Keyword Density = SEO MYTH!!!

[InHwan Park]

Search engines measure the use of certain words to determine it’s relevance to the search term. Keywords should be used in titles, text, and meta data to help this process along.

With this said. I want to clear something out.

Keyword Density being an important part of SEO…is a MYTH! But if so why are SEO “experts” still talking about it? Well that’s all misinformation.

The Keyword Density of Non-Sense
Take a look at the above link.

Dr. E. Garcia uses sound mathematics to prove that keyword density has nothing to do with search optimization.

This report also shows that most of the keyword optimization we use today isn’t a sure fire method. For us to develop a formula that can truly guarantee keyword optimization, we would have to have access to the global index of WebPages to calculate the exact term weight. Also we would need a very representative sample of all the internets documents to help build a semantic library. So for now…and probably a long time.. We won’t have guaranteed method/formula for keyword optimization.

[JakeRhodes]

The search engine algorithms (Google's at least) is always changing. That report was written over five years ago. How do we know it's still relevant today?

From my own personal research I have found that sites ranking in the first page of Google for competitive keywords tend to have a keyword density range of between 3% and 8%. Coincidence? Perhaps, but I'd rather take the short amount of time required to make sure my sites fit with that criteria.

[dvduval]

I feel that now google is able to spot relationships with keywords on a sitewide basis, and establishes more authority for the source that way, and I do feel keyword density is overrated.

[InHwan Park]

Actually that's just one of the researches i have read that i posted you can easily find more recent reports on this. but i agree and i consistently find density levels nearering 10% rank better.

i posted this to see where other warriors stood on this issue. like i felt a little guilty telling my offline clients about how important density is, after reading this a while back, and since i can't disprove it, i have to toy with the idea that it may still hold true...so now i don't mention it anymore.

[Goatboy]

It seems to me that the question here is: at what point does Google consider it keyword stuffing?

[InHwan Park]

i don't think we even have to get into Keyword stuffing. but it would be nice to know if some people have experimented with density. like is 10% from a 200 word article just as good as a 10% from 1000 words?.. and so on.

[HunterSnake]

Keyword density is not a myth. At the recent Google I/O, a person in the audience asked Matt Cutts about his site ranking. Matt went on to explain how he's probably borderline between rank X and rank X and that he should try to mention the search term he is trying to target a few more times on that page to see if that helps push his site over the top. Furthermore, the reason people started stuffing in the first place is because keyword density does matter.

Keyword density and keyword stuffing are two different things in SEO... One (density) is mentioning the word enough times to demonstrate document relevancy, while the other (stuffing) is spam and violates Google's Webmaster Guidelines. Web sites should have good keyword density for the terms that they're trying to target... but it shouldn't be spammy.

YouTube - Google I/O 2010 - SEO site advice from...

Don't engage in "Black Hat" SEO.

[Dr.faizan]

Not sure about Keyword Density but placement of Right keywords at the right place is what matters according to me. In short I am talking about SEO ARTICLES.

[TheBrainchildGroup]

Excellent info and thank you for sharing.

As stated above, algorithms are continuously evolving and the whole keyword density craze was about 5 years ago. There are many other reasons for ranking well in search engines and keyword density is truly a myth, which my statistics prove.

[HunterSnake]

Originally Posted by TheBrainchildGroup

Excellent info and thank you for sharing.

As stated above, algorithms are continuously evolving and the whole keyword density craze was about 5 years ago. There are many other reasons for ranking well in search engines and keyword density is truly a myth, which my statistics prove.

No. Watch the video that I posted. Also, go ahead and read The Art of SEO and Marketing in the Age of Google.

Keyword density is relevant and important. Keyword stuffing is bad.

[InHwan Park]

Originally Posted by HunterSnake

Keyword density and keyword stuffing are two different things in SEO... One (density) is mentioning the word enough times to demonstrate document relevancy, while the other (stuffing) is spam and violates Google's Webmaster Guidelines. Web sites should have good keyword density for the terms that they're trying to target... but it shouldn't be spammy.

yes. this is very clear and stuffing is useless. i know. and i know targeting a right keywords in your article is important.

OK here is an example. two site are targeting the the same keywords.. and their articles are written with this in consideration. one has a keyword density of 7% and the other has a keyword density of 12%. does the article with 12% rank better? so far with my articles and my experiments, no. it does not.

and also, how can Google differentiate between an article with high keyword density and an article written for keyword stuffing, but done so in a very intelligent way to seem like a real article? i do not think it can. and i do not think it will be possible to do so. at least not just yet.

an example of what i mean.

the keyword being targeted in the sentence below will be "is"

"That that is, is. That that is not, is not. Is it? it IS!"

in this case the density of the keyword is over 40% will good rank this high due to its density? or will it determine it as stuffing? or will it simple state that its target keyword is "is" and move on to rank by other factors of SEO?

[jazbo]

Keyword stuffing, as some of us have been saying for ages, is a myth nowadays.

Google looks at topical relevance and context. If you stuff the same phrase or very limited variations in a ton of times, how much context are you building?

Find your keywords, see what Google thinks is linked topically using wonder wheel, then write quality, context-rich content.

