Whenever they write for the web, most writers face an issue, namely adhering to keyword density.
Indeed, repeating keywords would favor a piece of content's ranking. So, we sought to determine the real SEO impact of keyword density.
After presenting this concept in detail, we'll tell you what the ideal keyword density is for the content you create.
What is keyword density?
Often considered a criterion used by Google's algorithm to rank content, keyword density can sometimes seem like a concept that's hard to grasp.
But that's not the case, since keyword density simply corresponds to the percentage of times a keyword or phrase appears on a web page relative to the total number of words that it contains.
For a long time, to have web content indexed you had to include its keyword as often as possible. It was an essential SEO requirement and produced indigestible, unreadable articles or product pages.
Google's rules have changed and keyword stuffing is now considered spam. Of course, keyword frequency is still important, but not essential. There are no clearly defined rules, but in SEO practice including a keyword every 100 words is considered a good ratio to avoid over-optimization.
You can also base yourself on the keyword density calculation, which is made from the number of its occurrences. For organic SEO, an index between 2 and 6% is sufficient for good text optimization. You will find many free online tools to calculate your density index, such as Outils SEO, for example.
Calculating keyword density
To calculate keyword density in content, a writer has a very simple formula to apply:
Keyword density = number of occurrences of the keyword / total number of words in the content
Some experts prefer to calculate what they call weighted density (rather than raw density) by including a weighting related to the location of keywords in the content (presence in a Title tag, in an H1 tag, in the first paragraph, etc.).
Also read: SEO: how to avoid keyword cannibalization?
Is keyword density really useful for SEO?
Many still think that the more a keyword is repeated in content, the better it will be ranked by search engines. However, you should know that keyword density has little impact on that.
Indeed, when asked about this topic, many SEO experts had harsh words to describe keyword density. Some compared it to an "overrated concept," others to "folklore," while many others called it a "myth."
Moreover, the statements of SEO experts are confirmed by Google itself, since the American company has stated that keyword density has not been taken into account for page ranking for several years.
What about the ideal keyword density?
If keyword density has only very limited value for SEO, that does not mean you can do whatever you want with keywords.
So even if you hear around you that the optimal keyword density in content ranges between 2 and 6%, don't force yourself to stuff the articles you write. Avoid at all costs the artificial writing that consists of shoehorning a keyword in at any cost, even if it harms the reader's experience. That would be a very bad idea since over-optimization can lead to a demotion of your web page.
Instead, make an effort to properly position your keywords in your content so that they provide guidance both to the search engines responsible for indexing your article and to readers seeking information on a specific topic.
The presence of the keyword in the article's title, in the introduction or in at least one subheading is therefore relevant, even if its density ends up at "only" about 1%.
7 best SEO practices for your ranking
Today, if you want your content to soar to the top of search results, focus on quality content. Don't write your texts for robots, but for your readers first and foremost!
1. Write for your target audience
For your SEO strategy to succeed, do a relevant study of your target reader, i.e., your persona. Focus on creating textual content based on your audience's search intentions and provide them with added value and information. In short, meet the needs and problems your targets face by offering concrete solutions.
2. Create topic clusters
To generate traffic to your website and improve your ranking, a good solution is to create topic clusters where your content is organized into pillar pages with their associated pages. The goal is to cover all your topics and thus boost your site's authority in Google's eyes.
3. Feed Google's algorithms
Search engine algorithms increasingly understand users' query intentions, which changes the way you need to optimize your written content.
More important than keyword frequency, now consider semantic fields and long-tail keyword variants to increase your organic traffic. 1.fr is a very good optimization tool to help you in your quest. From your main keyword, the website will provide a whole list of words to naturally include in your text.
4. Avoid the most competitive keywords
For a small business, it will be difficult to rank at the top of search engines for a competitive keyword against big brands. If the search volume is very high for the targeted keyword, instead work your article on a long-tail keyword.
5. Build quality backlinks
Quality external links are essential for your SEO positioning. The more links pointing to your article, the more Google will consider your website a reference in your industry. It's good for your reputation and your ranking!
6. Structure your content correctly
In technical SEO, the structure of your article is essential. Work on your title tags, your meta description tag and prioritize your content. The H1 tag is always followed by the H2 tag, then H3, etc.
Then, in your written content, always insert your keyword in the H1 tag, in the intro paragraph, and at least in one of your H2 tags. Emphasize your keywords and important information by bolding them and don't forget tooptimize your page URL, your meta description and the image Alt tags.
7. Boost your SEO with the right word count
In SEO, the length of your blog post matters. There is no ideal length, but count on an average of 800 words to start attracting Google's attention and maximizing social shares. For more in-depth articles, aim for over 1,500 words to be ranked as an expert.
Our advice
As you can see, keyword frequency is far from the only good SEO practice. Never forget that the most important thing is to write for humans first, which means producing quality, relevant, enjoyable-to-read, informative content with high added value. Google will reward you!
If you prioritize user experience, your SEO will follow. And if you're looking for professional web writers to improve your website's visibility, you'll find them on Redacteur.com !
