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What Is Keyword Density and Does It Still Matter?
Published 2026-10-01
Keyword density is the number of times a word or phrase appears divided by the total number of words, shown as a percentage. If a keyword appears 10 times in a 1,000 word article, its density is 1%.
Is there an ideal number?
No. Google has said it does not use a target density. Many writers aim for 1 to 2 percent as a rough guide, but a natural article will land there without counting.
Why repeating a keyword backfires
Stuffing the same phrase into every paragraph makes text hard to read, and search engines can treat it as spam. Readers leave, which hurts you more than any ranking trick helps.
What to do instead
- Put the main keyword in the title, the first paragraph and one or two headings.
- Use synonyms and related phrases people would naturally use.
- Cover the questions readers ask about the topic.
- Read the draft aloud. If a phrase sounds repeated, change it.
When a density check is useful
A density tool is best as a quick proofreading step. If one word makes up more than about 3% of your text, you have probably overused it and should vary your wording.