Keyword Difficulty

What is Keyword Difficulty?

Keyword Difficulty (KD) is a metric used in SEO to estimate how challenging it would be to rank on the first page of search engine results for a specific keyword. This metric provides an indication of the level of competition you might face when targeting a particular keyword.

Important Note: Keyword difficulty is an estimation because Google does not disclose all its ranking factors. Therefore, different SEO tools may have varying methods for calculating keyword difficulty.

Why is Keyword Difficulty Important?

Keyword difficulty is essential for several reasons:

• Prioritization: It helps you prioritize which keywords to target based on your current SEO resources and strategy.
• Feasibility: It provides an early estimate of the effort required to rank for a keyword, helping you make informed decisions about which keywords to pursue.
• Resource Allocation: By identifying less competitive keywords, you can focus your efforts on areas where you have a better chance of success.

How is Keyword Difficulty Calculated?

Different SEO tools use various methods to calculate keyword difficulty. Here’s how Ahrefs calculates it:

1. Data Collection: Ahrefs examines the top 10 ranking pages for a given keyword.
2. Backlink Analysis: The tool counts the number of referring domains (websites linking) to each of these top-ranking pages.
3. Scaling: The more backlinks these top-ranking pages have, the higher the keyword difficulty. Ahrefs plots the result on a logarithmic scale from 0 to 100, where higher values indicate more competition.

Ahrefs’ approach is relatively simple and relies on backlinks because they are one of the most measurable and confirmed ranking factors.

How to Estimate Your Chances of Ranking

While keyword difficulty provides useful insights, it should not be the sole factor in your decision-making. Here are additional considerations to better estimate your chances of ranking:

1. Figure Out How Many Backlinks You’ll Need

• Benchmark: Use Ahrefs Keywords Explorer to estimate the number of backlinks needed to compete with top-ranking pages.
• Strategy: Aim to acquire as many backlinks as, or more than, the pages currently ranking for your target keyword.

1. Estimate the “Authority” of Your Competitors

• Site Authority: Consider the Domain Rating (DR) or Domain Authority (DA) of competing websites. Higher authority often indicates stronger competition.
• Competitor Analysis: Review the strength of your competitors’ backlink profiles and overall site reputation.

1. Analyze the Search Intent

• Search Intent: Understand the purpose behind the search query. Analyze the content on top-ranking pages to determine the type of content that satisfies users’ queries.
• Content Relevance: For example, if the keyword “kitchenware” shows mostly transactional pages, a guide on “how to choose kitchenware” may not fit the search intent and might not rank well.

1. Check the Quality of the Ranking Pages

• Content Quality: Assess if the top-ranking pages are well-written, accurate, and comprehensive.
• User Experience: Evaluate aspects like content uniqueness, expertise, design, and formatting. Aim to provide better content in these areas.

Conclusion

Keyword difficulty is a valuable metric in SEO that helps gauge the competitive landscape for specific keywords. However, it should be used in conjunction with other factors such as backlink analysis, competitor authority, search intent, and content quality. By combining these insights, you can develop a more effective SEO strategy and improve your chances of ranking for your target keywords.