Competition
Competition shows how hard it is to rank for keywords based on other sites already targeting those terms. This score helps SEO pros avoid impossible battles and guides smart Keyword Research choices alongside Search Volume data.
The best strategy finds your highest ranking keyword difficulty score, then adds 10 points for your maximum target level. New sites should stick to scores under 10, while older sites can tackle harder terms using this formula that matches your current ability with new opportunities.
Homepage and main pages ignore difficulty limits since they get maximum Link Equity from Internal Links. Most keyword tools combine difficulty with Search Volume and Intent Analysis to help balance challenge against traffic through Long Tail and Semantic Research methods.