SEO advice almost always starts the same way: open up your choice of SEO tool (like Ahrefs or SEMrush), add a keyword, and build your strategy around the data they provide. These platforms are widely trusted and have become the default starting point for keyword research across the industry.

But there’s a fundamental problem most marketers overlook: none of this data comes directly from Google.

Instead, what they’re getting is data that’s estimated, modeled, and inferred by third-party tools trying to replicate what Google might be seeing internally.

That raises an important question: if you’re trying to rank on Google, why base your strategy on anything other than Google’s own data?

What if keyword research, as it’s commonly practiced today, is fundamentally flawed because of this?

What Is Affiliate-Free Keyword Research?

Affiliate-free keyword research is a simple (but powerful) shift in approach. It means doing keyword research using only first-party data sources.

First-party data is data that comes directly from the platform you’re trying to rank on, in this case, Google. Instead of relying on estimates or third-party interpretations, you’re working with information that reflects real user behavior as seen by Google itself.

In practice, this means using tools like Google Keyword Planner for discovering keyword opportunities, and Google Search Console for tracking how your content actually performs in search.

What you get as a result is a more accurate, grounded, and less speculative approach to keyword research.

First-Party vs Third-Party Data: What’s the Difference?

Let’s do a direct comparison of first-party data vs third-party data to see how they differ and why it matters for your marketing: 

First-Party Data (Google)

First-party data comes directly from the source, whether it’s Google or Bing or whichever search engine you want to rank on.

It reflects real user behavior based on actual searches as opposed to estimates. When you use tools like Google Search Console, you’re seeing exactly how Google is interpreting and surfacing your content in SERPs.

This includes metrics like:

  • Impressions (how often your content appears in search)
  • Queries (the actual keywords users are searching)
  • Clicks (how many users visit your site)

This is real data straight from the platform you’re trying to rank on.

Third-Party Data (Ahrefs, SEMrush, etc…)

Third-party tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush operate very differently. They don’t have direct access to Google’s internal data, so they rely on a combination of clickstream data, scraping, and statistical modeling to estimate what’s happening in search.

Here’s what that means in simple terms:

  • Search volumes are approximations
  • Keyword difficulty scores are invented metrics
  • Traffic estimates are modeled (they’re not measured)

While these tools can be useful for directional insights, their data is fundamentally one step removed from reality because it’s based on estimations, modeling, and inference.

First-Party Data vs Third-Party Data

So, can a third-party ever be more accurate than the source (first-party) itself?

No, it can only approximate it.

And when your entire SEO strategy depends on that data, even the smallest of inaccuracies can lead to the wrong decisions.

Why Third-Party Keyword Data Is Often Misleading

Here are the top three reasons why third-party keyword data is often misleading:

Reason #1: Inflated or Inaccurate Search Volumes

Third-party tools rely on estimation models to calculate search volume. Since they don’t have direct access to Google’s data, they piece together information from clickstream data, sampling, and extrapolation.

It’s common for SEOs and marketers to target a keyword with “high volume” in tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush, only to find that actual impressions and traffic don’t match expectations. That’s because these volumes are just educated guesses i.e. they’re not real counts.

Reason #2: Vanity Metrics That Don’t Matter

Metrics like Domain Authority (DA) and Domain Rating (DR) are widely used. You’re probably guilty of checking your website’s DA score too from time to time.

The truth is DA/DR are not Google ranking factors.

Moz Domain Authority definition

They’re third-party scores created to approximate “authority”, but Google has never confirmed using them. Despite that, many marketers treat them as benchmarks for success, which leads to misguided priorities.

False Sense of Progress

So, why is all of this a problem? Why shouldn’t marketers give in to inflated search volumes? The real problem is:

  • High DR doesn’t guarantee rankings
  • High search volume doesn’t guarantee traffic
  • Traffic doesn’t guarantee conversions

These metrics can create the illusion of progress because sure, they look good on paper. In reality, they’re hiding what actually matters i.e. relevance, intent, and real performance in Google’s ecosystem.

The Domain Authority Myth

One of the most persistent myths in SEO is that higher authority automatically leads to higher rankings. In reality, low “authority” sites routinely outrank higher ones (including the site you’re reading now!), especially when they better match what the user is actually searching for.

Why does that happen? Because relevance beats “authority”.

Metrics like Domain Authority (DA) or Domain Rating (DR), popularized by tools like Moz and Ahrefs, are not part of Google’s ranking system. They’re third-party attempts to quantify something far more complex. Treating them as ranking factors leads to a distorted view of how search actually works.

Because of this, marketers often forget that Google doesn’t rank DA/DR scores. It’s meant to rank content.

More specifically, it ranks content that best satisfies the user’s search intent. If your page directly answers the user’s query, solves their problem, or matches what they expect to find, it can outperform pages from much “stronger” domains.

So, what should you look at instead?

A far better indicator is impressions in Google Search Console. If Google is showing your content for a query, it means you’re relevant. From there, optimization is the name of the game. You have to focus on what you can do to improve visibility (i.e. rank higher) and clicks (i.e. get people to click your site in SERPs).

Common Objections to Affiliate-Free Keyword Research

Here’s what CMOs most often question about affiliate-free keyword research and my responses:

Objection #1: “But everyone uses tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush or Moz …”

Response: They do, and that’s exactly the problem.

