If you conduct a generic search for “SEO tips,” you will likely see countless mentions of content, links, and keywords. While most guides will let you know that keyword usage is the basis of any good SEO strategy, it’s only true to a certain extent.
The keywords you use and how often you use them vary from one piece of content to the next. This means that keyword density isn’t as important as the experience you create with the content you post.
Getting to Know Keyword Density
Keyword density is an SEO concept that counts the number of times a keyword or search term is used on a web page or blog post. This density metric is usually reflected as a ratio of keywords compared to the total word count of your content.
Put simply, keyword density is used to help optimize your content for the keyword you want to rank for. The logic is that the more often you use a certain keyword, the more optimized your content will be.
However, this isn’t always the case.
Keyword Density and SEO
Keyword density matters for SEO in some ways because it encourages content creators and website owners to optimize the content they create for the search terms they are trying to rank for in Google and other search engines.
When you use a set keyword, it clarifies what your page content is all about to search engine algorithms. This encourages the search engine to show the content you create to searchers.
However, it is not good to stick to an optimal keyword density as the main indication that your content is optimized. The fact is, several factors must be considered before your content is considered fully optimized for users and search.
How Search Engines Use Keyword Density
In the early days of search engines, keyword density was used to figure out how relevant content was to a user’s search. In fact, today, it is considered one of the most important ranking factors available.
Today, though, search engines are more skeptical of websites that are overusing keywords to try to “trick” the system. Due to keyword spam, keyword density is now less important.
If you use your keyword excessively in your content, it will cause your web page to be penalized by search engines. Because of this, it’s a good idea to focus on the SEO ranking factors that Google has named and write for users instead.
Avoid Keyword Stuffing
If you focus on a high keyword density, you will likely overstuff your content with the target keyword you have chosen. Also, if you use the target keyword verbatim excessively, it may seem spammy to search engines and users.
Helping Your Clients Rank Well
To ensure your client’s websites rank well, choosing a keyword is important, but you should focus on using it naturally rather than stuffing it into the content. This will result in a better experience for users, which is something search engines want to see.