What is Keyword Difficulty in SEO?

SEO keyword difficulty analysis for "web design.
Source: Semrush

Keyword difficulty, often abbreviated as KD, is a metric used in SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to quantify how challenging it is to rank for a particular keyword in search engine results pages (SERPs).

Here’s what you need to know:

  • Competition Indicator: It measures the competitiveness of a keyword based on the number of high-authority websites already ranking for it.
  • Scale: KD is usually represented on a scale from 0 to 100, where a higher value indicates greater difficulty.
  • Purpose: Understanding keyword difficulty helps in strategizing SEO efforts, guiding whether to target specific keywords based on the likelihood of ranking success.

In essence, the keyword difficulty score helps you gauge the effort needed to compete for visibility in search results for certain keywords or phrases.