Understanding The Trade-Off Deciding Between High Search Volume Keywords and Low Difficulty Keywords

When done right, the use of the right keywords is an indispensable part of successful SEO strategies. In today's world, it is important for businesses to appear on the first page of search engine results for relevant queries in order to reap the benefits of organic search traffic. Many factors go into deciding which keywords and phrases are the right ones for a site to target.

Two key elements to consider when choosing keywords are search volume and difficulty. Search volume reflects the number of times a given keyword or phrase is searched for, while difficulty relates to how hard it is to rank for such queries. Ideally, a keyword should have a reasonable search volume and a manageable difficulty.

Search volume is the most basic metric to consider when choosing keywords. This metric displays the global search search traffic for the given query. It can be used to understand what people are searching for and how often they are doing it. In addition to providing an overview of the demand for a certain query, search volume is also used to determine what keywords a website should prioritize when executing an SEO campaign.

Difficulty is an important factor to consider when selecting keywords. It indicates the level of competition for a given query. Difficulty is a measure of how hard it will be to crack the top spot of the SERP and is based on many factors, such as the number of other sites aiming to rank for the same keyword, the authority and content strength of competing websites, etc.

For most businesses, it is usually a good idea to prioritize keywords with a good search volume and manageable difficulty.

Even with an understanding of search volume and difficulty, businesses still need to find the right keywords to pursue. The following are some of the methods for efficiently finding and selecting keywords:

Analytics tools like Google search console and SEMrush can be used to identify which queries people are already using to reach your website or a competitor's website. This insight can help identify gaps in coverage or content that needs to be adjusted to better serve those queries.

Specialized keyword tools can be used to carry out detailed keyword research. These tools can help identify related queries with high search volumes and low difficulty. Keyword tools like Ubersuggest also provide a thorough analysis of the competitive landscape for those queries.

Businesses can also benefit from talking directly to their customers and asking them what queries they would use to search for products similar to yours.

Choosing the right keywords is of paramount importance for any SEO strategy. Two key elements to consider when choosing keywords are search volume and difficulty. The methods for finding and selecting keywords vary from using existing analytics to researching with keyword tools and gathering customer feedback. However you choose to do it, make sure you pay attention to search volume and difficulty when picking the keywords that you plan to target.

Final Word

Choosing the right keywords is essential for any SEO strategy. By paying attention to search volume and difficulty when selecting keywords, businesses can optimize their content to appear higher in the SERPs and drive more organic search traffic.