A score estimating how hard it is to rank for a specific keyword in organic search.
Keyword Difficulty (KD) is a metric provided by SEO tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz that estimates how difficult it is to rank organically for a specific keyword. KD is calculated based on the authority and quality of the pages currently ranking for that keyword. A high KD score (70+) typically means you need strong domain authority and many high-quality backlinks to compete.
Understanding keyword difficulty helps you prioritise which keywords to target based on your current domain authority. New sites should target low-KD "long-tail" keywords to build initial traffic, then move to more competitive terms as their authority grows.
The keyword "CRM software" has a KD of 85 — very competitive, dominated by established brands. But "CRM software for freelancers" might have a KD of 25 — much more attainable for a smaller site.
New sites should target KD 0–20. Established sites with DA 40+ can target KD 30–60. Only high-authority sites should pursue KD 70+ keywords.