Keyword difficulty is a metric that reflects how difficult it is to rank for a given keyword in search engine results pages (SERPs).
There is no single, definitive way for calculating keyword difficulty. However, there are a number of tools and methods that you can use to estimate the difficulty of a keyword. These include keyword research tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Moz.
But generally, if there is a lot of content written on a particular keyword, its difficulty will be higher.
Why Is Keyword Difficulty Important?
It is important because it determines how difficult it will be to rank for a given keyword.
If you are targeting a highly competitive keyword, you will need to put in more time, money, and energy to rank for that keyword. On the other hand, if you are targeting a less competitive keyword, you will have an easier time ranking for that keyword in SEO.
Knowing your Keywords Difficulty will help you determine if it’s even worth going after it.
How to Check Keyword Difficulty?
There are a few different ways to check keyword difficulty:
- Use a keyword difficulty tool.
- Look at the SERP results.
- Check the backlink profile of the top-ranking pages.
- Use Google AdWords Keyword Planner.
- Look at the CPC for a given keyword.
1. Use a keyword difficulty tool
There are many different keyword difficulty tools available online. Some of the most popular ones include Moz Keyword Explorer, KWFinder, and SEMrush Keyword Difficulty Tool.
2. Look at the SERP results
Another way to check keyword difficulty is to look at the search engine results pages (SERPs) for a given keyword. If you see many well-established websites ranking in the top results, then that keyword is likely to be difficult to rank for.
3. Check the backlink profile of the top-ranking pages
Another way to check keyword difficulty is to look at the backlink profiles of the websites that are currently ranking in the top results for a given keyword. If you see that the top-ranking pages have many high-quality backlinks, then that keyword is likely to be difficult to rank for.
4. Use Google AdWords Keyword Planner
Google AdWords Keyword Planner is a free tool that allows you to research keywords for your PPC campaigns. If you see that the CPC for a given keyword is high, then that keyword is likely to be difficult to rank for.
5. Look at the CPC for a given keyword
The CPC (cost per click) is the amount that you would pay for each click on your ad if it were to appear in the top results for a given keyword. The higher the CPC, the more difficult it is to rank for a given keyword.
How Is Keyword Difficulty Calculated?
There are a number of different methods that can be used for determining keyword difficulty.
Some of the most popular methods include:
- The Keyword Difficulty Tool from Moz
- The Keyword Difficulty Tool from Ahrefs
- The Keyword Difficulty Tool from SEMrush
To use these keyword research tools, simply enter a keyword into the tool and it will return the estimated keyword difficulty.
The estimated keyword difficulty is based on a number of factors, including the search volume and competition for the keyword, as well as the SERP features that are triggered by the keyword.
What Is a Good Keyword Difficulty Score?
There is no such thing as perfect keyword difficulty scores.
The ideal score varies depending on your goals, budget, and resources. For example, if you are a small business with a limited budget, you may want to target keywords with a lower difficulty score. On the other hand, if you are a large corporation with a large budget, you may want to target keywords with a higher keyword difficulty score.
The best way to determine the ideal difficulty score for your business is to experiment with different keywords and see what works best for you.
