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Understanding Keyword Metrics in RankFrame
When you click Check on a keyword, RankFrame shows four metrics: Search Volume, Difficulty, Competition, and CPC. This article explains what each one means and how to use them.
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4 min read
Search Volume
Search Volume: Average monthly searches for this keyword. Search Volume tells you how many people search for this exact keyword on Google each month, on average. Use it to gauge potential traffic if your page ranks well.
Volume range | Interpretation |
|---|---|
0 to 100 | Low — Worth targeting only if intent is strong (e.g. high CPC). |
100 to 1,000 | Medium — Sweet spot for most niche pages, especially long-tail. |
1,000 to 10,000 | High — Significant traffic potential. Often more competitive. |
10,000+ | Very high — Major term. Only target if you have authority and content depth. |
Keyword Difficulty (KD)
Keyword Difficulty (KD): A 0 to 100 score showing how hard it is to rank in the top 10 results. KD estimates how competitive the organic results already are for this keyword. Higher KD means stronger sites are ranking, and more backlinks and content quality are needed to compete. Use it to filter for keywords your site can realistically rank for.
KD range | What it means |
|---|---|
0 to 30 | Low — Reachable for most sites, including new ones. Best targets. |
30 to 50 | Medium — Reachable for sites with some authority and quality content. |
50 to 70 | Hard — Requires backlinks, depth, and strong on-page SEO. |
70+ | Very hard — Established sites only. New sites should look elsewhere. |
RankFrame highlights KD in red in the Saved Keywords list when difficulty is high. This is a quick visual cue to identify keywords that may be too competitive for your current site authority.
Competition
Competition: How aggressive paid advertisers are on this keyword. Competition is a measure of how many advertisers are bidding for this keyword on Google Ads. It is shown on a 0 to 1 scale, often labelled Low, Medium, or High. Use it to distinguish between paid bidding pressure and organic ranking pressure.
Competition and KD are different. A keyword can be cheap and easy to advertise on (low Competition) but hard to rank organically (high KD), or vice versa. Check both before deciding to target.
CPC
CPC (Cost Per Click): Average price advertisers pay per click on Google Ads. CPC tells you how much one click on this keyword costs on Google Ads. It is a strong signal of commercial intent — high CPC means searchers are converting into paying customers. Use it to identify keywords with high buyer intent, even if volume is modest.
CPC range | Interpretation |
|---|---|
$0 to $1 | Informational queries. Low purchase intent. |
$1 to $5 | Mixed intent. Some buyers, some researchers. |
$5 to $20 | High commercial intent. Worth targeting. |
$20+ | Premium B2B or expensive product searches. Highest converters. |
If you are running a SaaS or B2B Framer site, prioritize keywords with CPC over $5 even if their search volume is moderate. These users are looking to buy, not just to learn.
How to use them together
No single metric tells the whole story. Here is how to combine them when picking a focus keyword.
Best targets for new sites
Search Volume: 100 to 1,000
KD: under 30
CPC: over $1 (commercial intent matters)
Best targets for established sites
Search Volume: 1,000+
KD: under 50
CPC: over $3
Avoid
High KD (70+) without significant existing authority
Zero CPC keywords if your goal is conversions, not traffic
Very low Volume (under 50) unless the term is extremely targeted to your business
Frequently asked questions
What is a good keyword difficulty (KD) score?
For new or low-authority sites, target keywords with KD under 30. For established sites, KD up to 50 is achievable. KD above 70 typically requires significant link building and content depth.