Is Market Samurai keyword information accurate?

I'm ranking around #4 - #6 on the front page for my target keyword, which MS estimates would obtain about 4000 and something hits if it ranked #1. I'm currently recieving about 100-120 uniques a day from searches for this keyword right now.

Is this information accurate? I find it hard to believe that a difference of position #5 and #1 means a difference of 100 visitors a day and 4000?

#1 = 34%-60% traffic
#2 = 13%-20%
#3 = 8%-10%
and so on.

To be clear, no stats are reliable. Just look at stats to know how's the market going that's all.

you always have to think like a normal user.. we are internet marketers and we are always checking the whole 1st page for different reasons. but the normal user checks just 1-3 usually.

Market Samurai is probably the most accurate and thorough KW research tool on the market right now IMHO, but it's just a tool and therefore is not 100% accurate all the time.

The only real way to get a good gauge on the accuracy of the traffic numbers MS gives would be to throw up an Adwords campaign on the KWs to how many times they show up.

Yes, being on positions #4 and #6 will make a big difference in the amount in traffic you would get by being in the top 3. However, it also depends on how effective your site title and description is on grabbing visitors as well.

I think its important as someone said above to "think like a user"... or a searcher. If I'm looking for information I generally go no further than the first or second position... all I want to know maybe is the meaning of a word.

If I'm purchasing something, I will go a bit deeper... and If I'm purchasing something that is more expensive, the further I'll research.

I think that is pretty typical. I don't believe all of the people saying if you're not on the first 5 spots, you're dead! It sure helps to be on top, no question, but the more expensive a product or service you sell, I think, the more hits you will get further down the page.

It's critical to be in the top 3 for a $7 product, but not necessarily for a $500 product/service.

MagicMike said:

I think its important as someone said above to "think like a user"... or a searcher. If I'm looking for information I generally go no further than the first or second position... all I want to know maybe is the meaning of a word.

If I'm purchasing something, I will go a bit deeper... and If I'm purchasing something that is more expensive, the further I'll research.

I think that is pretty typical. I don't believe all of the people saying if you're not on the first 5 spots, you're dead! It sure helps to be on top, no question, but the more expensive a product or service you sell, I think, the more hits you will get further down the page.

It's critical to be in the top 3 for a $7 product, but not necessarily for a $500 product/service.

Click to expand...

I never said you're "dead" if you are not in the top 3, but you greatly reduce your chances of making the sale since studies show nearly 80% of clicks go to the top 3 spots in the SERPs.

If the sites in the top 3 are crafted well enough they will convert a high amount of that click-thru traffic, especially for more targeted KWs.

If they are doing some BH things such as cookie stuffing, then you will lose out even more.

Again, not being in the top 3 does not mean you won't make money. You can, but the difference in the amount you will make - despite the price point - decreases as you go lower on the SERP.

The best case scenario is to get as many or all of the rankings on page 1 and even some on page 2. Definitely page 1 though. The more you own, the more you make no matter how much a person decides to research.

Yukinari84 said:

The only real way to get a good gauge on the accuracy of the traffic numbers MS gives would be to throw up an Adwords campaign on the KWs to how many times they show up.

Click to expand...

Yes. (Although there are even inaccuracies in Adwords impressions.) But from what we've seen so far, the data's as solid as it gets.

I guess the only perfect way to test a niche is to get into it.