Back in 2009, I noticed a persistent myth circulating in the internet marketing world: find niches with a low number of competing pages in Google, and you will rank easily. People were using the total number of search results as their primary measure of SEO difficulty. The logic seemed intuitive. Fewer competitors means easier to win, right?
Wrong. And the reasoning behind why it is wrong has not changed one bit since I first wrote about this, even though SEO itself has evolved dramatically.
The Logical Fallacy Behind Competitor Counts
There are more than eight billion people on the planet. Just because there are relatively few people competing for the international power-lifting championship does not mean I can walk in and win. The number of competitors tells you nothing about the strength of those competitors.
This is actually a well-known logical fallacy called cum hoc ergo propter hoc, or correlation does not imply causation. Just because you notice that you can sometimes rank for keywords with low competition counts does not mean you are ranking because of the low competition count. You are ranking because of two fundamental things that remain true in 2026.
The Two Things That Actually Determine Rankings
Relevance. Your page needs to demonstrate to search engines that it genuinely covers the topic the searcher is looking for. In 2009, we called this on-page SEO and talked about keyword optimization. Today, it is more nuanced. Google understands semantic meaning, user intent, and topical depth. A well-optimized page in 2026 is not one stuffed with keywords. It is one that comprehensively addresses what the searcher actually wants to know.
Authority. Your page needs more trust signals than other pages ranking for that keyword. In 2009, authority was almost entirely about backlinks. Today, authority encompasses your entire digital footprint: backlinks still matter, but so do brand signals, user engagement metrics, author expertise, and the overall reputation of your domain.
It does not matter if there are 10 competing pages or 10 million. If your content is the most relevant and your site has the most authority, you will rank.
The Adobe “Click Here” Example Still Holds Up
I used to tell people to Google the phrase “click here” to see authority in action. For years, the Adobe Acrobat Reader download page ranked at the top for that term, even though the page never mentioned “click here” in its content. It ranked because millions of websites linked to it with those exact words as the anchor text.
That specific example has shifted over the years as Google's algorithm evolved, but the principle it illustrated remains rock solid. Authority signals, what other websites say about your page, carry enormous weight in how Google determines rankings.
What You Should Measure Instead
If you are evaluating keyword difficulty in 2026, forget about counting search results. Here is what actually matters.
Domain authority of the top results. Use tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, or Moz to check the domain rating of pages currently ranking. If the first page is dominated by sites with domain ratings above 70, you will need serious authority to compete.
Backlink profiles of ranking pages. How many referring domains link to the pages currently in the top positions? This gives you a realistic picture of the link-building effort required.
Content quality and depth. Read the top-ranking content. Is it thin and outdated, or comprehensive and well-maintained? Thin content from authoritative domains is an opportunity. Deep content from authoritative domains is a serious challenge.
SERP features and intent. Does Google show featured snippets, People Also Ask boxes, or AI-generated overviews for this query? These features change the competitive landscape and affect how much organic traffic actually reaches traditional results.
Search intent alignment. Make sure you understand what the searcher actually wants. If the top results are all product pages and you are planning an informational article, you are fighting the wrong battle regardless of competition levels.
The Bottom Line
The number of competing pages in Google was never a reliable measure of SEO difficulty, and it still is not. Focus on creating the most relevant, authoritative content for your target keyword. That has been the winning strategy since search engines existed, and no algorithm update has changed the fundamental equation.
Thanks Mark. I’m still learning the proper way to do SEO – and see conflicting techniques every day. I appreciate your straightforward approach and explanation of the logic behind it! I’m tired of hearing others say “do this because I say it works”. I need the reasons behind the idea – thanks for providing that.
Good basic stuff right there man! Can’t argue with it, it’s great to know the basics lol.
I love it man. Keep pressing the realness dude.
Outstanding! The section on Acrobat Reader made me chuckle, but it real does illustrate the power of authority and backlinking.
Hey Mark, interesting stuff here. I’m still learning, but the learning is easier with people like you!
Great Post but I think you meant to say that there are over 6 BILLION people on this planet.
@Don — Wow. That many? Man. Guess I need to count again. LOL
Thanks for that catch. Updated the post to correct the typo.
@Steve — you are welcome, sir. Don’t feel badly. We are all still learning because G is changing the rules every day. That is what makes this exciting.
