You might have heard about Keyword density if you are an SEO or someone from the digital marketing field. It is a frequently used metric in SEO, which can either boost your organic ranking or break it altogether if not done in the right way. SEO is a dynamic field where changes are taking place regularly.
The big question arises whether or not keyword density still plays a crucial role in SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) or if it is outdated. In this blog, we will learn more about keyword density and its relevance to the current market.
What Is Keyword Density?
Keyword density is a metric that measures how frequently you are using a keyword or phrase in content i,e. Blog, articles, covers, etc, when compared to the total word count. Keyword density is generally presented as a percentage.
Mathematically, we divide the number of times a particular keyword or phrase is used by the total number of words in the content and then multiply them by 100 to get a percentage, which depicts our keyword density of the content. For example, suppose you used your primary keyword 12 times in a 1500-word-long blog post; then your keyword density will be 0.8%. Well, if you increase it to 15 primary keywords in 1500 word long content, then it comes to a perfect 1% keyword density.
Formula of Keyword Density
Keyword density can be measured by dividing the number of times a particular keyword appears in the entire content by the total number of words and then multiplying by 100. Keyword density is represented in percentage. Let us check the keyword density formula below.
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Why Is Keyword Density Important In Content Online?
Keyword density is an important factor in online content, as it helps search engines understand the theme or the content of the page. It tells the search engine what the page is trying to cover for the readers. It tells search engines that the content resembles the user’s search query. This improves the chances of an increase in ranking on Search Engine Result Pages.
Keywords, also known as search terms, are words that we feed in the Google search box which represent the main key point i,e. Phrase of a particular topic that we use. It finds out how immediately the content comes to the exact topic users are looking for. Hence, keyword density needs to be balanced within a content i,e. Neither too low nor too high. Earlier pages with high keyword density were believed to be more relevant to the user’s query on search pages.
Read More: What Are Branded Keywords? 11 Smart Ways To Use Them
Is Keyword Density Still Important For SEO?
There are many speculations around whether Keyword density is still a ranking factor. Well, times have changed, and with the availability of modern search engine algorithms based on Large Language models, Natural language processing, it can easily understand the intent of the content without being completely dependent on the keyword density.
You can find this information on Google, as many experts believe that you no longer need to rely on keyword density to rank on Search result pages; just write the content in a natural way to get good visibility on search result pages.
- Keyword density was much more prevalent in the early days when search engines were simple, and content with higher keyword density was used to rank above others in Google search results for specific queries.
- Keyword density was taken as an indicator to decide the content relevance. Whether it matches the search intent or not.
- Many experts still believe that placing a higher number of keywords with significant search volume throughout the content can help them rank higher in the search results.
Keyword Density vs Keyword Stuffing: Which Is Better?
There is only one mistake content writers or SEOs make, which converts a normal keyword density factor into keyword stuffing, which might not sound very well for your page.
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Keyword Density
Keyword density is a numeric metric that tells what percentage of time a keyword appears in content when compared to the total number of words on that page, and multiplying it by 100. It is used by Google to understand the relevance of the content to people’s queries in search boxes.
Here, in this example, you can see the target keyword is “Best Running Shoes” and it has a keyword density of approximately 2%, which is 2-3 times in a 150-word context. Hence, it is good.
| If you’re looking for the best running shoes, comfort and durability should be your top priorities. The best running shoes provide excellent cushioning, a lightweight design, and a strong grip to support your daily runs. Choosing the right pair not only improves performance but also prevents injuries. Explore our guide to find the best running shoes for beginners and professionals alike. |
Keyword Stuffing
Keyword Stuffing is a practice where excessive keywords are used in content on a webpage to manipulate Google into believing the content is relevant for a particular search query. In the early days, Google used to rely heavily on keyword densities, and stuffing was a way to trick Google into believing that this content was much more relevant to the users’ queries due to the presence of a greater number of keywords.
But the scenario was completely different, as keyword stuffing lowered the ranking of the affected webpage as soon as Google started highlighting this spammy practice online. Now, check this scenario where the targeted keyword “Best running shoes” is appearing more frequently, taking its keyword density to around 10%, which is a practice of keyword stuffing.
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What Does Google Use Now to Find The Relevance of Content?
As Google no longer relies solely on keyword density due to the availability of advanced techniques and technologies available. Let us list some important metrics that Google might be using to rank your webpage on search results.
1. Semantic Search
Google makes use of Natural Language Processing to understand the meaning behind words in content. They are no longer just relying on how frequently a particular keyword appears.
By understanding the meaning behind these words, they can find the relevance of the content when compared to the user’s queries. It generally looks for related terms, synonyms, and context. For example, when you are writing about “best running shoes”, Google will also look for related terms like “Marathon”, “Running”, “Training”, “Comfort”, etc.
2. Search Intent Matching
Google also identifies whether or not your content matches what the users are actually looking for. If your content doesn’t satisfy the intent, it won’t rank on Google even with perfect keywords. Informational, transactional, and navigational are some of the common intents in Google search.
3. E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness)
It is considered a Google quality rater guideline. Google favours content that follows SEO guidelines, contains proper structuring, is written by real experts, is backed with credible sources, cited, and demonstrates trust value.
4. Content Depth
The more knowledgeable and in-depth your content is, the better you rank in search results. Instead of shallow, keyword-based content, look for in-depth coverage including all major key points of the topic you are covering to actually deliver value to your readers.
Read More: Freelance Copywriting Jobs in 2025 That Pay ₹2000–₹4000 Daily
5. Core Web Vitals
Now, this is an important segment of the keyword ranking factor where your website is analysed based on how fast it responds, how mobile-friendly it is, and how easy it is to read. You also have to make sure your technical SEO and user experience are balanced, as it directly influences the ranking.
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Keyword Density In SEO
Q1. What is keyword density?
Ans: Keyword density is a metric that measures how frequently a keyword or phrase is used in content when compared to the total word count. Keyword density is generally presented as a percentage.
Q2. Is keyword density still relevant?
Ans: As there are many advanced techniques Google might be using to index content in search results, such as Natural language processing, content relevance, search intent matching, content depth, and more makes keyword density is a less important factor but still relevant.
Q3. Is keyword stuffing a good practice?
Ans: No, keyword stuffing is a bad practice in SEO, and it might also decrease your content ranking. Using a cluster of targeted keywords can highlight your content in Google’s eyes and might also flag you as spam.
Q4. Does keyword density matter in SEO?
Ans: In SEO, keyword density is still used but very less important ranking factor in the current scenario. As there are many modern search algorithms which help Google match the search intent of content on the webpage.
