Understanding Organic Search Volume Through the Lens of Supply-Demand

Keyword and content planning are core aspects of SEO. When it comes to crafting a successful SEO strategy, choosing the right keywords and crafting the right content will help you attract the right audience.  

Organic search volume is one important factors we consider when selecting the keywords and topics for our clients here at W.D. Strategies.  

But what happens when the search volume for a keyword changes? What does this mean for your market?

The truth is that lower search volume can be understood through the lens of economics. Evaluating your market’s supply and demand fluctuations can help you comprehend keyword changes and select the most effective direction for your strategy.  

Let’s take a closer look at what search volume can say about a market and how to leverage this knowledge for successful SEO.  

Here we detail a real case study about how we helped one of our clients, Company Y, understand the key market changes and plan the best strategy to address them.

The Problem: Lower Organic Search Volume for a Critical Keyword

Company Y is a client of ours who sells beagle puppies from registered breeders. As you may imagine, the keyphrase “beagle puppies for sale” has previously been an important one for their SEO strategy.  

Recently, the search volume for “beagles for sale” has declined.  

In November 2020, the search volume was 100 for “beagles for sale,” meaning the term was at its peak in popularity. Since then, it has declined steadily over time. Most recently, at the beginning of November 2022, the search volume dropped to 23.  

Understandably, this triggered concern from Company Y. If fewer people are searching for beagles for sale, what does this mean for their business?  

Has Beagle Demand Changed?

Our client’s first thought was that the demand for beagles changed. He believed that fewer people were looking for beagles, which would have a direct impact on his business.  

However, when we look at the issue from an economic perspective, we can identify the true reasons behind the change. This is the key to planning an effective SEO strategy based on the market and search volume changes.  

In reality, beagle demand has not changed. Economics suggests that overall beagle demand remains consistent, but search patterns are changing.  

Why?

Tracking Organic Search Volume of “Beagles for Adoption”  

Well, consider the increase of beagles for adoption as well as the overall narrative of “adopt don’t shop.” According to the 2017/2018 AVMA Sourcebook, 28% of dogs were adopted from an animal shelter or rescue. The number rose to 40% in the 2021/2022 APPA survey.  

Essentially, there are now more beagles available for adoption. If you consider things from a breeder’s perspective, the influx of lower-cost beagles for adoption could be seen as the market being flooded with inferior* goods, driving down the demand for beagle breeders.  

*We’re using the economics definition of “inferior,” which is explained as the following: “'Inferior good' is an economic term that refers to an item that becomes less desirable as the income of consumers increases. In other words, inferior goods are those whose price elasticity is negative, but this doesn’t always involve a lower quality.”Investopedia

From this information, we can gather that the overall demand for beagles is not lower. The market changes instead reflect a preference for adopted beagles, which plays a role in why “beagles for sale” is lower.

Our SEO Approach

The lower search volume for “beagle puppies for sale” along with the increase in adoption-related terms, suggests that the market is shifting toward adopted beagles. Through the lens of economics, we can tell that the overall demand for beagles is not what’s changed.  

Of course, this market shift can certainly impact our client’s work, given that they sell beagles as a breeder. However, that does not mean that SEO cannot have a positive impact.  

The key is to understand the terms and topics that can help them generate relevant traffic. We, therefore, researched new search terms and AdWords that can target customers where they are already looking. This does require experimentation and time, but in the end, it can offer a huge benefit for our client.

For example, we can consider blog content about adopting beagles in the states with the highest demand. Then, we can present working with a breeder as an alternative option and plug Company Y.  

Along that same vein, we could create some content on the pros and cons of adopting beagles vs working with a breeder.  

Market-Driven SEO Services from W.D. Strategies

Effective SEO strategies are driven by real market conditions. Organic search volume is a helpful indication of the current market conditions and can help guide your overall strategy.  

It’s important to view these search volume changes through the lens of supply and demand. A lower search volume does not automatically mean that the demand for the basic product or service is lower, it can indicate a market shift.  

We helped our client Company Y understand what the low search volume for “beagle puppies for sale” was telling them. From there, we were able to provide a roadmap to target their customers in the right way that led to measurable increases in organic traffic.  

What do the search volumes in your industry mean for your company?  

W.D. Strategies is here to help you understand search volume and design the best strategy moving forward.

Schedule your free introductory call to learn more about our custom SEO services and how we can help you.

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