Does keyword density still matter ?

[keenlearner]

If yes then what % /KW is a good benchmark.

[Ann Smarty]

If yes then what % /KW is a good benchmark.

I like to think that it doesn't...

I like another concept though. I call it "keyword prominence" - that is, dropping your key phrase VERY naturally in prominent places: <title> of the page, first paragraph of the page, subheading...

Also, depending on a keyword, it can be placed in meta description - while it's not going to affect ranking, it may positively effect click-though as it will be in bold for related search.

All in all, no matter which keyword you have, the focus is to make sure your content is useful and well-structured and only them think about keywords...

[Highland]

KWD is important, but it's important in the same way sugar intake is important. If you eat too much sugar you'll get sick but if you eat just a little you're fine. KWD is important in that if you put too many KWs in your pages you'll look spammy but just a few will be fine. In other words, don't worry about where the line is, just don't go crazy with KWs.

[SEOhostingcouk]

IMO keyword density is still a factor, not the most important one but it is still there. Especially if you keyword stuff, then that will negatively effect your site.

Here is what Matt Cutts has stated regarding keyword density:

“the first time you mention a word, you know, ‘Hey, that’s pretty interesting. It’s about that word.’ The next time you mention that word, ‘oh, OK. It’s still about that word.’ And once you start to mention it a whole lot, it really doesn’t help that much more. There’s diminishing returns. It’s just an incremental benefit, but it’s really not that large.”

According to several sources Google like about 1-2% which Yahoo it a bit highewr a 3%, note that this is NOT an exact figure just a guideline.

[DarrenHaye]

Oh yes! if you have 3.5673% keyword density and a competitor were to have 3.5749% keyword density then google would of course think you had the better site! </stupidness>

Worry about making a quality best on the web site, not this bs.

[thegodfather]

Keyword density is a myth dispelled on many occasions on numerous SEO sites over the years, especially here. There is no magic percentage that will earn you brownie points with Google!!!!

In my opinion, mention the keywords you're targeting within the page and ensure they make sense to the user. Inserting keywords for the sake of having them there is the wrong thing to do!

Try these threads:

http://forums.seochat.com/keywords-30/what-is-the-ideal-keyword-density-459745.html
http://forums.seochat.com/search-engine-optimization-28/important-factor-of-on-page-seo-keyword-density-461041.html

[KernelPanic]

Really? We're still talking about KW density and someone with SEO in their handle is giving a percentage?

C'mon man.

[jimmyn]

It's not something you should need to think about much if you have good content on your site. They need to be in there, but if the content is good then they naturally will be.

I've noticed lately that search results take very popular synonyms into account more, whereas before you would have to use a ~ to get synonyms.

E.g. Clothing and Fashion.

So in some cases you might not even need to use the keyword!

[dzine]

(...) According to several sources Google like about 1-2% which Yahoo it a bit highewr a 3%, note that this is NOT an exact figure just a guideline.

(my bold)

Which sources?

[SEOhostingcouk]

(my bold)

Which sources?

Here are several sites that talk about it, i NEVER said this was a set thing just a general idea as that is what they asked for.

http://seoforums.org/site-optimization/37284-best-keyword-density-percentage.html

http://www.seocipher.com/basics/keyword-density.htm

http://www.webcosmoforums.com/search-engine-optimization/48109-keyword-density-percentage.html

http://www.frihost.com/forums/vt-39496.html

http://www.seomoz.org/q/keyword-density

http://seoblogoptimizer.com/keyword-density/

Even a thread in this chat about it, http://forums.seochat.com/search-engine-optimization-28/how-much-keyword-density-percentage-good-after-panda-updates-458158.html

[thegodfather]

Even a thread in this chat about it, http://forums.seochat.com/search-engine-optimization-28/how-much-keyword-density-percentage-good-after-panda-updates-458158.html

Yes and a very respected member of these forums answered on that thread:

Your keyword density should be less than 100% but more than 0%.

As the poster said above, write the content for the reader. Ensure that you use the keywords within your title elements and H1, H2, etc. DO NOT make your reader go cross-eyed trying to read the content in between the flood of keywords used everywhere. Write for your reader.

[ChillDot]

Had a look through a couple of sources and i wouldnt trust hardly any of them, they all look so spammy, and for the one that had about 10 people quoting random percentage....just lol. They were clearly just trying to get their post count up, and have no idea about seo.

When you look on a forum like this if you see answers by certain people you knwo you can trust them. On the other ones its just some joe bloggs who has created a forum account.

Hell i could post how to build a nuclear reactor if i wanted, dont think id like to see the results though if someone believed me and tried it.

[KernelPanic]

Here are several sites that talk about it, i NEVER said this was a set thing just a general idea as that is what they asked for.

http://seoforums.org/site-optimization/37284-best-keyword-density-percentage.html

http://www.seocipher.com/basics/keyword-density.htm

http://www.webcosmoforums.com/search-engine-optimization/48109-keyword-density-percentage.html

http://www.frihost.com/forums/vt-39496.html

http://www.seomoz.org/q/keyword-density

http://seoblogoptimizer.com/keyword-density/

Even a thread in this chat about it, http://forums.seochat.com/search-engine-optimization-28/how-much-keyword-density-percentage-good-after-panda-updates-458158.html

Well it's on the internet so it must be true. Check this out: 12 US Senators are space aliens!

[joshz]

Well it's on the internet so it must be true. Check this out: 12 US Senators are space aliens!

[dzine]

What bugs me it that among these sources - which could all be seen as quite respectable in a way - I find a Seomoz forum thread. And the reason is this: Rand Fishkin himself was one of the first of us (= SEOChat members back in the old days) to explain that:
1) keyword density could well be important
2) but: ideal keyword density should and would be different given the circumstances
3) no SEO who's not a Search Engine tech can know which percentage is best for all circumstances
4) therefore no one of us, or you, knows which percentage is best, not even if we know the 'special circumstances'
5) in short: there is NO FIXED IDEAL keyword density. It depends. On MANY different things that people always fail to mention.

His logic back then made perfect sense. It still makes sense now.
Lots of people, mainly "forum posters" and "blog commenters" mind you, like to take the old info (=pre 2003) for gospel and rehash it ad lib. The most popular belief is that "a KD of 4% is best -- and a KD over 10% will kill your rankings". But that doesn't make it fact. There are many counter-examples.

My take on this:
YES - keyword density still matters
NO - there is no benchmark
You have to test it - and this is hard to do because with KD other factors will vary as well.