Achieving a high rank in search engine results is a coveted goal for those in the world of SEO. But determining the difficulty of ranking for a specific keyword can be a challenge. This is where Ahrefs comes in.
A leading SEO tool, Ahrefs unveils the secret to achieving top rankings through its Keyword Difficulty metric. By analyzing the number of referring domains, Ahrefs accurately calculates the level of competition for a keyword, helping users identify easy-to-rank keywords that can drive organic traffic to their websites.
In this article, we explore Ahrefs' Keyword Difficulty metric and its integration with other powerful tools in the platform, providing valuable insights for SEO professionals and novices alike.
Key Takeaways
- Keyword Difficulty is a metric in SEO that helps understand the difficulty of ranking for a specific search query.
- Ahrefs calculates Keyword Difficulty by analyzing the search results and the number of referring domains across the top ranking pages.
- Keyword Difficulty is measured on a scale from 0 to 100, with 100 being the hardest.
- By combining Keyword Difficulty with Search Volume, users can find keywords that can bring good organic traffic without requiring much effort to rank.
Understanding Keyword Difficulty
Understanding Keyword Difficulty is essential for improving your website's search engine rankings. Keyword Difficulty is a metric in SEO that helps determine the difficulty of ranking for a specific search query.
It is often confused with 'Competition' in the Google Keyword Planner, but Keyword Difficulty applies to organic search results, while Competition refers to paid search results.
The metric analyzes the search results for a keyword and looks at the number of referring domains the top 10 ranking pages have. It does not consider on-page factors and evaluates the chances of getting into the top 10 search results.
To assess Keyword Difficulty, Ahrefs calculates the number of referring domains across the top ranking pages, making it the most accurate metric. This scale, ranging from 0 to 100, helps understand the level of difficulty in ranking for a keyword.
Ahrefs Keyword Difficulty Metric
The Ahrefs Keyword Difficulty metric plays a crucial role in determining the level of difficulty in ranking for specific search queries and is an essential tool for improving website search engine rankings. It is considered the most accurate metric in assessing keyword difficulty and does not consider any on-page factors.
By analyzing the search results and the number of referring domains across the top ranking pages, Ahrefs calculates the Keyword Difficulty. This metric is measured on a scale from 0 to 100, with 100 being the hardest. The scale helps users understand the level of difficulty in ranking for a keyword and provides insights into the number of referring domains needed for different levels of Keyword Difficulty.
Keyword Difficulty Scale
The Keyword Difficulty Scale provides a comprehensive measurement of the level of difficulty in ranking for specific keywords, allowing users to gauge the number of referring domains necessary for achieving desired search engine rankings.
This scale, ranging from 0 to 100, helps users understand the level of difficulty associated with ranking for a particular keyword. Each value on the scale corresponds to an estimated number of referring domains required to reach the first page of search results.
For example, a Keyword Difficulty of 40 may require approximately 56 referring domains to enter the top 10 search results.
Finding Easy-to-Rank Keywords
To identify easy-to-rank keywords, users can utilize Ahrefs' extensive keyword database, which contains over 19.2 billion keywords from 243 countries, making it the largest database available.
Ahrefs' Keyword Difficulty metric can help users identify keywords that are easy to rank for. By combining Keyword Difficulty with Search Volume, users can find keywords that can bring good organic traffic without requiring much effort to rank.
However, Keyword Difficulty should not be the only factor affecting keyword choice. It is recommended to conduct a complete SERP analysis for further keyword selection. Ahrefs provides the necessary data for analysis in the SERP overview.
Integration With Other Ahrefs Tools
Ahrefs' suite of tools seamlessly integrate with each other, allowing users to optimize their keyword selection and track their website's ranking position changes for given keywords.
The Keyword Difficulty metric, which is prominently featured in the Keywords Explorer tool, helps users make informed decisions about keyword selection.
Site Explorer enables users to discover keywords that bring organic traffic to competitors' websites, giving them valuable insights into the possibility of ranking in the top 10 for those keywords.
Content Explorer assists in finding popular content on any topic and provides a list of keywords that a content page ranks for, along with their corresponding Keyword Difficulty.
Furthermore, Rank Tracker keeps users updated with regular updates to Keyword Search Volume and Keyword Difficulty, allowing them to monitor their website's performance and make necessary adjustments to their SEO strategy.
With these integrated tools, users have complete control over their keyword research and website optimization efforts.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Ahrefs' Keyword Difficulty metric is a valuable tool for determining the level of competition for a keyword and identifying easy-to-rank keywords.
By analyzing the number of referring domains, Ahrefs accurately calculates the Keyword Difficulty, making it a reliable measure of ranking challenges.
Through its integration with other powerful tools in the Ahrefs platform, users can further enhance their SEO strategies and improve their website's visibility.
Understanding Ahrefs' secret to ranking high is essential for achieving online success.