{"id":5452,"date":"2023-04-25T01:33:30","date_gmt":"2023-04-25T06:33:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/keyword.com\/?post_type=blog&p=5452"},"modified":"2025-09-10T10:38:09","modified_gmt":"2025-09-10T15:38:09","slug":"why-target-low-difficulty-keywords","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/keyword.com\/blog\/why-target-low-difficulty-keywords\/","title":{"rendered":"Why You Should Target Low-Difficulty Keywords"},"content":{"rendered":"

When it comes to SEO, not all keywords are created equal. High-competition keywords may seem appealing due to their search volume, but they often require significant time, resources, and domain authority to rank. That\u2019s where low-difficulty keywords come into play.<\/p>\n

Targeting these less competitive keywords offers a strategic advantage, allowing you to gain visibility, drive relevant traffic, and increase conversions faster. By focusing on keywords with lower competition, you can build authority and enhance your search engine rankings without battling established competitors head-on. Here\u2019s why low-difficulty keywords should be a priority in your SEO strategy.<\/p>\n

Five Reasons to Target Low-Difficulty Keywords<\/h2>\n
    \n
  1. Low-difficulty keywords usually have low search volumes, making them easier to rank for<\/li>\n
  2. Targeting low-difficulty campaigns makes your SEO and paid marketing efforts cost-effective<\/li>\n
  3. They generate quick SEO ROI<\/li>\n
  4. They have better click-through rates<\/li>\n
  5. They generate decent website traffic<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    What Are Low-Difficulty Keywords?<\/h2>\n

    Low-difficulty keywords are easy to rank for on search engine result pages. You don\u2019t necessarily need a high domain authority website or to build many links to rank for these keywords.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    These keywords have lower search volume than high-competition keywords, but they are specific and targeted to a particular search intent which can result in higher click-through rates.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    It is expedient to know that most low-difficulty keywords are long-tail, making them less competitive and easier to rank (we will explain extensively about the advantages of these keywords in the later part of this article).<\/span><\/p>\n

    Factors That Influence a Keyword\u2019s Difficulty Level<\/h2>\n

    1. Search Volume<\/h3>\n

    The number of users searching for a keyword automatically affects its difficulty.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Logically, everybody wants a keyword with high search volume because ranking for these keywords equals generating more traffic to their sites. That\u2019s why keywords with hundreds of thousands of search volumes have relatively high KD.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Learn more<\/strong>: Keyword volume vs difficulty vs search intent<\/a><\/p>\n

    2. Backlink Profiles of the Ranking Websites<\/h3>\n

    One of Google\u2019s checklists for ranking websites on SERPs is the authenticity and reliability of the site, otherwise known as link profile.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Reputable websites won’t link to dubious or low-quality websites. For instance, an authoritative website will only provide links to other sites with similar value quality. A strong link profile is the outcome of links to these websites.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Link profiles are one of Google’s methods for assessing a website’s or webpage’s quality.<\/span><\/p>\n

    We\u2019re sure you know building a strong link profile is difficult; this is a crucial factor that influences keyword difficulty.<\/span><\/p>\n

    It is more difficult to rank for a keyword if the high-ranking sites on SERPs have a robust link profile.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Learn more<\/strong>: How do backlinks affect SEO ranking?\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

    3. Competition<\/h3>\n

    Aside from a keyword\u2019s search volume, the number of sites targeting it also affects its difficulty.<\/span>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

    For example, the result page for the keyword <\/span>SEO <\/b>shows that it is more challenging to rank for it compared to the keyword <\/span>rank tracking tools<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \"SEO<\/p>\n

    \"Rank<\/p>\n

    Why?<\/span><\/p>\n

    The number of sites targeting the first keyword is higher than the other one.<\/span><\/p>\n

    4. Relevance of Content Targeting the Term<\/h3>\n

    Google aims to provide its users with relevant, unique, and accurate information. That\u2019s why content quality is a major ranking factor.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \"Relevance<\/p>\n

    The quality of content<\/a> available for a particular keyword affects its difficulty.<\/span><\/p>\n

    It is much easier to rank for a keyword if none of the sites targeting it provides high-graded content. So if you are a new brand with a small or no link profile, your escape route to go up the result pages is creating relevant, keyword-optimized, user intent-focused, and insightful content.<\/span><\/p>\n

    5. Quality of a Model Page<\/h3>\n

    Firstly, a high-quality model page optimized for a particular keyword can increase the keyword difficulty because it signals to search engines that the competition for that keyword is high. A well-optimized page will likely have a strong backlink profile, high domain authority, and high-quality content that other pages will find difficult to compete with.<\/span><\/p>\n

