Do you always base your keyword difficulty on the U.S. database?

Selected answers from the Dumb SEO Questions Facebook & G+ community.

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  Travis Bailey: It really depends on the query.
  
  Google has been able to produce different results for different geographic areas for a very long time. If the targeted term is searched by someone in Australia, and Google determines there`s some kind of geographic scope, it will likely return results (hopefully) more relevant for people in some part of Australia. (`ice coffee` or `thai restaurants`)
  
  Though one can hopefully reduce international competition with local intent, you`re just as likely to end up competing with US & UK pages. The query could be `buy nike shoes`, we don`t know. But the perceived intent of the query makes all the difference in how results are presented.
  
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  Buth Main: It`s hard for me to answer the question. Third-party SEO toolsuse own methods, metrics and can`t replicate any part of search engine system. I prefer to use real queries that visitors use. Also I optimize content for the specific location to make it understandable to a local audience. I am not a native English speaker so it is very interesting to learn Australian English, American English, etc. For me, keyword research is a strategy-driven process that based on my audience, my marketing strategy, and my goals (what do I get out of these keywords, how does it help my brand or product).
  
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