Key Takeaways

Low competition keywords support faster search visibility with lower budgets.
Keyword Difficulty scores show how achievable a keyword is for your domain strength.
Intent, volume, and competitiveness must be evaluated together, not separately.
Low competition keywords reduce paid ad dependency and drive long term organic gains.
Topic clusters and strong internal linking improve ranking stability and authority.

Table of Contents

Ranking for broad, highly competitive keywords is becoming harder in Malaysia. Many businesses now face long delays and higher costs when trying to compete with established websites.

Low competition keywords offer a practical alternative. They help you gain early traction, rank faster, and grow steadily without burning your marketing budget. This guide explains what is a low competition keyword, why they matter, and how Malaysian businesses can use them to build reliable long term SEO growth.

What Are Low-Competition Keywords?

Low competition keywords are search terms with fewer websites optimising for them. They usually include longer phrases, location based modifiers, or very specific user intent. What makes them valuable is the balance between achievable rankings, meaningful conversions, and lower competitive pressure.

They are often identified using Keyword Difficulty (KD) scores. These scores estimate how hard it is to rank based mainly on the link strength and authority of pages currently ranking.

For example, Ahrefs calculates KD solely from the average number of backlinks to the top-ranking pages, while tools like Moz factor in the overall strength and authority of competing pages (Sources: Ahrefs; Moz; Semrush).

Examples of where low competition keywords appear:

Specific problem solving phrases
Geo targeted phrases
Niche industry terminology
Question based searches

Broad keyword: “catering service”

Low competition variation: “corporate lunch catering KL”

Why Are Low-Competition Keywords Important?

Low competition keywords matter for Malaysian SMEs because they offer:

Faster ranking timelines

Competing with large sites for broad keywords can take years, especially if your site is small.

Lower competition means:

Shorter time to page one
Faster organic traffic growth
Greater momentum for new domains

Better cost efficiency

Digital ad competition has been increasing. In Malaysia, digital ad spend and global Google Ads CPC trends suggest that paid campaigns are gradually getting more expensive and harder to scale. Organic traffic from low competition keywords provides:

Lower cost per lead
More predictable long term visibility
Less reliance on paid campaigns

(Sources: Malaysian Advertisers Association; Magna; Google Ads CPC trend studies)

Alignment with Malaysian search behaviour

Malaysians heavily rely on Google and online research before making decisions.

Google holds about 93 percent of search engine market share in Malaysia
Multiple studies show that a very high share of Malaysians research products and services online.
For example, Global Web Index data cited in recent research indicates that about 91 percent of Malaysian internet users aged 16–64 search for products or services online, and DOSM data highlights “seeking information about goods or services” as one of the top internet activities

(Sources: StatCounter; Global Web Index; Department of Statistics Malaysia; DataReportal).

Early SEO wins

Ranking for easier keywords builds trust signals, which helps you tackle higher difficulty keywords later. These early wins are especially useful for new domains and brands that are still building recognition.

Aspects To Understand

Keyword Difficulty

Keyword Difficulty, often referred to as KD, measures how hard it is to rank for a given keyword. Tools calculate this score using metrics like backlinks, authority of ranking pages, and overall SERP strength (Sources: Ahrefs; Moz; Semrush).

Below is a practical guide for Malaysian businesses:

Keyword Difficulty vs Ranking Timeline (Malaysia)

KD Range	Competition Level	Typical Ranking Timeline	Best For	Notes
0–10	Very low competition	2 to 8 weeks	New websites, micro niches	Requires basic optimisation. Best for early wins.
11–20	Low competition	1 to 3 months	Small businesses building authority	Great for long tail and local keywords.
21–30	Moderate competition	2 to 5 months	Growing Malaysian SMEs	Usually the sweet spot. Strong internal links help.
31–40	Medium high competition	4 to 8 months	Websites with consistent content	Needs deeper content and cluster strategy.
41–55	High competition	6 to 12 months	Established brands	Requires backlinks and higher authority.
56–70	Very high competition	9 to 18 months	Mature, well known companies	Often dominated by top national sites.
71+	Extreme competition	12 to 24 months or longer	Large national brands and marketplaces	Requires big budgets, PR, and strong authority.

