Keyword Difficulty Checker for SEO: The Beginner’s Guide to Choosing Your Battles

Introduction

Let’s be honest—stepping into SEO can feel like opening a giant puzzle box without the instruction manual. You read about keywords, traffic, on-page SEO, backlinks… and then someone throws a curveball: keyword difficulty.

“Wait, so it’s not enough to just find keywords people search for?”

Not quite. Imagine you’re at a chessboard. Some opponents are casual players, while others are grandmasters. A Keyword Difficulty Checker is like looking across the board and knowing what kind of rival you’re up against before you make your first move.

If you’re a blogger, student, small business owner, or brand-new digital marketer, this guide is for you. We’ll break down what keyword difficulty really means, why it matters, the best tools to use, and how to weave it into your SEO workflow without drowning in jargon.

By the time you finish, you’ll be able to spot easy wins, skip red-flag battles, and finally stop feeling overwhelmed by the mountain of SEO advice out there.

What is a Keyword Difficulty Checker?

At its core, a Keyword Difficulty Checker is a tool that tells you how hard it will be to rank on Google for a specific keyword.

It usually gives you a score—from “easy” to “impossible”—so you can quickly decide whether a keyword is worth your effort. These scores are calculated using things like:

• The authority of websites already ranking.
• The number and quality of backlinks pointing to those pages.
• How well their content is optimized.
• The overall competition within that niche.

Think of it like scouting a hiking trail: some are easy Sunday strolls, others feel like Mount Everest. Keyword difficulty tools save you from strapping on hiking boots only to realize the trail is far too advanced.

Quick Example:

• Keyword: “running shoes” → Extremely competitive. Everyone from Nike to Amazon dominates.
• Keyword: “best running shoes for flat feet beginners” → More specific, lower competition, higher chance for you to rank.

Why a Keyword Difficulty Checker Matters (Especially for Beginners)

When you’re starting out, there’s one dangerous SEO trap: chasing only high-volume keywords because they look shiny. But if those keywords are nearly impossible to win, you’ll waste countless hours writing content nobody ever finds.

Here’s why using a keyword difficulty checker makes all the difference:

1. Saves energy: No more shooting arrows in the dark. You’ll target terms you can realistically rank for.
2. Quick wins = confidence: Small victories build momentum, and momentum is addictive.
3. Higher conversions: Easier keywords often belong to niche audiences with very specific needs (and they’re way more likely to buy or subscribe).
4. Smart growth: As your site gains authority, you can “graduate” to tackling harder, high-volume keywords.
5. Avoid frustration: Nothing crushes motivation faster than pouring energy into keywords that giants have locked down.

Keyword difficulty isn’t just a metric—it’s a map that keeps you from getting lost while chasing visibility.

How to Use a Keyword Difficulty Checker (Step-by-Step)

Alright, let’s roll up our sleeves. Here’s a step-by-step guide that makes keyword difficulty less scary and more like a fun treasure hunt:

Step 1: Brainstorm Starter Keywords

Think about your audience. What would they type into Google? If you’re a yoga teacher, that might be “morning stretches,” “yoga for back pain,” or “easy yoga for beginners.”

Step 2: Open a Keyword Difficulty Checker

Choose a free tool (list below). Pop your keyword into the search bar.

Step 3: Read the Score

Most tools give a difficulty scale (0–100):

• 0–30 = Easy (Beginner-friendly, quick wins)
• 31–60 = Moderate (Manageable with good SEO and quality content)
• 61+ = Hard (Saved for later once your site has more authority)

Step 4: Balance It With Search Volume

Don’t chase only “easy” keywords with almost no searches. Ideally, you want a sweet spot: medium/low difficulty with decent monthly volume.

Step 5: Compare Options

Instead of focusing on just one keyword, check related ideas. Example: instead of “home workout,” go for “10-minute morning workout at home.”

Step 6: Prioritize + Create Content

Pick keywords with healthy potential and start building content around them. Consistency turns those “easy wins” into compounding SEO growth.

