Ahrefs Keyword Difficulty Explained (Without the SEO Gibberish)
Okay — let’s cut through the crap.
You’re trying to rank on Google, you fired up Ahrefs, and boom — there it is.
Keyword Difficulty — or “KD” as it’s labeled — staring at you in bright orange or green.
And you’re thinking, “Alright, it’s 43. Cool?”
NOPE.
That number means something. And if you don’t get what it’s really telling you?
You’ll waste hours writing blog posts that never show up on Google.
So let’s break this down in plain English.
This isn’t some boring technical guide.
This is the real-deal, how-it-actually-works explanation — from one blogger to another — so you don’t blow up your content plan chasing keywords you were never meant to touch.
What Is Keyword Difficulty in Ahrefs? (No Buzzwords)
Keyword Difficulty (KD) in Ahrefs = How hard it is to rank in the top 10 results on Google for a keyword.
Not top 50.
Not “just get on the map.”
Top 10 — where the actual traffic lives.
And here’s the kicker: Ahrefs calculates this based ONLY on backlinks.
Yep. KD doesn’t care about:
Content quality
On-page SEO
Domain Authority (in the traditional sense)
How pretty your blog looks
How often you cry at night because your traffic is still flatlining
It’s cold. It’s simple. It’s about links.
Ahrefs looks at the average number of referring domains pointing to the top 10 pages currently ranking for that keyword.
More backlinks = higher KD.
Fewer backlinks = lower KD.
That’s it.
So, What Do the Numbers Actually Mean?
Let’s decode the KD scale like it’s a video game difficulty setting.
KD Score What It Really Means
0–10 Easy mode. You could rank with decent content and barely any links. Perfect for new blogs.
11–30 Still manageable. You’ll need good content + maybe a few quality links.
31–50 Getting competitive. Expect to battle blogs with real authority and backlink profiles.
51–70 Tough. You’re in mid-tier SEO warzone. Ranking here without links is a pipe dream.
71–100 Boss level. Major sites only. Huge backlink walls. Don’t bother unless you’ve got an army.
💡 If you’re running a new blog (DR < 30) — don’t even LOOK at keywords above KD 20.
Seriously. It’s not ambition. It’s suicide.
Here’s What KD Doesn’t Tell You (And That’s Important)
This is where people mess up.
They see a KD score and treat it like a crystal ball.
“Oh, this keyword is KD 6. I’ll rank tomorrow.”
Nope.
You’re forgetting context.
Here’s what Ahrefs KD does not factor in:
Search Intent: Are people looking to buy, learn, compare, or do nothing?
Content Gap: Are you actually providing something new/different?
SERP Landscape: Are the top pages big brands or crappy outdated listicles?
Topical authority: Does your site even talk about this topic consistently?
So yeah, a keyword might be KD 4, but if the top 10 are all government sites or massive media blogs — good luck ranking with your homemade Wix blog and 600 words.
Real-Life Example: Why KD Can Be Deceptive
Let’s say you find this gem in Ahrefs:
Keyword: “best sleeping position for lower back pain”
KD: 5
Volume: 1,500
You get excited. You write the post.
But… you rank nowhere. Why?
Because the top 10 results are:
Mayo Clinic
Healthline
WebMD
Spine-health.com
You could have the best blog post in history, but Google’s not gonna trust you with medical content unless you’re E-A-T certified (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness).
So yeah, low KD doesn’t equal “easy win” all the time.
So, How Should You Actually Use KD?
Here’s how I treat Ahrefs KD — like a traffic light:
0–10: Green light. Write immediately. Great for new blogs or niche sites.
11–20: Yellow. Still good, but check the SERPs. Look at who’s ranking.
21–30: Orange. Proceed with caution. Use only if you’ve got some domain juice or a link plan.
31+: Red. Park that idea unless you’ve got a link strategy or high-authority site.
And I always combine KD with:
✅ SERP Overview (Who’s ranking and what’s their DR?)
✅ Intent (Is this keyword even worth targeting?)
✅ Volume (Low volume but high intent? That’s gold.)
✅ Clicks (Some keywords get searched a lot but clicked almost never)
KD is one puzzle piece — not the full picture.
Keyword Difficulty vs. Competition — Not the Same Thing
Big SEO mistake people make:
Thinking KD = “competition.”
Nah.
KD is link-based difficulty.
It tells you how strong the current top-ranking pages are (based on their backlinks).
But “competition” also includes:
How good their content is
How old their domain is
How well their content matches intent
How optimized they are for SEO
Internal linking structures
Topical authority
So again: KD is helpful, but don’t treat it like a magic 8-ball.
You need to use your eyes and brain. Click into the SERP. Read what’s already out there. Ask:
“Can I make something better or different enough to matter?”
If the answer’s no — move on.
KD Isn’t Always Linear (Weird But True)
Here’s something I’ve noticed from using Ahrefs for years:
Sometimes a KD 4 keyword is actually harder to rank than a KD 18 keyword.
Why?
Because of SERP dominance.
Let’s say KD 4 is full of low-backlink, but super authoritative niche sites.
Meanwhile, KD 18 has a few holes — maybe a random Quora thread ranking at #4 or a Reddit post at #6.
You can sneak in through those cracks.
So don’t be lazy. KD is a shortcut. The real intel is in checking the actual results.
What’s a “Good” KD Score to Aim For?
Short answer:
Depends on your site’s authority.
Here’s a general cheat sheet:
Domain Rating (DR) Ideal KD Range
DR 0–10 0–5
DR 11–30 0–15
DR 31–50 0–30
DR 51+ 0–50+
DR 70+ You can play in the 50–70 range, maybe higher
But again — context matters.
Even a DR 10 blog can rank for a KD 25 keyword if the competition is weak and you’re covering a niche no one else is touching.
Final Thoughts: KD Is a Compass, Not a Guarantee
Let’s wrap this with the blunt truth:
Ahrefs Keyword Difficulty is just a number.
It’s helpful. It’s data.
But it’s not gospel.
Don’t fall in love with a keyword just because it says KD 9.
Don’t ignore a keyword just because it says KD 27.
Use it as your starting point, not your whole strategy.
Look at SERPs
Understand intent
Check what’s already ranking
Use your head
And most importantly: write great stuff consistently
That’s how you win.
TL;DR: Ahrefs KD in Real Talk
It tells you how many backlinks the top 10 pages have
Lower = easier (in theory)
Use it as a signal, not a rule
Always check the actual results
Pair it with intent, clicks, and real human judgment
Now go filter those 1,000 keywords in Ahrefs by KD < 10…
…and find yourself some easy wins.