Ahrefs Free Keyword Difficulty Checker: Find Easy Keywords
Hey guys! Figuring out keyword difficulty is super important for anyone trying to get their website ranking higher on Google. You know, we all want that sweet, sweet organic traffic, right? One tool that often comes up in the conversation is Ahrefs. While Ahrefs is a powerhouse, it's not exactly free. But don't worry, there are still ways to get a handle on keyword difficulty without breaking the bank. This article will dive into how you can use Ahrefs' free tools and other strategies to find those easier-to-rank keywords.
Understanding Keyword Difficulty
Okay, so what exactly is keyword difficulty? Simply put, it's a measure of how hard it will be to rank on the first page of Google for a specific keyword. Several factors go into this, including:
- Domain Authority: The overall strength of the websites already ranking.
- Page Authority: The strength of the specific pages ranking.
- Content Quality: How well the existing content answers the search query.
- Backlinks: The number and quality of links pointing to those pages.
Keywords with high difficulty scores mean you'll need a lot of authority, great content, and a strong backlink profile to compete. Low difficulty keywords, on the other hand, present a much easier opportunity to rank, especially if you're just starting out.
Why is this crucial? Targeting keywords that are too difficult can be a massive waste of time. You could spend months creating content and building links, only to see zero movement in the rankings. Finding those low-hanging fruit keywords allows you to get some early wins, build momentum, and start driving traffic to your site faster. This early traffic will improve your confidence and make you want to do more.
Ahrefs Free Tools for Keyword Research
While the full Ahrefs suite requires a subscription, they do offer some free tools that can help you assess keyword difficulty:
Ahrefs Free Keyword Generator
This tool allows you to enter a seed keyword and generates a list of related keywords. While it doesn't directly show keyword difficulty scores, it can help you brainstorm potential keywords to investigate further. To use it effectively, start with a broad term related to your niche. For example, if you're in the coffee business, you might start with "coffee beans." The tool will then give you a list of related keywords like "best coffee beans," "organic coffee beans," or "arabica coffee beans." From there, you can manually assess the competition for each of these keywords.
Ahrefs Free Backlink Checker
This tool lets you check the top backlinks for any website or URL. You can use it to analyze the backlink profiles of your competitors who are already ranking for the keywords you're interested in. Just pop their URL into the tool, and it will show you the number of backlinks, referring domains, and the Ahrefs Domain Rating (DR) and URL Rating (UR). While this is just a snapshot, it gives you a good indication of how much link building effort has gone into ranking that page. If the top-ranking pages have tons of high-quality backlinks from authoritative sites, that's a sign that the keyword is going to be tough to crack. Keep an eye on the DR and UR metrics. These scores give you an idea of how authoritative the domain and specific page are, respectively.
Ahrefs Webmaster Tools
This is a completely free tool that lets you audit your own website for SEO issues and monitor your backlinks. While it doesn't directly help with keyword research, it's essential for ensuring your site is technically sound and optimized for search engines. By fixing any technical issues and building a solid backlink profile for your own site, you'll be in a better position to compete for those easier keywords. You can identify broken links, missing title tags, slow-loading pages, and other issues that could be holding you back. Addressing these issues will improve your site's overall SEO health and make it easier to rank in the long run. This helps Google understand and trust your website.
Alternative Free Keyword Difficulty Checkers
Okay, so Ahrefs' free tools are helpful, but they don't give you that direct keyword difficulty score. So, where else can you turn? Here are some alternatives:
Google Keyword Planner
While primarily designed for Google Ads, the Keyword Planner can provide valuable insights into keyword competition and search volume. To access the most accurate data, you'll need to run an active ad campaign. However, even without running ads, you can still get a general sense of keyword competition. The Keyword Planner will show you whether a keyword has low, medium, or high competition. While this isn't as precise as a numerical difficulty score, it's a good starting point. You can also see the estimated search volume for each keyword, which helps you prioritize your efforts.
Ubersuggest
Ubersuggest, created by Neil Patel, offers a free plan that includes keyword research features. It provides a keyword difficulty score, search volume data, and even content ideas. The free plan has limitations, but it's a decent option for beginners. Ubersuggest's keyword difficulty score ranges from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more competition. It also provides information on the number of backlinks and referring domains you'll need to rank on the first page of Google. Plus, it offers content ideas based on popular articles and blog posts related to your target keywords.