Top Free Keyword Difficulty Checkers (25 Tools You Can Try)

Here are beginner-friendly keyword difficulty tools—bold marks the heavy hitters you’ll probably use most often:

1. Ahrefs Free Keyword Difficulty Checker
2. SEMrush Keyword Difficulty Tool
3. Moz Keyword Explorer
4. Ubersuggest
5. Serpstat
6. KWFinder by Mangools
7. Mangools Overall Keyword Tool
8. Google Keyword Planner
9. WordStream Free Keyword Tool
10. SEO PowerSuite Rank Tracker
11. SmallSEOtools Keyword Checker
12. SE Ranking Keyword Difficulty Tool
13. Keyword Tool.io
14. SpyFu Keyword Difficulty Checker
15. Long Tail Pro
16. BuzzSumo Keyword Tool
17. CognitiveSEO Tool
18. Twinword Ideas
19. Keyword Revealer
20. Jaaxy Keyword Tool
21. RankIQ Analyzer
22. Keyword Sheeter
23. Exploding Topics
24. AnswerThePublic
25. Google Trends

💡 Pro Tip: You don’t need to use all 25. Start with 2–3 (like Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Ubersuggest) and test them out.

Keyword Difficulty Best Practices (Friendly Tips)

• Start easy → grow big. Use low/medium difficulty keywords early on to build confidence and authority.
• Think human, not just numbers. Don’t write to please algorithms; write so readers feel seen and understood.
• Aim for long-tail keywords. Specific phrases like “best budget travel tips for Europe 2024” give you faster results.
• Stay flexible. Keyword difficulty changes as new content comes in—recheck quarterly.
• Use keyword clusters. Build content that ranks for multiple similar terms instead of obsessively targeting just one phrase.

FAQs About Keyword Difficulty

1. What does keyword difficulty mean?
   It’s a score that shows how tough it is to rank a keyword on Google.
2. Do all checkers show the same results?
   Not exactly. Each tool has its own formula, but the general idea stays consistent.
3. What’s a good difficulty level to target?
   For beginners: 20–40. Manageable, but still has search demand.
4. Can I rank for high-difficulty keywords as a beginner?
   Eventually, yes. But start with easier ones to build authority.
5. Are long-tail keywords always easier?
   Mostly, yes—but check difficulty anyway, just in case.
6. Do I need paid tools?
   No. Free tools like Ubersuggest or Moz Explorer are enough to get started.
7. Why do some keywords with high volume also have low difficulty?
   Because they’re newer trends or niche areas that big players haven’t fully dominated.
8. How often should I analyze keyword difficulty?
   At least every few months, or when planning new content.
9. Is keyword difficulty the only thing that matters?
   No—always balance difficulty with intent (what the searcher wants).
10. Can backlinks lower keyword difficulty for me?
    Indirectly—more backlinks = higher authority, which helps compete on tougher terms.
11. What if a keyword is low difficulty but also low volume?
    Still worth it. Those terms often bring highly targeted, ready-to-convert traffic.
12. Which free tool is best for beginners?
    Ubersuggest—it’s simple and easy to understand.
13. Can I use keyword difficulty for YouTube or Pinterest SEO?
    Yes! Many checkers now work for other platforms too.
14. Can difficulty scores change over time?
    Absolutely—you may see a keyword get harder as more people compete.
15. Do I have to check difficulty for every single keyword?
    Not strictly, but checking for your main target keywords makes life much easier.

Conclusion

Keyword Difficulty Checkers aren’t just numbers—they’re your early-warning system for SEO. They save you from wasting energy on battles you can’t win (yet) and guide you towards smarter, achievable growth.

As a beginner, the secret is simple: start with low-competition keywords, build wins, nurture traffic, and climb your way up. In time, those high-volume, competitive searches you once thought impossible will be within your grasp.

Remember, SEO isn’t a sprint—it’s a marathon. And every marathon begins with the first few steps. Use keyword difficulty wisely, and you’ll walk a path of steady wins instead of harsh disappointments.