. My guess is they're going to pretty similar but to err on the side of caution I would discount the numbers by a smaller amount like maybe 20%. Cutting by 50% is too severe imho.

radiant13 said:

I'm not going to worry about making a seperate mobile version of my sites for the mobile users. Have enough work already with making the traditional websites. Mobile users can look at my sites the same way as everyone else. One question that comes to my mind as a result of our discussion is are the mobile users going to click the buy button on my website without any reservation same as they would on a puter? If the answer is yes, then it's all good. But without seeing any statistical studies, I don't have a clue what the answer really is.

As for using the new numbers to gauge a market, it's going to be a little like flying blind if we don't really know if the behavior of mobile users are the same as puter users. My guess is they're going to pretty similar but to err on the side of caution I would discount the numbers by a smaller amount like maybe 20%. Cutting by 50% is too severe imho.

Click to expand...

For your first paragraph you read my mind and are now on the same wave length as me about mobiles users and hitting that "Buy" button.

As for the second part of your response after much playing around I was able to get relatively similar numbers across both tools!

Make sure you set your location to your country (in the new tool), the new numbers you will be getting will be the exact sames numbers the Old Keyword Tool used for "Global".

Those numbers make me feel way more comfortable than the huge differences I was getting before. It's odd that the new tool when set to "local" in theory since you state your location are the exact same numbers as the old tool used for "Global". Odd indeed but I feel like I can function again when it comes to researching again.

I think it's safe to use a 5-10% reduction when looking at the numbers when searching the way I do because rarely was it a huge difference in the old tool for me when I compared "Global" numbers to "local".