Moz Keyword Explorer
Moz offers a limited free version of its Keyword Explorer tool. It provides keyword suggestions, search volume data, and a difficulty score. Like Ubersuggest, the free plan is limited, but it can be useful for basic keyword research. Moz's keyword difficulty score is based on a scale of 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more competition. It also provides insights into the organic click-through rate (CTR) for each keyword, which helps you understand how likely users are to click on your search results.
Semrush Free Account
Semrush is another powerhouse SEO tool, and while the free account has limitations, it allows you to perform a certain number of keyword searches per day and analyze domain metrics. This can be useful for getting a quick overview of keyword difficulty and competitor analysis. The free account lets you run a limited number of searches, but it's enough to get a feel for the tool's capabilities. Semrush provides a keyword difficulty score, search volume data, and related keywords. It also offers insights into the top-ranking pages for each keyword and the backlinks they've acquired.
Manually Assessing Keyword Difficulty
Okay, so these tools are great, but sometimes the best way to gauge keyword difficulty is to do it manually. Here's how:
Analyze the SERP (Search Engine Results Page)
Google the keyword you're interested in and take a close look at the first page results. What kind of websites are ranking? Are they big, authoritative sites like Wikipedia or Forbes? Or are they smaller, niche blogs? The presence of big brands and authoritative sites usually indicates a more difficult keyword. Also, pay attention to the type of content that's ranking. Are they blog posts, product pages, or videos? This can give you an idea of what kind of content you'll need to create to compete.
Evaluate Domain Authority
Use a free tool like Moz's Link Explorer to check the Domain Authority (DA) of the websites ranking on the first page. DA is a metric that predicts how well a website will rank in search engine results. Websites with high DA scores are generally more difficult to outrank. If the top-ranking pages have DA scores of 50 or higher, that's a sign that the keyword is going to be challenging. Conversely, if the top-ranking pages have DA scores below 30, that's a good indication that the keyword is within reach.
Check Backlink Profiles
Use Ahrefs' free backlink checker or a similar tool to analyze the backlink profiles of the top-ranking pages. How many backlinks do they have? What is the quality of those backlinks? Pages with a large number of high-quality backlinks are generally more difficult to outrank. Look for backlinks from authoritative websites in your niche. If the top-ranking pages have hundreds or thousands of backlinks from reputable sources, that's a sign that the keyword is going to be tough to crack. However, if the top-ranking pages have relatively few backlinks, or if their backlinks are from low-quality websites, that's a good indication that you can compete.
Assess Content Quality
Take a close look at the content on the top-ranking pages. Is it well-written, comprehensive, and up-to-date? Does it provide a thorough answer to the search query? If the content is high-quality and provides a great user experience, you'll need to create something even better to compete. Look for gaps in the content that you can fill. Are there any questions that the top-ranking pages don't answer? Can you provide more detailed information or a unique perspective? By creating content that's more comprehensive and engaging than the competition, you can increase your chances of ranking higher.
Finding Long-Tail Keywords
Another great strategy for finding easier-to-rank keywords is to focus on long-tail keywords. These are longer, more specific phrases that people use when searching for information online. Because they're more specific, they tend to have lower search volume and less competition.
For example, instead of targeting the keyword "coffee beans," you could target a long-tail keyword like "best organic fair trade coffee beans for French press." This keyword is much more specific, and it's likely that fewer websites will be targeting it. This means you'll have a better chance of ranking on the first page of Google. To find long-tail keywords, try using keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest. You can also use Google Suggest to see what people are searching for related to your target keyword. Just start typing your keyword into the Google search bar, and Google will suggest related searches. These suggestions can give you ideas for long-tail keywords to target.
Conclusion
So, while Ahrefs' full suite isn't free, you can still use their free tools and other strategies to get a good handle on keyword difficulty. Remember to combine these tools with manual analysis of the SERP to get the most accurate assessment. And don't forget to focus on long-tail keywords for those easier wins! Good luck, and happy ranking!