SEO Targeting: Ideal monthly keyword search volume?

[JessicaCox]

What's your SEO sweet spot for monthly keyword search volume*?

At what volume do you actually expect to see traffic?

(I know this depends heavily on competition for said keywords).

(*Currently measuring volume via Google AdWords Keyword Tool / SEOmoz keyword difficulty tool. || Comparing exact match and broad match.)

[EGOL]

I don't use monthly keyword search volume when making optimization decisions.

As long as I have top-quality content my philosophy is like this....

"Do not fear competition because where there is competition there is also a lot of traffic and where there is a lot of traffic there is money to be made."

.... so, I optimize my pages for the most logical keywords that the content merits.  If they are easy that is good - I should get top rankings.  If they are difficult that is good too - because there will probably be a lot of searchers and I expect to get visitors from long-tail queries.

[MarieHaynes]

This is what I do too.  I have found that the keywords tool is stupidly inaccurate.

[MBayes]

I agree with EGOL, and would add, we have several successful SEO clients that if you look at the keyword volume of there services, it's to low to even show up.  Bigger ticket, needs less volume.  Smaller ticker, lot's of volume.