@Carolyn — Glad you liked it.
@Joe — ‘Sup? I love it when you drop by man. Love that latest vid from you man.
@Steve — Glad you liked that Adobe thing. That has been true for a long time.
Thanks Mark,
I also have heard about low competition keywords being easier to rank for, but it does make sense that you still need to put in the work to get it ranked high. Thanks for your article its a great reminder.
Barry
Great post Mark!
It’s amazing how easy it is to get carried away with the next big trick or system.
Honestly, if you believed all of the hype, internet marketing (and online business in general) is the most convoluted, secretive, competitive and impenetratable industry on the planet which noone makes any money from!!
I’ve lost count of the number of “must-have” business models and systems I’ve come across, especially in recent times.
One thing’s for certain, you can’t buy common sense “in a box” and it lasts a lot longer than “a limited time”!!
Oh well, more money for the rest of us willing to trust ourselves I suppose!!
Keep up the good work.
Cheers,
Kristy
Good article Mark. Thanks for letting me know where I can pick up the Elvis tie. I still tear up a little every time I think of him. He died too young–just like “3” Dale Earnhardt.
Hey Mark,
The biggest hurdle I have to overcome is the lack of getting traffic. I think that’s probably the biggest hurdle most marketers have. There are so many self-appointed gurus out there proclaiming to have the latest and greatest book on SEO it makes me want to puke.
I want proof. Proof that they know what they are doing and that after I spend my hard earned money on their product that if I do exactly what they tell me to I’m going to get more traffic.
I can go right now and right a book on how to get backlinks just by doing a little bit of research. Just because I wrote a book does that mean I know what I’m talking about. NO! The problem is all the information I got from my research was bogus. It may sound good to the uninformed person, but to the trained SEO expert, they know it’s garbage.
I just wish someone would create a product for less than $497 and would truly tell you how to get more traffic to your site, without leaving out their little secrets that they are using to generate thousands of visitors a day. All they really care about is the next dollar they are going to stuff into their pockets.
I’m done venting now.
That’s why I come to your blog to read because I know it’s not BS. Thanks for being truthful to your readers.
Later,
Jeff Sargent
Hey Mark,
I made a mistake in my previous comment and I want to fix it.
In the last sentence I said “because I know it’s now BS”.
What I meant to say is “because I know it’s not BS”.
Sorry.
Later,
Jeff Sargent
Jeff;
No problem — I fixed your previous comment. Thanks for your comments on the post.
This traffic thing is a bit tricky too, because you really need traffic that will convert — not just any traffic.
So, my recommendation is always to break it down. If you need 100 visitors per day, where do you want them to come from. It there a clear call to action once they reach your site. If search is the source, are you targeting the right keywords (high OCI if appropriate, etc).
All traffic is not created equal….
Mark,
I’ve heard that 3-way links may eventually be caught by Google as they improve their algorithms. In that case, 1-way links should be the safest for the long run. What is your opinion comparing 1-way and 3-way links? Thanks for the analysis.
Doug (I’m an engineer too, actually a physicist working as an engineer)
It is definitely true that G can do anything that the want for any reason. And, they have lots of resources. However, I personally think that 3WL is a low profile operation, and that the likelihood of G taking specific action against 3WL is low. However, I don’t really know — anything is possible.
If I could only choose one service, it would be 1WL due to the flexibility of the system and the number of links you can get.
Some of the best engineers in my department are physics guys — mostly solid state quantum mechanics types.
Thanks Doug.
Mark
There are many ways of doing keyword research, and the only way to determine if what you are doing is right or wrong, is to see if it actually works.
I actually wrote a post about this on my blog today, which you can take a look at here: Keyword research tips
It’s generally about why you should use the “allintitle:keyword” command in google, and how to take advantage of it.
P.S. I have completely redone the design on my blog, and decided to link here, as this is one of the few blogs I bother to read on a regular basis ;o)
I think the content of this post if common sense personally. Naturally, the pages with the most authority ( significant backlinks) will win. Also, you are the first for the phrase “elvis aaron presley collectible necktie” because there are only (9) pages that are really competing for that EXACT phrase NOT 1900.
-Signed
“First time reading one of your post”
@Justathought — agree. Problem seems to be that common sense is in short supply.