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Measurement

Keyword difficulty

What is keyword difficulty?

Keyword difficulty is a 0–100 estimate of how hard it would be to rank on page one for a query, based mainly on the backlink strength of current results.

Why it matters

Difficulty scores ignore content quality and brand strength, so treat them as a first filter only.

New sites should target lower-difficulty, high-intent long-tail queries before head terms.

Related terms

  • SERP

    SERP stands for search engine results page — the full page of results, ads, snippets, and panels returned for a query.

  • Long-tail keyword

    A long-tail keyword is a longer, more specific query with lower search volume and usually clearer intent and lower compe

  • Search volume

    Search volume is the average number of times a query is searched per month, usually reported as a rounded estimate for a

Cite this definition

Guest Post Website. “Keyword difficulty.” Guest Posting & SEO Glossary. https://guestpostwebsite.com/glossary/keyword-difficulty