Keyword Research Step 2: Analyzing Keywords—Metrics

Keyword research metrics—terms to know

Though we’ve learned the three determining attributes to analyze keywords, other metrics are involved too. A look at the keyword analysis report created by a keyword research tool will show multiple metrics to gauge a keyword’s worth.

Using different keyword research tools, we will discover that there are several technical terms that we either haven’t come across before or do not completely understand. To utilize the outcomes of these tools to their true potentials, we should be proficient with the language they use.

Listed below are some common terms that will show up in keyword analysis reports, along with their meaning and significance.

Cost per click (CPC)

Cost per click is the amount that advertisers pay for a single click on an ad that appears for a particular keyword on Google Ads. It is an important metric in determining the costs and returns on our paid search campaigns. In the keyword analysis report, the CPC column gives us the average price that we will have to pay if we choose to bid on the keyword.

In organic SEO, CPC can help us gauge the worth of the keyword. If advertisers are willing to spend a decent amount of money into the keyword, the higher its potential to lead to conversions. At the same time, a very high CPC also suggests that advertisers are paying high to beat organic results. We might have a harder time getting our page to appear high organically for the keyword if there are a lot of advertisers in the niche.

Competition or keyword difficulty

Competition or keyword difficulty (KD) are two different terms used for the same attribute. This attribute is a measure of how easy or difficult it is to rank for the keyword. Google Keyword Planner shows the competition score as one out of three levels, high, medium or ...