If you’re trying to figure out how difficult it will be to rank for a certain keyword, then you’ll want to know about Keyword Difficulty (KD). KD is a metric that measures how difficult it will be to rank in the top 10 search results for a given keyword. In this blog post, we’ll explain what KD is and how you can use it to determine your chances of ranking for a particular keyword. We’ll also provide some tips on how to improve your chances of ranking high in the search results.
What is Keyword Difficulty?
Although we have briefly touched on the topic, let us first explain what keyword difficulty is in more detail. KD is a number that reflects how difficult it will be to rank for a particular keyword. The higher the number, the more difficult it will be to rank. Conversely, the lower the number, the easier it should be to rank.
KD is calculated by taking into account a variety of factors, including the following, according to Semrush:
- The search volume for the keyword
- The number of results that are returned for that keyword
- The competition level for that keyword
- The quality of those results (i.e., whether they are from high-authority websites)
Based on these factors, each keyword is given a difficulty score on a scale of 0 to 100, with 0 being the easiest to rank for and 100 being the most difficult.
How to Use Keyword Difficulty
Now that you know what KD is, you’re probably wondering how you can use it to your advantage. After all, if a keyword has a high KD score, that doesn’t mean you should give up on ranking for it altogether. In fact, there are a number of things you can do to improve your chances of ranking for a difficult keyword. We’ll discuss some of those strategies later in the article.
However, the metric can be valuable when it comes to setting expectations. For example, if you’re a small business that is just getting started with SEO, it’s probably not realistic to expect to rank for a keyword with a KD score of 90. On the other hand, if you’re an established website with a strong backlink profile, ranking for a keyword with a KD score of 40 might be well within your reach.
In addition to helping you set realistic expectations, KD can also be useful for identifying keywords that you might want to target first. After all, if there are two similar keywords – one with a KD score of 20 and one with a KD score of 80 – it’s probably going to be easier (and more beneficial) to focus your efforts on the former.
What Are Your Chances of Ranking?
Now that you know what keyword difficulty is and how to use it, you might be wondering what your chances are of ranking for a particular keyword. Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to this question. KD scores should only be used as a starting point – they are not an exact predictor of whether or not you will rank for a given keyword.
That being said, there are a few general rules of thumb you can follow:
- If the KD score is below 20, your chances of ranking are good.
- If the KD score is between 21 and 40, your chances of ranking are fair.
- If the KD score is between 41 and 60, your chances of ranking are poor.
- If the KD score is above 60, your chances of ranking are very poor.
Of course, these are only general guidelines. There are a number of other factors that can influence your ability to rank for a particular keyword, including your website’s authority, the quality of your content, and your off-page SEO efforts.
How to Rank More Easily for Keywords
As promised, we’ll now share a few tips on how you can improve your chances of ranking for difficult keywords. While there’s no guarantee that following these tips will lead to success, they should help you get closer to your goal.
Improve Your Website’s Authority
One of the most important factors in determining your ability to rank is the authority of your website. The more authoritative your site is, the better your chances will be of ranking for difficult keywords. You can improve your site’s authority by building high-quality backlinks from other websites.
Create Great Content
Another important factor in SEO is the quality of your content. If you want to rank for a difficult keyword, you need to create content that is better than what already exists. This means including detailed, well-researched information and using a variety of media to make your point. By ensuring you give your content quality a certain importance, you can increase your chances of ranking for your target keywords, according to a recent post by Ahrefs.
Promote Your Content
Once you’ve created great content, you need to get the word out. You can promote your content through social media, email marketing, and other outreach efforts.
By following these tips, you should be able to improve your chances of ranking for difficult keywords. Remember, however, that SEO is a long-term game. Don’t expect to see immediate results – it takes time and effort to rank for even the most difficult keywords.
Need Keyword Assistance?
If you need help with keyword research or other aspects of SEO, contact our experts at ArticleHub. We can help you develop an effective SEO strategy that will improve your chances of ranking in the search engines. Thanks to our years of experience in the industry, our services are trusted by companies of all sizes. See for yourself why ArticleHub is the leading SEO content provider – contact us today!
