If a Phrase Ranks on Google, But No One Searches for It...

Mar 18, 2005 - 8:25 am 6 by
Filed Under Search Theory

Phil Craven was in one of those moods today, and posted a thread named If a tree falls in the forest.... He got all philosophical and it kind of made me teary eyed (just kidding). The reason I point this thread out, is not to talk about irrelevant philosophical debates but to talk about Robert Charlton's clever reply. He replied to Phil saying;

Phil - I thought you were going to ask whether, if a phrase ranks on Google, but no one searches for it, does it really rank?

I never heard it phrased like that. Of course, the point Robert is making was the same point I was making in my Big Blue Pineapple Chair entry. I can rank #1 for Big Blue Pineapple Chair, which I don't rank number 1 for in Google, but I do in Yahoo! now.

So if a phrase ranks on Google, but no one searches for it, does it really rank?

 

Popular Categories

The Pulse of the search community

Search Video Recaps

 
Video Details More Videos Subscribe to Videos

Most Recent Articles

Search Forum Recap

Daily Search Forum Recap: January 12, 2026

Jan 12, 2026 - 10:00 am
Google

Google Integrates Core Search Signals Into AI Experiences

Jan 12, 2026 - 7:51 am
Google Ads

Google AI Mode Direct Offers Ads & Universal Commerce Protocol

Jan 12, 2026 - 7:41 am
Google Ads

Google Ads Performance Max A/B Testing Assets

Jan 12, 2026 - 7:31 am
Google Ads

Google Merchant Center Business Agent - Branded AI Agents

Jan 12, 2026 - 7:21 am
Google Ads

Google Ads Brand Linking Experiment

Jan 12, 2026 - 7:11 am
 
Previous Story: Google X Cloned