Semrush Launches Upgraded Keyword Difficulty Metric

May 25, 2021

As of today, the new and improved keyword difficulty (KD%) metric is available across all of Semrush.

We’ve collected feedback from you over the years and have now re-imagined the formula that calculates KD% for the keywords in our database. Read the details here.

The formula now takes into account many more factors that contribute to SEO difficulty, including the following parameters.

Parameter	Weight Share
Median # of referring domains for ranking URLs	41.22%
Median Authority Score for ranking domains	16.99%
Search volume	9.47%
Median follow/no-follow ratio for ranking URLs	9.17%
Featured snippet	4.74%
Instant answer	4.07%
Branded keyword	3.50%
Local pack	3.39%
Knowledge panel	2.71%
Top stories	2.03%
People also ask	1.36%
Site links	1.36%
Word count in keyword	-2.24%
No SERP features	-8.59%

The result is a more accurate KD metric that will report fewer 0s and more consistent scores across global regions, local keywords, and long tail keywords than any other solution on the market.

You’ll see that the interface got a slight upgrade as well, as KD scores will be highlighted by a corresponding color to help you scan for quick insights.

The full list of Semrush reports where you’ll see keyword difficulty includes:

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