A blank keyword metric means the record has not supplied a value. A reported zero means the source has supplied zero. Neither, on its own, establishes that customers have no interest in a topic.
That distinction matters when you are deciding what belongs on your Shopify blog. Before a figure influences your publishing plan, you need to know what it describes and where its meaning stops. A small evidence-reading worksheet can help, without turning every article decision into a spreadsheet expedition.
A worksheet for reading keyword evidence
Use one worksheet for each keyword and metric you want to interpret. If a keyword has separate volume and difficulty fields, give each metric its own record rather than combining their meanings.
The entry cells below are intentionally blank. When you complete the worksheet, write Unknown wherever context is missing. The exception is the supplied value itself: preserve exactly what the source shows, including an empty cell.
| Field | Your entry | What to record |
|---|---|---|
| Keyword | The exact phrase attached to the result. | |
| Supplied value | The value as displayed, including a reported zero, blank or other notation. | |
| Metric definition, if known | The metric label and supplied explanation, including units and whether it is described as an estimate or count. | |
| Source | The tool or report supplying the result, plus the underlying provider if identified. | |
| Applicable market, if supplied | The geographic scope stated for the metric. Do not substitute your store’s location or language. | |
| Observation period, if supplied | The period the source says the metric describes, not merely when you retrieved it. | |
| Remaining unknowns | Anything still needed to interpret the record, such as its definition, market, period or the meaning of a blank. |
This separates the original result from your interpretation. An empty value cell can stay empty while the remaining-unknowns field says, “Value not supplied; reason unknown.” You have preserved the evidence without pretending the gap is an answer.
Three records, three different limits
Imagine reviewing the hypothetical keyword “how to clean a canvas tote”. The following are possible record types, not research findings about that phrase.
The value is blank
You can say that this record does not provide a value. You cannot tell from the blank alone why it is missing, or what a value would have been.
Keep the blank in the supplied-value field and note the uncertainty separately. Do not replace it with zero to make sorting or calculations easier. That would change the meaning of the record, not just tidy the spreadsheet.
If the source displays a dash or another symbol instead, preserve that notation and check its explanation. Until its meaning is clear, do not silently translate it into a number.
The source reports zero
Here, a value has been supplied. Record it as a reported zero, not as missing data. The next question is what the source means by the metric and what context applies to it.
Without that context, the defensible statement is narrow: “This source reports zero for this metric.” It is not “Nobody is interested in this question.” Nor should you assume an undocumented reason for the zero. Keep the value and the limits of its interpretation together.
A figure is present, but its meaning is unclear
A populated cell can still leave important questions unanswered. If the metric definition, market or observation period is missing, the figure does not supply those details by implication.
Record what you have and mark the missing context as unknown. Do not guess the market from your store settings or supply a definition because the column heading sounds familiar.
Before comparing this figure with another, check their definitions, units, markets and periods. A shared column label is a reason to investigate comparability, not proof of it. Until the relevant context is clear, keep the figures as separate source reports rather than treating them as equivalent measurements.
Keep retrieval time separate from the measured period
A retrieval or export timestamp describes an event in handling the data. The observation period describes the period the metric measures. Those are different pieces of information.
If a record includes an export timestamp but no observation period, enter Unknown for the observation period. Keep the timestamp in a separate note labelled “Exported at” or “Retrieved at”, according to what the source actually supplies.
A recent export does not, by itself, establish that the underlying measurements are recent. Avoid describing a figure as “current” or assigning it a measurement period solely because you downloaded it recently.
Carry useful ideas forward without filling the gaps
Our Shopify Keyword Research for Store Content capability supports exploring ideas, reviewing available evidence and saving useful ideas to the Pipeline. Use the worksheet alongside that workflow to distinguish what a result supplies from what still needs clarification.
Work with the evidence actually available for each idea. Saving an idea is not a reason to assume that every metric is present or freshly retrieved. Keep your interpretation and unresolved details in your planning notes.
You can retain an idea for review while leaving its metrics unresolved. If you later choose to publish for a separate reason, such as answering a product question, record that reason honestly rather than attributing the decision to a figure you cannot interpret. Unknown is a valid entry, not unfinished homework.
Before a metric influences a publishing decision
- What did the source actually supply: a blank, a reported zero or another value?
- Do I know what this metric measures and where it came from?
- Are its market and observation period stated, or have I filled them in by assumption?
- If I am comparing figures, do their definitions and contexts support that comparison?
- What remains unknown, and would knowing it change how I use this metric?
How to update your worksheet when missing context becomes available.
What should I do when a source later clarifies a metric?
Add the clarification to the relevant worksheet field and note where it came from. Preserve the originally supplied value. If the source also supplies a revised value, keep it as a separate record rather than silently overwriting the earlier result. Then reconsider any publishing decision that depended on the uncertainty; a clarified definition is not itself a change in customer interest.