Keyword density

What is keyword density?

Keyword density is the number of times a keyword appears on a page divided by the total number of words, shown as a percentage. A 1,000-word page that uses "cast iron pan" 10 times has a keyword density of 1%. It was a popular SEO metric in the early 2000s, when search engines leaned heavily on word counts.

Today it is not a useful target. Google has said there is no ideal keyword density and that it does not count keyword repetitions to rank pages. Modern search understands synonyms, related terms and meaning, so a page can rank for a phrase it barely repeats. Advice to hit "2-3%" comes from old SEO folklore, not from any search engine.

Why keyword density matters for SEO

Keyword density matters mainly as a warning sign. Repeating a keyword unnaturally to push the number up is keyword stuffing, which Google’s spam policies forbid and which can lead to lower rankings or a manual action. It also makes pages worse to read.

What does matter is that the page clearly covers its topic: the primary keyword in the title, H1 and opening, and the related subtopics a searcher expects. Write for the reader and the density takes care of itself.

How to use keywords naturally

1. Use your primary keyword in the title tag, H1, URL and first paragraph.
2. Cover the topic’s subtopics and questions, using whatever wording reads naturally.
3. Use synonyms and pronouns instead of repeating the exact phrase.
4. Read the page aloud. If a phrase sounds forced, rewrite it.
5. Ignore density targets in SEO plugins; treat any very high figure only as a prompt to check for stuffing.

Keyword density example

Density = (times the keyword appears ÷ total words) × 100. A 1,200-word guide that says "sourdough starter" 9 times has a density of 0.75%. That number tells you nothing about how well the page will rank; whether it answers the question does.