Thanks for your response. Yes indeed, search is deeply rooted and intertwined with other disciplines.

Learning how to interpret data from tools is not enough, though this can give you patterns that can ultimately lead you to a better understanding of the ‘why’. However, quantification of behavioral or cultural aspects behind search is something that is just being explored. Perhaps the closest concept that comes to mind is Hitwise inclusion of demographics and lifestyle variables using Mosaic USA as a part of their competitive intelligence analysis tool.

The reason why I brought up the difference in search results with those keywords was to support the hypothesis that the vast majority of Spanish speakers use keyboards that are pre-configured for English speakers. Personally, I don’t think that most users have the understanding on how to reconfigure their keyboards to better assist their needs. I’ve personally seen that in many occasions, discussed about that and finally came to this conclusion. That may respond to the ‘why’ there are lower search volumes between tilded and non-tilded keywords. As you said, it’s about knowing your target audience more than anyone else to get a competitive edge. Language as an isolated variable will give you an edge, but nothing better than having a deep understanding of other cultural and behavioral aspects.

But the question remains, how is it possible that some IDNers without really knowing their target audience/markets benefit from current IDNs and may even further benefit once full IDNs are implemented?

Cheers,

@Augusto: yes, good point about the search implications, which everyone in search/seo would see plainly.  BUT, and this further emphasizes my point, professionals in search have to know more about their own target markets than those of us outside of that market can see using published tools (like Google). Otherwise how can they win? I can see from Google insight that Latin American countries search X or Y, but unless I understand why they do that, I can’t do a good job of SEO. I can do a mediocre job, but not a good job. I think many SEO people have gotten lazy in this one search engine world.