Understanding Demand Signals: sv and parent_sv

Two Different Kinds of Volume

Reach Dog keeps directly measured search volume separate from volume inherited from a related parent term.

• sv represents search volume attached directly to the keyword record.
• parent_sv represents volume inherited from a parent or broader term when that context is available.

These values answer different questions. A direct value describes the term itself. An inherited value provides context from the broader language around it.

Why the Distinction Matters

Inherited volume is not a direct measurement of the child phrase. Do not read parent_sv as if that exact phrase received the parent’s searches.

For example, a specific long-tail phrase may sit under a broader parent with meaningful demand. That relationship can make the phrase worth reviewing, but it does not prove that the long-tail phrase receives the same volume.

How to Use the Signals

Use direct volume, inherited context, CPC, competition, relevance, and product fit together. A merchant may choose a lower-volume phrase because it describes the right product precisely, or reject a high-volume parent because the catalog does not genuinely serve the need.

Demand signals help order the investigation. They do not replace merchant judgment.