What is Keyword Difficulty?
Keyword Difficulty (KD) is a metric that helps you understand how hard it will be to rank for a specific keyword in search engines like Google. It provides insight into how many other websites are already competing for that same keyword, how strong those competitors are and the level of effort required to achieve a high ranking for a particular search term.
Why Is Keyword Difficulty Important?
Put simply? KD tells you whether a keyword is difficult to rank for or an easy win for your content strategy.
A higher difficulty score means more competition from established sites with high authority, while lower scores suggest you might have a better chance at ranking, especially if you’re just starting or if your website doesn’t yet have a lot of authority.
How Is Keyword Difficulty Calculated?
Unfortunately, there is no one set calculations for keyword difficulty. Most SEO tools use a variety of data points to come up with a keyword difficulty score. Here are some key factors that influence this score:
- Search volume
- Page and domain authority
- Keyword characteristics (like whether they are branded or long-tail keywords)
- On-page SEO
Keyword Difficulty Scores
The best keywords to target will vary based on your SEO strategy, industry, and competition. The most common keyword difficulty scale ranges from 0 to 100, with scores typically grouped into categories that can help you decide which keywords to target:
- Low Difficulty (0-30): These are the easiest keywords to rank for. These keywords generally have lower search volumes, but are great for quick wins or when targeting long-tail keywords. You can expect to rank for these keywords relatively quickly, even without a high domain authority.
- Medium Difficulty (31-60): These are considered middle ground keywords with a relatively even balance between search volume and competition.
- High Difficulty (61-100): These are the most competitive and difficult to rank for. These typically require a significant amount of time and resources. Websites with a well-established online presence, high domain authority, and strong backlink profiles are typically better positioned to target these keywords. For newer or smaller sites, these keywords may be longer-term goals, requiring sustained effort and patience to achieve rankings.
Does Keyword Difficulty Guarantee Ranking?
No – keyword difficulty alone does not guarantee rankings. It is only an indicator of the work it would take to rank for a particular keyword.
While a low difficulty score suggests that it might be easier to rank, it doesn’t automatically mean your page will shoot to the top of search results. Factors like the quality of your content, on-page optimization, user experience, backlinks, and overall domain authority play crucial roles in determining your ranking success.
So, while keyword difficulty is a helpful guide, it’s the overall execution of your SEO strategy that ultimately drives results.
