What Is Keyword Difficulty & How to Find It (2026 Guide)
Keyword difficulty helps you understand how hard it is to rank for a keyword on Google. Many bloggers fail because they choose keywords that are too competitive for their website.
In this beginner-friendly guide, you’ll learn what keyword difficulty is, how to check it using free and paid tools, and how to choose low-difficulty keywords that can help your blog rank faster.
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What Is Keyword Difficulty?
Keyword Difficulty (KD) is a metric used by SEO tools to estimate how hard it is to rank on Google for a specific keyword.
Higher KD = tough competition
Lower KD = easier to rank
Different SEO tools calculate KD differently, but they all consider factors like:
Strength of top 10 ranking websites
Number of backlinks
Domain Authority
Content quality and relevance
Search intent
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Why Keyword Difficulty Matters for SEO
Choosing the wrong keywords is the #1 reason blogs fail.
✔ Low KD keywords = quick traffic
These keywords have fewer competitors, meaning even new websites can rank.
✔ Saves time and effort
You don't need thousands of backlinks or a high Domain Authority.
✔ Helps you grow consistently
Low competition keywords help your site slowly gain trust and authority.
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How to Find Keyword Difficulty (Step-by-Step)
1. Ahrefs KD
Scale: 0–100
Based mostly on backlinks needed to rank
KD 0–10 = very easy
KD 11–30 = easy
KD 31–50 = medium
KD 50+ = very difficult
2. SEMrush KD
Based on SERP analysis + authority + backlinks
Typically more strict
KD below 30 is ideal for beginners
3. Ubersuggest KD
KD under 35 = easy
Over 60 = competitive
4. Google Keyword Planner
Doesn’t show KD
Uses competition levels for advertisers, not bloggers
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How to Interpret Keyword Difficulty Scores
If you are running a new blog:
👉 KD 0–20 = Best
👉 KD 21–30 = Good
👉 KD 31+ = Avoid (for now)
Focus on keywords where:
Competitors have weak content
Low authority websites are ranking
SERP is not dominated by giant sites (Wikipedia, HubSpot, Forbes, etc.)
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How to Choose Keywords Based on Difficulty
Here are the most effective methods:
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1. Use Google Auto-Suggest (Free)
Type your main keyword and see what Google suggests automatically.
Example:
“SEO tools” → “best SEO tools for beginners free”
These are real search queries with low competition.
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2. Use Google People Also Ask (PAA)
Questions inside PAA boxes are often easy to rank.
Example:
What is keyword difficulty in SEO?
How do you check keyword difficulty?
What is a good keyword difficulty score?
Turn each question into an article.
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3. Use Ahrefs Free Keyword Generator
Search your niche → select KD filter 0–10.
Instant list of low-competition keywords.
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4. Analyze Competitors With Low DA
If a website with DA below 20 is ranking on Page 1, this means:
👉 You can rank too!
Use tools like:
MozBar
Ahrefs
SEOquake
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5. Find “Long-Tail Keywords”
Long tail = 4–7 word phrases
Example:
best seo tools for new bloggers
how to do seo without backlinks
easy ways to rank my blog fast
These have low KD and are beginner-friendly.
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Pro Tips to Rank Faster Using Low KD Keywords
✔ Tip 1: Keyword Difficulty vs Search Intent
Users want:
info? → write a guide
comparison? → write vs articles
buying? → write product pages
✔ Tip 2: Use the Keyword in Strategic Places
Title
URL
First paragraph
Headings
Meta description
Image alt-text
✔ Tip 3: Add 5–10 supporting keywords
Use LSI keywords like:
keyword analysis
low competition keyword research
find easy ranking keywords
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Conclusion
Keyword difficulty is one of the most important factors in SEO success.
If you choose low KD keywords, even a new website like yours can start ranking within weeks. The key is:
Find long-tail keywords
Check SERP strength
Look for low DA competitors
Match search intent
Write high-quality content
This simple strategy can 5× your chances of ranking and growing organic traffic.