Term
Keyword difficulty
An SEO tool's estimate of how hard it would be to rank in the top results for a search term, usually on a 0 to 100 scale.
VAULT 33|27 · Updated 12 November 2026 · 1 min read
What it means
Tools such as Semrush estimate difficulty from the strength of the pages already ranking. Each tool calculates it differently.
Why it matters for your business
Low-difficulty, high-intent searches are where new websites can win quickly. High-difficulty terms need authority built over time.
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