Keyword difficulty (KD), as the name suggests, is an SEO metric that calculates the difficulty of ranking keywords on the first search engine result page. It is measured on a scale from 0 to 100; we can say higher scores indicate difficulty in ranking, and lower scores indicate how easy it is to rank.Â
How can Keyword Difficulty be Calculated?
Different SEO tools use various factors to determine keyword difficulty. A general method involves analyzing the quality of backlinks and analyzing competitor top-ranking pages for a keyword. More backlinks generally indicate higher difficulty.
Why is Keyword Difficulty Important to Calculate?
Keyword difficulty helps in keyword research by identifying factors that hinder their rankings and identifying low-competition opportunities. All you can do is filter overly competitive keywords and ensure quality backlinks rather than numbers. Take the assistance of manual SERP analysis to assess ranking potential accurately.
Key Factors Affecting Keyword Difficulty:
- Quality Backlinks – Pages with more backlinks are harder to outrank.
- Domain Authority – Websites with stronger backlink profiles tend to have higher domain authority.
- Search Intent – Matching content to the expectation of the user for crucial ranking.
- Content Quality –Well-structured, authoritative, unique, and relevant content has a better chance of ranking.
While keyword difficulty provides a benchmark, achieving high rankings also depends on content relevance, quality, and SEO strategy rather than KD alone.
