People achieve this using automated headless browser bots (like Puppeteer or BAS) running through rotating residential proxies to repeatedly search that specific phrase on Google.
Ahrefs and SEMrush calculate volume using third-party clickstream data (collected from free browser extensions and VPNs) alongside Google Keyword Planner. When bot networks blast hundreds of thousands of automated searches, the clickstream providers record it as real user demand, which spikes the tool metrics.
The two main reasons people do this:
- Google Autocomplete manipulation: Trying to force Google to suggest a specific brand, affiliate product, or reputation management query.
- Website flipping scams: Inflating the "organic traffic" chart in Ahrefs to make a worthless site look like a goldmine before selling it on Flippa or Empire Flippers.
Once they shut the bot script off, the volume drops off a cliff, which explains the sharp jagged lines in your screenshot.
When I look up certain keywords on Ahrefs, I see absurd, nonsensical keywords showing search volumes and traffic as high as 340,000. I'm trying to understand how people artificially manipulate traffic using automated searches like this. What specific methods or techniques are used to achieve this?"
