What your KES Score is telling you to do next

KES (Keyword Efficiency Score) gives every keyword you track a single number from 0 to 100. It’s tempting to read it like a grade: high is good, low is bad. But that’s not what it measures. KES is a priority signal: it points at the keyword where your next hour of work is most likely to pay off.

In short

• KES is a priority signal, not a grade: it points at the keyword where your next hour of work is most likely to pay off.
• It blends three things per keyword: estimated search volume, your current rank, and which way that rank is trending.
• Work the mid-score rows with an upward trend first; the top rows are already won, and low scores on high-volume terms are gaps.

What goes into the number

KES blends three things about a keyword: the estimated search volume behind it, where you rank on it today, and which way that rank has been moving. A high rank on a keyword nobody searches scores low. A mid rank on a high-volume term that you’re climbing scores high.

Reading the score

• A high score means you already own a valuable keyword. Defend it, and watch for fallers climbing toward you.
• A mid score with an upward trend is the most actionable row on the board. You’re moving the right way on a term that matters. Keep pushing.
• A low score on a high-volume keyword is a gap. Someone else is capturing install pressure you aren’t.

Turning it into a work list

1. Sort your keywords by KES, descending.
2. Skip the very top rows. Those are won. Start where the score is mid-range and the trend is positive.
3. For each, open the listing of the app ranking just above you. The gap is usually in the title, the first two lines of the description, or the first screenshot.
4. Re-check next week. Trend is the input that moves fastest, so the work list reshuffles as you climb.

Common questions

What is a good KES Score?

There isn’t a universal pass mark, because KES ranks priority rather than grading performance. A high score means you already own a valuable keyword and should defend it. The most useful rows are mid-score with an upward trend, where your next edit is most likely to move you.

How is the KES Score calculated?

It blends three inputs for each keyword: the estimated search volume behind the term, where you rank on it today, and the recent direction of that rank. A high rank on a term nobody searches scores low; a mid rank on a high-volume term you’re climbing scores high.

“A rank tells you where you are. KES tells you where to spend Monday.”

The score isn’t the work. It’s the order you do the work in.

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