Most of the SEO industry has standardized around third-party tools because they’re the most heavily marketed. Over time, this creates an echo chamber where everyone is working off the same approximated data.

In my opinion, they should be using the most accurate and most accessible tools i.e. the first-party tools like Google Keyword Planner and Google Search Console. (These have always been free.)

If your goal is to rank on Google, then your strategy should be based on Google’s data, not a third party’s interpretation of that data.

Another overlooked problem is that when everyone is using the same estimated keyword volumes and “difficulty scores”, they’re also making the same assumptions and often targeting the same keywords for the wrong reasons.

Objection #2: “Isn’t more data better than less data?”

Response: Not if the data is unreliable.

More data only helps if it’s accurate and relevant. Otherwise, it just creates noise and false confidence.

Third-party SEO tools often give you:

  • Thousands of keyword ideas
  • Precise-looking search volumes
  • Keyword difficulty scores
  • Authority metrics

But none of these come directly from Google. They’re modeled, estimated, and often inconsistent with real-world performance.

That’s how you end up:

  • Chasing high-volume keywords that never deliver traffic
  • Prioritizing keywords based on misleading difficulty scores
  • Optimizing for metrics that don’t impact rankings

In contrast, first-party data may feel more limited. I get that. But it’s real data.

For instance, when you see Impressions in Google Search Console, that data is real i.e. it’s not based on estimates. Google is actively testing your content against real searches and telling you where you stand. In my opinion, that’s infinitely more valuable than any third-party projection.

Objection #3: “But tools give me keyword volume. How else am I supposed to prioritize?”

Response: Volume doesn’t matter if the keyword doesn’t convert or rank.

Third-party volume estimates often create a bias toward “big numbers” (also called vanity metrics) which leads to poor decision-making. As a result, you’ll end up:

  • Ignoring long-tail queries that actually drive conversions
  • Overlooking keywords where you already have traction
  • Competing in spaces where you don’t match intent

Instead of chasing volume, you should prioritize:

  • Keywords where you’re already getting impressions
  • Queries that align closely with user intent
  • Topics where you can provide the best answer

Objection #4: “Are you saying third-party tools are useless?”

Response: Not necessarily. But what I am saying is that they shouldn’t be your source of truth.

They can be helpful for:

  • Generating rough ideas
  • Exploring competitor landscapes
  • Getting directional insights

But the moment you treat their data as accurate, you introduce risk into your SEO strategy.

Why We Use Affiliate-Free Keyword Research

At our core, we prioritize accuracy, alignment, and results which is why we rely solely on affiliate-free keyword research.

Reason #1: Accurate, First-Party Data

We don’t base decisions on guesses, estimates, or modeled data. By using first-party sources like Google Keyword Planner and Google Search Console, we work with real data that reflects actual search behavior.

Reason #2: Alignment with Google

Our strategies are built around how Google actually works. Instead of reverse-engineering rankings through third-party tools, we use Google’s own signals to guide what we create and optimize.

Reason #3: Better Decision-Making

We don’t chase vanity metrics like Domain Authority or inflated keyword volumes. Every decision is rooted in what drives real performance i.e. SERP visibility, relevance, and conversions.

Reason #4: Long-Term Results

Because our approach is rooted in intent and real user behavior, it leads to more stable, sustainable rankings.

What First-Party Metrics You Should Track Instead

If you move away from third-party metrics, the obvious question becomes: what should you track instead?

Here are the key metrics we focus on:

  • Impressions (Google Search Console). Shows whether Google is recognizing and surfacing your content for specific queries.
  • Clicks. Indicates how compelling your titles and meta descriptions are in search results.
  • Click-Through Rate (CTR). Measures how effectively you turn visibility into traffic.
  • Average Position. Helps track how your rankings evolve over time.
  • User Behavior (on-site). Reveals whether visitors engage, explore, or leave without taking action.
  • Search Intent Matching. Determines whether your content aligns with what users actually want when they search. The main types of search intent are informational (user is looking to learn something), transactional (user is ready to take action), and navigational (user is trying to find a specific brand or website).

Together, these metrics give you a much clearer picture of what’s working, what isn’t, and where to improve.

(We’ll break these down in detail in a separate guide.)

User Understanding > Data Obsession

Too many marketers start with the wrong question: “What has the highest search volume?”

This volume-first mindset encourages chasing metrics that may not translate into meaningful results.

The smarter approach is to ask: “What is the user trying to achieve?”

Because by focusing on search intent, relevance, and user needs, you naturally start prioritizing content that satisfies searchers and, in turn, earns better rankings.

Google’s ultimate goal isn’t to reward vanity metrics like domain scores or keyword counts. Their goal is simple: to deliver the most useful and relevant results for each query. When your strategy aligns with user understanding, you create content that performs sustainably and drives impact.

Conclusion

Affiliate-free keyword research puts first-party data at the center of your SEO strategy. By relying on Google’s own tools (like Google Keyword Planner and Google Search Console) you base decisions on real behavior instead of estimates or third-party projections.

The bottomline: if your goal is to rank on Google, trusting the source is the most reliable path.

Better data leads to better decisions. Better decisions lead to content that truly matches user intent. And content that aligns with intent is what drives lasting rankings, traffic, and conversions.