Is keyword density a myth?

It was not a myth, but how about today? Is it just a myth?

I don't think it's a myth, but on the other hand i don't thinks it's as important as other factors like anchor text.

I think time would be better spent on gaining links and worrying about anchor text and writing good content.

Keyword density is not a myth. Its a fact.

Example

A page with 100 words on it and the keyword repeated 5 times will have a keyword density of 5%

100% / 100 words X 5 keywords = 5%

So it is not a myth that the example page has a Keyword Density of 5%.

The myth (or misunderstanding) is when people start touting optimum keyword density values and saying that it will make your page rank much higher!

Whilst the keyword density value may play a very small role in the ranking algorithm it is so insignificant it is not worth worrying about. This type of Heavily on page SEO focus is about 5 years out of date yet people still hand onto it like it was some all encompassing life philosophy, which brings me to another great myth -

<rant>META TAGS which now are simply just not a factor when it comes to rankings. This is a true myth because many people still say your meta tags must be optimised to get good rankings - that is pure and utter misinformed fiction! </rant>

Hehe.

I think PV is playing a positive role in google's new algorithm. When I googled "jeans" this morning, I got a Youtube page in the first result page. (I am in China, if you google "jeans", maybe you will get different serp).
That Youtube page is not intentionally optimized at all. It contains a very funny video which is attracting so many visitors.
Does this case imply that PV is playing a important role in google's new algorithm?

I tend to disagree a bit on this rant, not so much on the value of the factor of it, but the useability of this meta description tag. Being that this meta element is displayed in search results to searchers it does play a role in "convicing" a searcher to click on your site in the search results.

Now, when it comes to the effect on actual search engine rankings in the algorithm it's again a very debatable issue. I can easily effect a sites rankings (postive or negative) by changing the meta description for that page and waiting for a recrawl\update, but there is no valid way to make sure it wasn't due to a algorithm change. I do agree that meta keywords tag is completely useless and only good to meta search engines.

Well not really... the "listing" convinces searchers to click... If you tested this you will notice there is no appreciable differences between good or bad snippets or good or bad meta descriptions... and if you ask why?

If the typed in keyword phrase is in the listing [including but not limited to only being found in the title element area]... the searcher will click... [how do you really tell of this was an increase or decrease in CTR as per a great meta?]

...and if the keyword phrase isn't in a Meta Description but is in the content of the page a snippet will be forced and the click occurs... [how do you really tell of this was an increase or decrease in CTR as per a great meta?]

And in some instances where links are solely responsible for the listing ranks and the phrase isn't on the page what-so-ever a click occurs based on 'substitute information'... [e.g. someone looking for "computers" but finding the word "desktop" or "PC" or "Mac" or "IBM Compatible"... the click will occur... but not because a Meta was responsible for it. [how do you really tell of this was an increase or decrease in CTR as per a great meta?]

Saying apples are better because you prefer them doesn't devalue oranges - does it? I say this because if your assumptions are based purely on your own biases... your conclusions are not based on crediible data - it's only good for you and what you search and buy.

Assuming that people click purely because a listing was developed by a million dollar wordsmith genius and placed in the Meta doesn't mean that is what actually happens...

I've created some pretty pathetic listing descriptions to get the same traffic [and in some cases even more traffic] not because "I believe" pathetic listings are better... just that "daily flux" can be responsible for 1, 10's, 100's to 1000's of visitor differences without any direct offset to description appeal.

So having a listing surely convinces people to click... but having a Meta Description listing convincing "MORE" is far fetched and not a single person that has ever said you get better CTR has shown the data... they assume that there is data "somewhere"... so show yours so we can put this one to bed for good.

Oh and Keyword Density works great! Just don't bother measuring it because 0% to 100% and everything inbetween is PERFECT!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vS1Mw1Adrk0

Well, apparently Google's Matt Cutts is convinced that proper meta descriptions can increase your CTR. Again, who am I to believe everything I hear anyways. ;)

Personally I find adding a keyword twice to my homepage is normally enough to get ranks for a new term (theme related).

Yup pointing to that video for rebuttal assistance to back up your comments... refutes your own position.

Obviously you hear only what you want to hear...

First... the video is about "snippets" not Meta Description CTR.

Second... He actually said [paraphrasing] "you can experiment... "you should test" multiple ways to determine the best CTR"... not Meta Descriptions improve CTR

Third... what click data did he show?

If you love Meta Descriptions - I'm happy for you... but 98% of that video suggests there are better ways to demonstrate the true content of the page... so to improve CTR.

Candidly, I would recommend you watch that video non-stop for 96 hours so you don't forget "what he said".

keyword density is done to avoid keyword stuffing. now, if you don't follow the rule stated under keyword density, your content will look like a spam. in seo, it's your foremost responsibility to limit your keywords and place them on correct position.

Keyword density is not a myth, if it is, then there wouldn't be anything like - "Keyword Stuffing" which is an unethical technique to get fast rankings in search engines.

We always have to check our targeted keyword density in the web page. Actually web page should have a good write-up according to the topic with the targeted keywords involved but not in access. It should be a useful information.

These are competely different points of view not the same one...

A single word on a page has a keyword density of 100% but certainly isn't "keyword stuffing".



Why do you need to check? At best the checks to make are:

1. Spelling
2. Grammar
3. Conveyed Message
4. Enticements
5. Call to Action

Beyond these no other SEO aspects have any potential to demonstrate better ranks or better CTR.

Thanks for your points and suggestions..

Can I know your way of calculating the keyword density per page?

Keyword Phrase in Title Element

Keyword Phrase in Page Title

Keyword Phrase somewhere in the body... (naturally if the page is about something it tends to be there... you don't need write something and then put keyword phrases in afterwards)

Keyword Phrase in Navigation links to the page (other pages)

Keyword Phrase in links (other sites)

So what's the density? ... whatever it is!

& what about the alt attributes...