Before I continue with a deeper and fresher look into keyword density, let me just start by explaining what keyword density is. Keyword density is the percentage of the total number of keywords divided by the total number of words in your article. In the context of search engine optimization, keyword density can be used as a factor in determining whether a web page is relevant to a specified keyword or keyword phrase. It’s also claimed to be one of the important factor that determines the ranking of a site for that specific keywords in SERPs (Search Engine Result Pages).
Keyword Density Formula & Tools
If it’s a bit hard to understand keyword density in words, here’s the simple formula.
Number of keywords/number of words *100
You can calculate this yourself or you can use tools like Traffic Travis (FREE, but only for PC) to calculate it for you. I have explained how to use the keyword density feature of Traffic Travis quite a bit in my seo optimize article post.
What’s the Fuss About?
Just like many SEO information out there, it’s hard to separate the myth from the truth when learning about keyword density. Some experts claimed that you need a keyword density of 3-5% when writing a SEO optimized articles. Others are not fond of that number and believed that 1-2% is more than enough. Higher than that and you’ll be considered spamming. Google, Yahoo, and other search engines do care about user experience. So, if a page looks like it’s optimized for certain keywords, the search engine can tell and might lower your rankings. The problem is, if your keyword density is 1% or less, you might not appear in the first page of SERPs at all.
So, Which One is Right?
None of them. I used to believe in having a high keyword density for my articles. But, when you don’t want to read your own articles after you’ve optimized it, you know you have a problem. How can you expect someone else to read it when you yourself don’t even want to? So, I start going natural (meaning: I don’t really care all that much about keyword density). And it’s then that I discovered this awesome secret.
Keyword Density is some ole bullshit! with a but…
Don’t get me wrong. It’s still important to have your chosen keywords sprinkled throughout your article or post. But, it’s not that big of a deal as people claimed it to be as long as you do this other thing: Having “related” keywords in your articles. Related keywords could be in the form of synonym of the original keywords or different ways to use the original keywords. So, for example, if your original keywords is dog obedience training, your related keywords can be, puppy obedience training, hound obedience training, how to make dog obedient, etc.
Google claimed that you should be able to remove your main keywords from your article and still be able to know what the page is about. So, since Google is the six hundred pounds gorilla, why don’t we ask Google for help in finding the related keywords to help us? Don’t worry it’s quite simple.
Open up Google Keyword Tool. Turn on the Use Synonyms, type in your keywords, and press Get Keyword Ideas. Google will then present you with hundreds different ways to use your keywords, sorted by relevance. This relevancy is determined by Google itself, through their bots and algorithms. So you can see how powerful this is. You basically go inside the Google’s mind and ask what keywords it think is relevant to your original/main keywords. Sprinkled the related keywords that appeared inside the Google Keyword Tool in your articles. And you’re done.
The Conclusion…
Traffic is not everything. Conversion (could mean converting your readers into subscribers of your blog) or sales should be the main focus when writing your articles. So, with this proven related keywords method, you’ll be able to write for your readers (human), and make the search engines bots happy at the same time. Feel free to leave comments below or tweet it if you like it.
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in my opinion, keyword density is not purely myth but the keyword density must appears natural.
Dana@Online Knwoledge´s last blog ..Increase Blog Page Views
The keyword have a high quality organic traffic that you can convert is through search engine. Amongst other things, one of the highest criteria that Google checks your back links if you website back links is relevant to your theme that’s good for your website.Thank you.
healthy diet´s last blog ..Food Chain and living things
One good technique is to put keyword on the first and last paragraph.
Rian´s last blog ..Adsense for Tagalog