    On the other hand, a low-quality model page can decrease the keyword difficulty. A low-quality page may need to be optimized for a particular keyword and require a strong backlink profile or high domain authority. This means that other pages will find it easier to compete with such a page, which could result in a lower keyword difficulty score.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Now that you know the factors influencing keyword difficulties, let\u2019s examine some benefits of targeting low-difficulty keywords.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Advantages of Targeting Low-Difficulty Keywords<\/h2>\n

    A. Easy to Rank<\/h3>\n

    Low-difficulty keywords are escalators that effortlessly take you up the search engine result pages. You may need to build a small number or no link to get page ranking.<\/span><\/p>\n

    For example, we created a blog post around a low-difficulty keyword – <\/span>google sheets for SEO<\/b><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \"low<\/p>\n

    This keyword has a KD of 22 but a search volume of 22.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    NB<\/b>: Here is a significant mistake most brands make; they ignore low-difficulty keywords because of their low search volume forgetting that they have a specific search intent and are highly converting.<\/span><\/p>\n

    We created this article and ranked it on the first page of SERP rankings within a few days.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \"low<\/p>\n

    Again, we created another article around a low-difficulty keyword – SEO<\/span> APIs for marketers<\/a>.<\/b><\/p>\n

    \"low<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    This keyword has a KD of 24. That\u2019s cool!<\/span><\/p>\n

    Most importantly, this keyword is relevant to one of our tool\u2019s features.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \"keyword<\/p>\n

    Also, when you target low-difficulty keywords, you can easily find long-tail variations that are easier to rank for and relevant to your audience.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Milo Cruz, CMO at <\/span>Freelance Writing Jobs<\/span><\/a>, says, \u201cAt Freelance Writing Jobs, we targeted the low-difficulty keyword <\/span>remote writing jobs. <\/b>We optimized our content around this keyword and found several long-tail variations suitable to our audience, like <\/span>remote content writing jobs <\/b>and <\/span>remote copywriting jobs.<\/b> By creating targeted content around these long-tail variations, we drove more qualified traffic to our job portal and helped job seekers find and apply for remote writing jobs through our platform.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    B. Cost-Effectiveness<\/h3>\n

    Low-difficulty keywords are less competitive. You don\u2019t have to spend more on paid ads.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cBy targeting low-difficulty keywords, you’ll be able to start your SEM campaign more quickly. If you want to get started with paid search advertising immediately, look at targeting easier terms. You won’t need much experience or budget to get going with these terms; they’ll give you quick wins so that you can begin seeing results right away and build momentum for future campaigns,\u201d Will Yang, CEO at <\/span>Instrumentl<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

    C. Quick Results<\/h3>\n

    You don\u2019t want to wait the donkey years to see results as a new business. Therefore, you need a strategy that can quickly fly you over the hurdles of your competitors, seek out a small percentage of the overall market share, and produce a better ROI.<\/span><\/p>\n

    That\u2019s where low-difficulty keywords come in!<\/span><\/p>\n

    They are easy to rank for and require less effort and budget to produce results.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    D. Better Click-Through Rates<\/h3>\n

    Most low-difficulty keywords are long-tail keywords. And you know these keywords are specific and targeted to a particular audience. Most importantly, they satisfy a clear search intent.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Why won\u2019t your page have a better click-through rate by optimizing these keywords?<\/span><\/p>\n

    Baruch Labunski<\/span><\/a>, says, \u201cMany may think fewer viewers mean fewer sales or website traffic, but that isn’t always true. Those who pick the right low-difficulty words will target people looking for a specific thing and are ready to buy. This can help those who are targeting a certain geographic area for a specific service or have a niche item they’re selling.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    E. Increased Website Traffic<\/h3>\n

    When your pages\u2019 click-through rates increase, the result is an increase in your website\u2019s traffic. However, your conversion level will now depend on the quality of your content and how tailored your CTAs are.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Even though low-difficulty keywords are low volume, optimizing them perfectly will increase your site\u2019s organic traffic and convert your targeted audience.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    And before we jump into the full process in detail, you can also check out our detailed guide on how to choose the right keywords for SEO<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    How to Find Low-Difficulty Keywords<\/h2>\n

    1) Use Google<\/b><\/h3>\n

    Every SEO expert knows Google is the first go-to center for keyword research, especially low-difficulty long-tail keywords. Google is an archive of relevant keywords, but you must be strategic in fetching them out to access them. Here are some places to access these keywords:<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n