Keyword Difficulty: Semrush vs Ahrefs

Keyword difficulty is a crucial metric for SEO professionals and content marketers when planning their content strategies. It helps determine how challenging it will be to rank for a particular keyword in search engine results pages (SERPs). Two of the most popular SEO tools, Semrush and Ahrefs, offer keyword difficulty scores, but they calculate and present this data differently. This article will explore how keyword difficulty works in Semrush vs Ahrefs, the pros and cons of each approach, and how to effectively use these metrics in your SEO strategy.

Understanding Keyword Difficulty

Before diving into the specifics of how Semrush and Ahrefs calculate keyword difficulty, it's important to understand what this metric represents. Keyword difficulty aims to estimate how hard it would be for a website to rank on the first page of search results for a given keyword. A higher difficulty score indicates that it will be more challenging to rank for that keyword, while a lower score suggests it may be easier.

Factors that typically influence keyword difficulty include:

• Competition from existing high-ranking pages
• Domain authority of ranking websites
• Quality and relevance of content
• Backlink profiles of ranking pages
• Search intent alignment

Both Semrush and Ahrefs take these factors into account, but their methodologies and scoring systems differ.

Semrush's Approach to Keyword Difficulty

Semrush calculates keyword difficulty on a percentage scale from 0% to 100%, with higher percentages indicating greater difficulty. Their algorithm considers multiple factors when determining the difficulty score[1]:

• Number of referring domains to the top-ranking pages
• Authority of those referring domains
• Search volume
• SERP features present for the keyword
• Organic competition

Semrush's keyword difficulty score aims to estimate the effort required to outrank the current top 10 organic results for a given keyword. The score is primarily based on the backlink profiles of the top-ranking pages[2].

Pros of Semrush's Keyword Difficulty Metric:

1. Comprehensive approach: By considering multiple factors, Semrush provides a more holistic view of ranking difficulty.
2. Percentage scale: The 0-100% scale is intuitive and easy to understand at a glance.
3. SERP feature consideration: Including SERP features in the calculation gives a more accurate picture of the actual ranking landscape.

Cons of Semrush's Keyword Difficulty Metric:

1. Potentially overwhelming: The multifaceted approach can sometimes lead to scores that seem higher than expected, especially for newer websites.
2. Less transparent: The exact weighting of different factors in the algorithm is not publicly disclosed.

Ahrefs' Approach to Keyword Difficulty

Ahrefs also uses a 0-100 scale for keyword difficulty, but their calculation focuses primarily on the backlink profiles of the top 10 ranking pages for a given keyword[5]. The Ahrefs keyword difficulty score estimates how many backlinks you would need to rank in the top 10 for a keyword.

Ahrefs' calculation is more straightforward:

1. Analyze the backlink profiles of the top 10 ranking pages
2. Calculate a weighted average of the number of referring domains to these pages
3. Plot this average on a logarithmic curve to determine the difficulty score

Pros of Ahrefs' Keyword Difficulty Metric:

1. Simplicity: The focus on backlinks makes the score easier to interpret and act upon.
2. Actionable insight: Knowing the estimated number of backlinks needed provides a clear goal for link-building efforts.
3. Consistency: The single-factor approach leads to more consistent scores across different keywords and niches.

Cons of Ahrefs' Keyword Difficulty Metric:

1. Limited scope: By focusing primarily on backlinks, other important ranking factors may be overlooked.
2. Potential oversimplification: In some cases, the backlink-centric approach might not capture the full complexity of ranking difficulty.

Comparing Semrush and Ahrefs Keyword Difficulty Scores

When comparing keyword difficulty scores between Semrush and Ahrefs, it's common to see significant differences for the same keyword. This discrepancy is due to their different calculation methods and the factors they prioritize[5].

For example:

• A keyword might have a difficulty score of 65% in Semrush but only 35 in Ahrefs.
• Ahrefs might consider a keyword "easy" (0-30 range) while Semrush rates it as "medium" (40-60% range).

These differences highlight the importance of understanding each tool's methodology and not relying solely on the difficulty score when planning your SEO strategy.

