The SEO Difficulty score is a proprietary metric developed specifically for Ubersuggest, using a complex algorithm to determine how hard it is to rank among the first 10 search results for a given keyword in the context of a specific country based on several criteria - in a scale from 0 to 100, where 0 is the easiest and 100 the hardest.
To calculate SEO difficulty, Ubersuggest takes into account:
- The Domain Score of each of the first 10 pages ranking for that keyword
- Page Authority of each of the first 10 pages ranking for that keyword
- How many backlinks does each of these pages get
- How in-depth and rich is their content
- Among many other factors
As of May 2023, Ubersuggest has improved its SEO difficulty score. It takes into consideration Page Authority for improved accuracy. Apart from that, we’ve implemented a way for users to refresh the SEO Difficulty of any keyword in Ubersuggest. With this update, we aim to empower users to - with the click of a button - have access to more up-to-date metrics for their keywords of interest. Besides that, SEO Difficulty now includes the ability to refresh its metrics. By giving users the autonomy to refresh SD across our Keyword Reports such as Keyword Ideas, Keyword Lists, and Rank Tracking, we aim to empower the users and give them more relevant numbers for their analysis.
Having an accurate SD score is an important factor when considering what keywords to target. With the ability to refresh SD score accuracy, you can trust that you’re choosing keywords that are within reach of ranking.
To learn more about refreshing SEO Difficulty score, please check: Refresh Feature.
While overall updates to the SD score occur at a gradual pace, this update aims at providing autonomy to users and offering a dynamic solution to their keyword research.
Remember that keywords with a low search difficulty are easier to rank for.