What is Keyword Difficulty? Understanding Keyword Difficulty
Keyword difficulty is a key metric in search engine optimisation (SEO). It measures how hard it is to rank for a specific keyword in search engine results pages (SERPs). Understanding this concept helps develop an effective SEO strategy, guiding you to choose keywords that provide the best return on investment.
Key Aspects of Keyword Difficulty
Competition Level
- High Competition Keywords: These are short-tail keywords with high search volumes. Many websites compete for these, making them tough to rank for.
- Low Competition Keywords: These are long-tail keywords, more specific, with lower search volumes but higher conversion rates. They are easier to rank for due to less competition.
Domain Authority (DA)
Websites with higher domain authority find it easier to rank for tough keywords. Factors influencing domain authority include the quality and quantity of backlinks, the site’s age, and its overall SEO health.
Content Quality and Relevance
High-quality, relevant content that addresses user search intent can significantly impact keyword difficulty. Search engines prioritise content that provides value, answers questions, and engages users.
Backlink Profile
The number and quality of backlinks pointing to a page are crucial factors. Pages with a strong backlink profile from reputable sources are more likely to rank higher, impacting the perceived difficulty of a keyword.
On-Page SEO
Factors such as keyword usage, meta tags, header tags, and overall content structure play a role in determining how easily a page can rank for a keyword.
Measuring Keyword Difficulty
Several tools offer keyword difficulty metrics, each using its proprietary algorithm to provide a score or percentage indicating the challenge of ranking for a specific keyword:
- Ahrefs: Uses a scale from 0 to 100, primarily based on the number and quality of backlinks to the top-ranking pages for a given keyword.
- Moz: Uses a 0 to 100 scale, evaluating the page and domain authority of top-ranking pages to determine difficulty.
- SEMrush: Provides a keyword difficulty percentage, assessing factors like referring domains, page authority, and the strength of top-ranking pages.
- Ubersuggest: Combines factors like domain score, backlink data, and content quality to offer a keyword difficulty score.
- Google Keyword Planner: While it doesn’t provide a specific difficulty score, it categorises competition as Low, Medium, or High, indicating the level of advertiser bidding competition.
Why Keyword Difficulty Matters
Strategic Keyword Targeting
Focus on keywords more likely to yield results. For new or smaller websites, targeting lower-difficulty keywords can provide quicker wins and build momentum.
Resource Allocation
SEO requires time, effort, and resources. Knowing which keywords are tough helps allocate resources effectively, focusing on achievable targets and gradually tackling more competitive keywords as your site grows in authority.
Competitive Analysis
Identify which competitors rank for high-difficulty keywords. This helps refine your own SEO tactics and identify improvement opportunities.
Content Strategy
High-difficulty keywords often require high-quality, in-depth content to compete. Understanding keyword difficulty shapes your content strategy, ensuring you create valuable content that meets user intent and can rank well.
SEO Goals and Metrics
Setting realistic SEO goals involves understanding what is achievable. Keyword difficulty helps set realistic expectations and track progress over time.