How to Effectively Use Keyword Difficulty Scores

Regardless of which tool you use, here are some best practices for leveraging keyword difficulty scores in your SEO strategy:

1. Use difficulty scores as a guide, not a rule: Consider them alongside other metrics like search volume, click-through rate, and relevance to your content.
2. Compare difficulty scores within the same tool: Since Semrush and Ahrefs calculate difficulty differently, it's more meaningful to compare scores within one platform.
3. Consider your website's authority: A high difficulty score might be insurmountable for a new website but achievable for an established domain with strong backlinks.
4. Look at the competition: Analyze the top-ranking pages to understand what it takes to compete, beyond just the difficulty score.
5. Balance difficulty with opportunity: Sometimes, targeting a higher difficulty keyword with significant search volume can be more valuable than multiple low-difficulty, low-volume keywords.
6. Use difficulty scores for prioritization: When planning content, use difficulty scores to prioritize which keywords to target first based on your resources and timeline.
7. Combine with other metrics: Look at keyword difficulty in conjunction with metrics like keyword potential (in Ahrefs) or intent (in Semrush) for a more comprehensive view.

Additional Considerations

When using keyword difficulty scores from either Semrush or Ahrefs, keep these additional factors in mind:

Search Intent

Both tools now incorporate search intent into their keyword analysis, though not directly into the difficulty score. Understanding the intent behind a search query is crucial for ranking, regardless of the difficulty score[4].

SERP Features

Semrush considers SERP features in its difficulty calculation, while Ahrefs does not. However, both tools provide information about SERP features separately, which can significantly impact your ability to rank and gain visibility.

Local SEO

For businesses targeting local searches, Semrush offers more robust local SEO features, including the ability to check keyword metrics for specific locations[13].

Historical Data

Semrush's historical data dates back to 2012, while Ahrefs goes back to 2015. This can be relevant when analyzing long-term keyword trends and difficulty changes[13].

Conclusion

Both Semrush and Ahrefs offer valuable insights into keyword difficulty, but their approaches differ significantly. Semrush provides a more comprehensive view by considering multiple factors, while Ahrefs focuses primarily on backlinks, offering a simpler but potentially more actionable metric.

The choice between Semrush and Ahrefs for keyword difficulty analysis often comes down to personal preference and specific needs:

• If you prefer a more holistic view of ranking difficulty that includes factors beyond backlinks, Semrush might be the better choice.
• If you want a straightforward metric that directly informs your link-building strategy, Ahrefs could be more suitable.

Ultimately, the most effective approach is to understand the methodology behind each tool's difficulty score and use it as one of many factors in your SEO decision-making process. By combining keyword difficulty insights with other metrics and your own analysis of the competitive landscape, you can develop a robust and effective SEO strategy.

Remember, keyword difficulty is just one piece of the SEO puzzle. Successful ranking also depends on creating high-quality, relevant content that meets user needs and aligns with search intent. Use keyword difficulty scores as a guide, but don't let them limit your content strategy or discourage you from targeting valuable keywords that may seem challenging at first glance.

Citations: [1] https://fatstacksblog.com/ahrefs-vs-semrush-keyword-difficulty-score/ [2] https://www.stylefactoryproductions.com/blog/ahrefs-vs-semrush [3] https://ahrefs.com/blog/seo-writing/ [4] https://www.outbrain.com/blog/seo-content-writing-tips-for-top-rankings/ [5] https://www.traderscooter.com/ahrefs-vs-semrush/ [6] https://www.wiley.com/en-us/network/publishing/research-publishing/preparing-your-article/enhance-your-articles-visibility-a-guide-to-seo-for-journal-authors [7] https://surferseo.com/blog/seo-content-writing-tips/ [8] https://www.reddit.com/r/SEO/comments/178qzt2/differences_between_semrush_and_ahrefs/ [9] https://rockcontent.com/blog/keyword-optimization/ [10] https://trafficthinktank.com/keyword-optimization/ [11] https://www.vezadigital.com/post/seo-champion-ahrefs-vs-semrush-a-checklist-comparison [12] https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/blogging-for-seo [13] https://trafficthinktank.com/semrush-vs-ahrefs/

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