The target keyword is the backbone of a good SEO strategy. It is the starting point for all other aspects of SEO, including on-page optimization, link building, and content marketing.
However, not all keywords are created equal. Some keywords are much easier to rank for than others. These are what we call low-difficulty keywords.
In this article, we will discuss the importance of targeting low-difficulty keywords for SEO success. We will also provide some tips on how to find and target these keywords for your website.
Understanding Keyword Difficulty
Keyword difficulty is a metric used to gauge the competitiveness of a keyword, indicating how challenging it would be to rank for that term in search engine results pages (SERPs).
Factors influencing keyword difficulty include the number of websites competing for the keyword, the quality of content already ranking, and the strength of competitors' backlink profiles.
High-difficulty keywords are typically dominated by well-established sites with substantial authority, making it hard for new or smaller players to secure top positions.
Why Target Low-Difficulty Keywords?
Faster Results and Better ROI
Low-difficulty keywords offer a more accessible path to higher rankings in a shorter timeframe. When businesses focus on these keywords, they can often see quicker improvements in their SERP positions, leading to an increase in organic traffic. This quicker turnaround translates to a better return on investment (ROI), as efforts yield visible results without the prolonged wait associated with more competitive terms.
Higher Conversion Rates
Often, low-difficulty keywords are more specific and niche, aligning closely with user intent. Visitors searching for these terms are likely to have a clear idea of what they want, making them more valuable prospects. As a result, traffic driven by these keywords tends to convert at higher rates, boosting the overall effectiveness of marketing efforts.
Building Authority and Trust
Successfully ranking for low-difficulty keywords can help establish a website's authority within its niche. As content consistently appears in relevant searches, users begin to recognize and trust the brand. Over time, this builds a strong foundation that can support efforts to target more competitive keywords as the site gains domain authority and credibility.
Cost-Effective Strategy
For businesses with limited marketing budgets, targeting low-difficulty keywords is a cost-effective strategy. It reduces the need for extensive link-building campaigns and other expensive SEO tactics that are often required to compete for high-difficulty keywords. By allocating resources to create high-quality, targeted content, businesses can achieve sustainable growth without significant financial outlay.
How to Identify Low-Difficulty Keywords
Keyword Research Tools
Utilize tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz to identify low-difficulty keywords relevant to your industry. These platforms provide keyword difficulty scores, search volume data, and insights into competitors' strategies, helping you pinpoint opportunities with the best potential for success.
Long-Tail Keywords
Focus on long-tail keywords, which are longer and more specific phrases that typically have lower search volumes but also lower competition. Long-tail keywords cater to specific queries and can attract highly targeted traffic.
Analyze Competitor Gaps
Look for gaps in your competitors' content. Identify topics they have not covered comprehensively and create high-quality content around those subjects. This can help you capture niche traffic that competitors are missing.
Leverage Question-Based Keywords
Many users phrase their searches as questions. Tools like AnswerThePublic can help you find common questions related to your industry, which often have lower competition and are ripe for targeting.
Implementing Low-Difficulty Keywords in Your SEO Strategy
Content Creation
Develop comprehensive, high-quality content around your chosen low-difficulty keywords. Ensure the content is valuable, informative, and addresses the user's intent. This increases the likelihood of ranking well and attracting organic traffic.
On-Page SEO
Optimize your on-page elements, including title tags, meta descriptions, headers, and image alt texts, to include your target keywords. Ensure the keywords are naturally integrated into the content to maintain readability and user engagement.
Internal Linking
Use internal linking to connect related content within your site. This helps distribute link equity and boosts the SEO performance of your pages targeting low-difficulty keywords.
You can learn more about internal linking, external linking and all other link building strategies.
Monitor and Adjust
Regularly monitor your rankings and traffic for the targeted keywords. Use analytics tools to assess performance and make necessary adjustments to your strategy based on data insights.
Low Keyword Difficulty FAQ
What are Low Difficulty Keywords?
Low-difficulty keywords are those keywords that are relatively easy to rank for in the search engine results pages (SERPs). They are not as competitive as other more difficult keywords and can be captured with less effort and investment. For example, keywords that have a low competition score, have a low keyword difficulty score, and appear low in the SERP rankings are usually considered low-difficulty keywords. The aim is to identify such keywords and build an effective SEO strategy around them. This will help you to secure rankings and drive organic traffic to your website.
Low-difficulty keywords are usually short-tail or long-tail phrases. They may not be as popular or as competitive as other related keywords, but they can still bring significant amounts of organic traffic to your website. Furthermore, they are usually more targeted and thus, provide better conversions.
There are, however, some risks involved in targeting low-difficulty keywords as well. These include the possibility of oversaturating the SERPs with similar content. This can lead to a decrease in rankings and, eventually, organic traffic.
The benefits of targeting low-difficulty keywords
Targeting low-difficulty keywords can provide a number of benefits for your SEO success. Firstly, since they are not as competitive as more difficult keywords, you can achieve rankings more easily and quickly. This means that you can start generating organic traffic with minimal effort and costs. Moreover, targeting low-difficulty keywords can help to optimize your keyword research strategy. You can use them to expand your keyword research, identify new opportunities, and gain better SEO insights.
You can also use them to identify other related, more difficult keywords that you can use in your SEO strategy. Furthermore, targeting low-difficulty keywords can help to build an organic link profile. This is especially beneficial for small and medium-sized websites that don’t have the budget or resources to engage in aggressive link-building tactics. Low-difficulty keywords can help to draw organic links to your website naturally, which can improve your visibility and rankings.
How to target low-difficulty keywords
The best way to target low-difficulty keywords is to focus on long-tail keywords. Long-tail keywords are typically less competitive and are more likely to bring in relevant organic traffic. These are usually more specific, niche queries rather than general, broad-based keywords. You can use keyword research tools such as Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, and Ahrefs to identify long-tail keywords related to your industry or niche. You can also use these tools to estimate the keyword difficulty score for each keyword and determine which ones are low-difficulty keywords. You can also use competitor analysis to identify low-difficulty keywords.
Consider the competition’s keyword strategy and see if there are any keywords that they are targeting that you can use to your advantage. This can help you to get a better idea of which keywords have low difficulty scores and can help to inform your keyword targeting strategy. Once you have identified your target low-difficulty keywords, you can start to optimize your website and content for them.
This includes updating existing content and creating new content that is optimized for these keywords. You should also focus on link-building and other off-page optimization tactics.
Targeting low-difficulty keywords is a strategic approach that offers numerous benefits for SEO success. By focusing on these keywords, businesses can achieve faster rankings, higher conversion rates, and build a strong foundation of authority and trust. This cost-effective strategy is particularly advantageous for smaller businesses and new websites looking to establish their online presence. With careful research, targeted content creation, and ongoing optimization, leveraging low-difficulty keywords can drive sustainable growth and significant returns on investment.
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