Keyword difficulty is a score, usually on a 0-100 scale, that estimates how hard it will be to rank a page in Google's top results for a given search term. A higher number means stronger competition and more work. Used correctly, it tells a new site which terms to chase now and which to leave for later — but the number itself is an estimate, not a promise.
We built Grid13 to help businesses stay visible across both Google and AI answer engines, and keyword difficulty is one of the first things we check before we write anything. This guide walks a beginner through what the score means, why tools disagree, and a repeatable method you can run this week.
What does the keyword difficulty score actually measure?
Most SEO tools use a 0-100 scale for keyword difficulty, but the label matters as much as the number. The score is a prediction about the strength of the pages already ranking — not about how good your content is. A tool looks at the sites on page one and asks: how much authority, how many links, and how much optimization would it take to join them?
Here is a plain-language read of the standard bands, drawn from how the tools describe their own ranges:
- 0-14 — Very easy. Keywords scoring 0-14 are "Very easy" and represent the best opportunities to start ranking new pages fast, with the least effort.
- 15-29 — Easy. Terms rated 15-29 have some competition but are still achievable even for a new domain.
- 30-49 — Moderate. Scores in the 30-49 range require quality, well-structured content properly optimized for the target keyword.
- 50-69 — Difficult. Keywords scoring 50-69 are "Difficult" and need quality backlinks on top of well-structured, optimized content.
How hard a keyword you should target depends on your site, not just the number
The same score means different things for different sites. A difficulty of 45 is a stretch for a brand-new blog and a warm-up for an established brand. The tools agree on a rough rule you can act on today.
If your site is new or has low authority, target keywords with difficulty typically under 30. More precisely, low-authority sites should target scores of 30 or below, mid-authority sites can compete for 30 to 60, and high-authority sites can pursue scores above 60. We treat that as a floor and a ceiling, not a target — inside a band, we still pick the term with the clearest buyer intent.
What NOT to do: do not chase a keyword just because it has huge search volume. A term at difficulty 70 with 40,000 monthly searches is worthless to you if you never crack page two. A term at difficulty 20 that a buyer types right before purchasing is worth more, even at a fraction of the volume.
Why do two tools give the same keyword different scores?
If you check one keyword in three tools, you will often get three different numbers. That is expected — each tool uses its own formula and its own link index. There is no single official keyword difficulty; Google does not publish one.
Semrush is a good example of how much the math can change. The company relaunched its Keyword Difficulty metric in 2021 with a new formula after extensive lab testing. That formula weighs the median number of referring domains, the median ratio of dofollow to nofollow links, the median authority score of ranking domains, and SERP-related qualities of the keyword. Another tool that leans harder on link counts, or uses a different authority model, will land on a different figure for the same term.
The practical takeaway: pick one tool and stay with it. Consistency inside a single system tells you whether keyword A is harder than keyword B — which is the only comparison that actually guides your work. Jumping between tools just adds noise.
A repeatable method you can run this week
Here is the exact sequence we use before drafting a post. It takes an afternoon the first time and about an hour once it is a habit.
- List 20 real questions your buyers ask. Pull them from sales calls, support tickets, and the "People also ask" box on Google. Type your core topic into Google and note every autocomplete suggestion — those are real queries.
- Run each phrase through one keyword tool. Free options include Google Keyword Planner and the free tiers of Ahrefs Webmaster Tools or Ubersuggest. Record difficulty, monthly volume, and intent for each.
- Filter by your authority band first. New site? Cut everything above difficulty 30. This is the step beginners skip, and it is why they publish for months with no traffic.
- Read the actual SERP for your survivors. Open the top five results. If they are thin, outdated, or off-topic, the real difficulty is lower than the score suggests — that is your opening.
- Check whether an AI answer already owns the query. Search the term in Google and in an AI tool like ChatGPT or Perplexity. Google's AI Overviews appear for 60%+ of informational queries in 2025, so for many terms the game is no longer just ranking — it is getting cited inside the answer.
That last step is where difficulty scores fall short. They were designed for the old ten-blue-links world. When an AI Overview summarizes the topic above the results, a low-difficulty keyword can still send you almost no clicks. We watch for that pattern and prioritize terms where a human still clicks through to a source. Our approach to Grid13's AI visibility work starts from exactly this: which queries still reward a page, and how to structure that page so an answer engine quotes it.
How to turn a difficulty score into a content decision
A score is only useful when it changes what you do next. We sort every candidate keyword into three actions:
- Write now. Difficulty inside your band, clear intent, a weak SERP, and no AI Overview swallowing the traffic. These are your first ten posts.
- Write later. Right intent but difficulty above your band today. Bookmark it. As you publish and earn links, your ceiling rises and these move into range.
- Skip. High difficulty, vague intent, or an answer engine that already resolves the query completely. Spending a week here is a week you do not get back.
Beginners tend to write whatever they can think of and hope. A difficulty score, used with the method above, replaces hope with a queue. That is the whole point — and it is what an AI-powered content platform like Grid13 automates when it plans a blog calendar, so you spend your time on the writing that will actually get read.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a low keyword difficulty score a guarantee I will rank?
No. The score predicts competition, not your outcome. A weak page targeting an easy keyword can still lose to a well-optimized rival. The score gets you into the right race; the content and intent match decide whether you win it.
What keyword difficulty should a brand-new website target?
Stay under 30. Search Atlas advises new or low-authority sites to target difficulty typically under 30, and MetricHQ puts the ceiling for low-authority sites at 30 or below. Clear those wins first, then climb.
Why does the same keyword get different scores in different tools?
Each tool uses its own formula and link database. Semrush, for example, rebuilt its metric in 2021 around referring domains, dofollow/nofollow ratios, domain authority, and SERP features. A tool weighting those factors differently produces a different number, so compare keywords within one tool only.
Does keyword difficulty still matter when AI answers show up?
It matters less on its own. Google's AI Overviews appear for over 60% of informational queries in 2025, meaning a low-difficulty term can still leak most of its clicks to the AI summary. Check whether a query still sends people to a page before you invest in it.
Which free tools can I use to check keyword difficulty?
Google Keyword Planner gives volume and rough competition for free. Ahrefs Webmaster Tools and Ubersuggest both offer limited free difficulty checks. Pick one and use it consistently rather than averaging numbers across several.
Should I ever target a high-difficulty keyword?
Yes, once your site has the authority for it. Mid-authority sites can compete for scores of 30 to 60 and high-authority sites for scores above 60. Keep those terms on a "write later" list and revisit as your domain strengthens.