Keyword Density- What is it, and what is the best level for in your articles?

Search Engine Optimization is not a perfect science. There are different schools of thought as to which SEO techniques are better than others. However, it is commonly acknowledged that keyword stuffing is not going to work for you and will mean that you are blacklisted by the Search Engines. As such, keyword density is an often discussed SEO techniques and the purpose of this article is to give you some information to enable you to make an informed decision.

What is a keyword or keyword phrase- A keyword or keywords is a single word or phrase very closely related to the topic you are discussing in your article or Web page. You want to repeat the keyword or keywords several times and strategically place in your article or Web page body. These keywords are like an anticipation of what your readers would type on search engine search bar if they’d like to search for something that you can offer in product, service, or simply opinion. There are plenty of resources out there that can tell you what internet users are searching for so you can decide on which keywords to target.

Where should you place your keywords in your article- Once you have decided on what keywords to target, you need to decide where to place the keywords in your article. As a general rule, you should try and put your keyword in the title, in your first paragraph and in the conclusion. If it flows well, you should consider using it a few more times throughout the article.

How often should you use your keyword or phrase- There is no set rule on how many times to use your keyword phrase in the article. No matter what happens though, you need to avoid keyword stuffing. Most people say that you should not go higher than 5%.

Keyword density is a double edged sword. You need to ensure that you target keywords that people are looking for, but keyword stuffing will lead you to Search Engine oblivion.