Keyword Difficulty Explainer — What Each Tier Actually Means.
Most agencies chase Easy keywords because they can hit them fast. That's not a strategy — it's a report. The real revenue lives in Medium-to-Extreme tiers, where buyers with genuine intent search and where compounding pays off.
Slide across the tiers below to see what each difficulty level actually means in competing results, time-to-rank, and revenue potential — with real Canadian examples.
Hard · KD 60–79
Revenue potential $$$Category-defining terms. Every ranking here compounds into brand searches, RFP invites, and pipeline your competitors don't see.
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FAQs — Keyword Difficulty Explainer
Because easy keywords (KD 0–29) are usually already yours or worth so little in isolation that they can't drive category ownership. Medium-to-hard terms are where buyers with real intent search — and where compounding revenue lives. Winning one hard term often ranks you for 20–50 related easier ones automatically.
Editorially-earned links, deep topical content that Google and LLMs both cite, and a technical foundation that doesn't leak equity. No PBNs, no spun content, no algorithmic risk. Our case studies are all in the KD 60+ range.
Any of Ahrefs, Semrush, or Moz gives a reasonable KD number. They differ in methodology, so pick one and stick with it for internal consistency. Numbers below 30 are usually attainable; above 70 requires links plus depth.
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