Note: These timelines are approximate ranges based on typical SEO scenarios in Malaysia. Actual results can vary significantly by industry, content quality, competition level, technical SEO, and your site’s link profile. Use this as directional guidance, not a guarantee.

This table helps businesses choose keywords that match their current authority rather than aiming unrealistically high.

Search Intent

Search intent influences both difficulty and conversion potential. The four primary types are:

Informational
Navigational
Transactional
Commercial investigation

Low competition keywords often fall into:

Hyper specific informational queries
Niche transactional searches

Matching content to intent increases ranking potential significantly.

Search Volume vs Business Value

It is a mistake to chase high search volume alone. Low volume keywords can convert extremely well if the intent is specific and commercial.

Example:

High volume: “solar panel price Malaysia”
Higher intent: “4kw solar panel package Selangor price”

Evaluate keywords based on:

Buyer readiness
Conversion potential
Business relevance

Small volume keywords often outperform big volume keywords in actual revenue.

SERP Competition

Before selecting a keyword, analyse page one of Google:

Are top ranking pages from weak or outdated competitors?
Are there aggregator sites dominating the results?
Are there SERP features such as maps, snippets, or people also ask?

If SERPs are weak, keyword difficulty is lower even if KD appears moderate (Source: Moz).

Topical Authority

Publishing multiple related pieces around a theme builds topical authority.

Benefits include:

Stronger Google trust signals
Better ranking across keyword clusters
Faster indexing

This is ideal for Malaysian businesses with specialised offerings.

Balancing Keyword Difficulty and Search Volume

A sustainable SEO strategy mixes:

Easy keywords for early traction
Mid volume keywords for stable growth
High competition keywords for long term visibility

Practical approach:

Target keywords you can realistically rank for within 3 to 6 months
As authority grows, expand into mid and high difficulty clusters
Avoid relying only on ultra low volume searches or overly competitive phrases

Examples

Long Tail Keywords

These are longer, more specific phrases with clearer intent, allowing for the targeting of specific niches.

They often deliver:

Lower competition
Higher conversion rates
Easier ranking potential

Example: “best halal catering Klang Valley” instead of “catering service”

Niche Keywords

Ideal for industries where search behaviour is very targeted.

Useful for:

Logistics
Accounting
Dental care
Childcare
Manufacturing
Beauty services

Example: “ISO container fumigation Port Klang” instead of “fumigation service”.

Question Based Keywords

These often rank quickly and are perfect for blogs.

Examples:

“how to choose payroll software Malaysia”
“what is SST Malaysia”

They also align well with voice search.

Local Intent Keywords

Adding geographic modifiers reduces difficulty significantly.

Examples:

“hair salon JB”
“corporate video production Penang”
“wedding florist Setapak”

These are ideal for physical service businesses.

Misconceptions

Low Competition Keywords Are Low Quality

Low competition typically indicates specificity, not lack of value. Many high intent searches have low search volume but very strong commercial intent.

Only Low KD Matters

A keyword must match intent and produce real business value. Low KD alone does not guarantee results if the audience is wrong or the topic is too broad.

Low Competition Means Instant Rankings

Content quality, technical SEO, internal links, and user experience still matter. Low competition simply means it is easier, not automatic.

Once You Rank, It Stays Forever

Competition grows, algorithms change, and SERPs evolve. Maintenance is necessary through regular SEO updates, content refreshes, and link building.

Choose Wisely

Low competition keywords give Malaysian businesses a practical and cost effective path to SEO growth. They help secure early traction, strengthen domain authority, and attract more qualified visitors. By understanding Keyword Difficulty, intent, volume, and SERP competitiveness, companies can build an SEO strategy that compounds in value over time.

With a structured keyword plan and consistent content quality, low competition keywords can form the foundation of sustainable long term SEO success. Pick the right PR agency like PRESS, which offers a wide range of reliable SEO services specifically tailored for the needs of each business, in order to help your business get ahead of the rest.

Keyword Difficulty & Low Competition Keywords: Faster SEO Wins