The usual starting points are the Keyword Tool in Naver Search Ads for Naver search volume and Keyword Planner in Google Ads for Google search volume. If you want to know when interest rises, also look at Naver DataLab and Google Trends. The search volumes shown by the first two tools and the relative indices shown by the latter two are different kinds of numbers.
Before checking search volume, I write down my question. The data I need depends on whether I am asking “How many searches use this phrase?”, “When should I publish?”, or “Which topic should I write about first?” You do not need to open all four tools.
1. Distinguish monthly search volume from trends in interest
| What you want to know | Tool to open first | What to read |
|---|---|---|
| The scale of searches on Naver | Naver Search Ads Keyword Tool | Monthly search counts, split by desktop and mobile |
| The approximate scale of searches on Google | Google Keyword Planner | Average monthly searches, with the selected location and period |
| When interest rises on Naver | Naver DataLab Search Trends | The relative index over time |
| How interest on Google varies by location and time | Google Trends | Relative interest on a scale of 0–100 |
Search volume is also different from the number of people searching. One person can search several times on different days. Treating monthly search volume as the number of potential customers, expected visitors, or sales puts your plan on the wrong footing from the start. How many visitors you actually receive also depends on your visibility and clicks in search results.
A free tool does not necessarily let you use every feature without an account. Naver's Keyword Tool is available in the Search Ads section of its advertiser center. Google's current official help says that even access to basic keyword ideas requires you to complete account setup, including billing information. Distinguish using the tool from running ads, and check the serving status if you created a campaign during signup. Naver Keyword Tool guide, Google Keyword Planner access requirements
2. On Naver, look up a search term alongside related phrases
For this walkthrough, we will use the Korean query “원두 보관” (“coffee bean storage”). This article does not present measured search volumes for that query. It provides a lookup process you can follow with a term relevant to your own work.
- Sign in to Naver's advertiser center and go to Search Ads → Tools → Keyword Tool.
- Enter “원두 보관” and run the search. If you have other candidates, add related phrases such as “원두 보관법” (“how to store coffee beans”) and “원두 냉동보관” (“freezing coffee beans”). The current official guide allows up to five entries at a time.
- Record the desktop and mobile figures under monthly search counts. Do not copy the neighboring average monthly clicks or click-through rate as search volume.
- Click a relevant related keyword to see its monthly search trend over the past year. Use the download feature if you want to keep comparing the list.
The menus and lookup features are explained in Naver's guide to looking up related keywords. Rather than downloading hundreds of terms at the outset, you can save work by choosing a few phrases you could realistically write about and checking what they mean.
For example, “원두 보관” (“coffee bean storage”) and “원두 보관 용기” (“coffee bean storage containers”) share words, but they do not call for the same answer. The first query may need storage methods and precautions, while the second may need container selection criteria and size comparisons. This is an example of separating search intent. Check the documents that actually appear in search results before deciding.
3. On Google, align the lookup settings before comparing numbers
Open Keyword Planner from the tools menu in Google Ads and enter the same phrase under Discover new keywords. If you already have a list of candidates, you can use “Get search volume and forecasts.” See Google's instructions for the input options.
If you are writing for readers in Korea, start by setting the location to South Korea. Record the date range and search network setting as well. Unless you decide whether you are comparing Google Search alone or including search partners, it will be difficult to explain why the numbers differ the next time you check.
Average monthly searches is the average number of searches for a keyword and its close variants, based on the selected period, location, and search network. The default is a 12-month average, and the figures are rounded. An illustrative value of “1,000 average monthly searches” therefore does not mean exactly 1,000 searches occurred last month. Avoid adding together every figure for phrases similar to “coffee bean storage” to calculate the total market size. Official definition of average monthly searches
If the screen displays a range rather than a single number, record the range as shown. There is no need to turn “100–1,000” into an arbitrary midpoint of 550 to create a precise ranking. When two terms fall in the same range, it is useful to conclude that search volume alone cannot establish their priority.
Also, Competition in Keyword Planner describes competition among advertisers. It is not a score for how easy it is to rank organically. Search results may contain many thorough documents even when ad competition is low. Explanation of competition and historical metrics
4. Use DataLab and Trends to decide when to publish
In Naver DataLab Search Trends, you can group related queries under a topic and select the period, device, gender, and age group. Try “원두 보관” (“coffee bean storage”) on its own first, then group related phrases to examine movement across the topic. Record single-query and grouped-query results separately because they cover different sets of searches.
DataLab results are relative values, with the highest value in the selected interval set to 100. A value of 100 does not mean 100 searches. Changing the query group or period can also change the comparison baseline. Do not conclude that two topics have equal search volume because two graphs generated separately both reach 100. Naver DataLab index definition
Google Trends does not provide actual search counts either. It displays interest on a scale of 0–100 after normalizing it against total search volume for the location and period. Low-volume terms may appear as 0, so do not read 0 as “not a single person searched for this.” How Google Trends data works
I look for recurring movement more than a single high peak. For example, if interest in the same question rises whenever the season changes, there is a reason to prepare content before those questions increase, rather than after the peak. If a spike in one week came from a single news story, however, I would not treat it as demand that returns every year. Look at the news from that time and the actual search results to understand why interest rose.
5. Do not average Naver and Google figures when they differ
Entering the same query does not mean you have measured the same thing. Searches take place on different services, and Naver and Google do not necessarily use the same reporting periods or treatment of similar phrases. Averaging their figures produces a number whose platform and meaning are difficult to explain.
At minimum, record the query, platform, lookup date, reporting period, location and device settings, and displayed value. Add two more columns: “The answer the reader wants” and “What our article will provide.” Your search volume sheet then becomes a content planning sheet.
For example, even a coffee bean retailer will struggle to choose an article topic from a broad keyword such as “coffee” alone. A specific question such as “Can I freeze coffee beans after opening the bag?” gives the answer a clear scope. Even with low search volume, a recurring question after a purchase may be worth explaining. Search volume is one piece of evidence for making that judgment.
6. Finish the lookup by choosing one article to write
Once you have gathered candidates, narrow them down in this order. First, remove questions you cannot answer accurately. Next, check whether you already have a similar article. Among the remaining questions, choose one that addresses a specific reader problem and for which you can provide examples or comparison criteria. Use search volume and seasonality to refine the priority after that.
For the coffee bean storage example, the next task is to list the choices readers actually face: storage duration, whether the bag has been opened, and thawing after freezing. At this point, writing an article that fully answers the question you researched matters more than pursuing ever more precise numbers. Alongside search volume in your sheet, write one sentence stating who the article will help and what it will help them decide.