Keyword difficulty
Keyword difficulty is an estimated score of how hard it would be to rank on the first page for a search term, based mainly on the strength of the pages already ranking.
Different SEO tools compute it differently, usually from the backlink profiles and authority of the current top results, expressed on a 0–100 scale. It is a relative planning signal, not an absolute: the same keyword can be harder or easier depending on your site's own authority.
Used well, difficulty helps prioritize — pairing high search demand with achievable difficulty finds the opportunities worth pursuing first. Used badly, it becomes a number chased in isolation, ignoring intent and business relevance.
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