[HunterSnake]

Originally Posted by InHwan Park

OK here is an example. two site are targeting the the same keywords.. and their articles are written with this in consideration. one has a keyword density of 7% and the other has a keyword density of 12%. does the article with 12% rank better? so far with my articles and my experiments, no. it does not.

There are hundreds of factors that Google takes into consideration when determining how to rank a given page. Keyword density isn't the only factor. Your testing apparently was conducted as if it were.

Originally Posted by InHwan Park

and also, how can Google differentiate between an article with high keyword density and an article written for keyword stuffing, but done so in a very intelligent way to seem like a real article? i do not think it can. and i do not think it will be possible to do so. at least not just yet.

A well written article that's both appealing to the reader and search engines is ideal. This means good English (assuming English is the target language for the web site) and SEO skills combined. Your example using "is" is keyword stuffing in a not so intelligent manner - obvious to both people and search engines. A well written article may mention the targeted term and related terms many times, signifying relevancy, without it sounding remotely unnatural. It depends on how good of a writer a person is and how well they understand SEO.

Originally Posted by InHwan Park

in this case the density of the keyword is over 40% will good rank this high due to its density? or will it determine it as stuffing? or will it simple state that its target keyword is "is" and move on to rank by other factors of SEO?

Your example was clearly stuffing. People who do this in practice do not rank well because it stands out like a sore thumb to Google.

[HunterSnake]

Originally Posted by jazbo

Keyword stuffing, as some of us have been saying for ages, is a myth nowadays.

It's not a "myth" as people continue to do it, recommend it, and Google continues to penalize people for doing it. More correctly, the idea that it helps is a myth, as the exact opposite is true; keyword stuffing is a good way to get nuked by Google.

[JohnMcCabe]

I just read a report (available in the War Room) that made the case for looking beyond 'keyword density' in the normally accepted sense. That is, if your keyword is "flaming pink widgets", the phrase "flaming pink widgets" should appear a certain number of times dependent on the total number of words.

What the writer suggested is similar to what jazbo mentioned, looking at the strength of the theming of your page. Yes, you want to make sure "flaming pink widgets" appears a few times, in strategic places, but you also want to include related words, synonyms, and so on to cement the context.

I know I'm not being terribly clear here, but I don't want to regurgitate the whole report here in the open forum without permission...

[InHwan Park]

hunter snake, yes my example was clearly stuffing. but my question wasnt if you can read and find out.. it was if google can.and if google does, than i have to question how many actual articles are getting penalized for stuff when they didnt intend to.

and the first example, with the 7% and the 12% ... well obiously we are assuming the other factors of the SEO are the same in both. ..how else can you do an isolated test?
and the question was is keyword density the most influential in seo. it was, rather it is counted at all. so your answer that there are other variables... um duh? but your answer still doesnt answer my question. my question was asked assuming everything else was the same.

as per my use of the "is" example... yes that does not display how creative people can be to its fullest. i just took that from a grammer test, as i thought the sentence over exaggerated my point to make it more simple, for argument sake. how good the writer is and how well versed in SEO he is, is very important. yes i agree with you, but i wanted to know the effects keyword density has. we cant just say .."there are other things that matter too"... yes thats ture and i know it very well. but we need to just look at one variable at a time. i can say, just as easily, that your success in SEO has nothing to do with density..because there are so many other factors... but that doesnt prove or disprove the relevance of the variable we want to test.

and to Jazbo
stuffing does still happen...very sad...some people think thats being BH, but that's not BH. thats just being dumb.
but the idea that stuffing still helps is a myth as huntersnake pointed. so dont do it

[osho3]

thanks for share

[mattlaclear]

That report is so old the algorithm has changed at least 500 times since then. Keyword density is still important in that you need to have it between 3 - 8%. Plus it needs to be mentioned throughout the entire page you are trying to rank for. Instead of basing your opinion on someone's outdated report why not test your theory to see if it holds water.

[Find]

I guess google loves content and hates keyword stuffing so I guess google measures spam by how close the keywords are positioned I dnt know its a secret?



ill use the keyword density tool!!!

[therichman]

agree SEO MITH.

[InHwan Park]

so far i think keyword density is important in determining the target keyword, but not sure about its helpfulness to ranking.
but i do try to keep it around 5% at the least, since we cant be sure about any of this.

[~kev~]

Keyword Density = SEO MYTH!!!

Keyword Density is for people who have nothing better to do with their time then to count words, do the math, and figure up percentages.

If you have that much free time, maybe you should get a second job, or maybe a first job?

With real life - family, full time job, kids, cutting the grass, washing the truck/car, posting on the blog, house chores,,,,, who has time to count words? I barely have time to keep my blog updated, much less figure out how many times a word was used in a blog post.

Write your post for people, not search engines, and the rest will work itself out.

[Find]

Good on ya kev

[link-master]

Originally Posted by ~kev~

Write your post for people, not search engines, and the rest will work itself out.

Roma locuta, causa finita...

[InHwan Park]

Originally Posted by link-master

Roma locuta, causa finita...

actually... not really... while what kev says is true, in the big picture. it is really way to generic for it to apply or answer the question at hand.

[~kev~]

Originally Posted by InHwan Park

actually... not really... while what kev says is true, in the big picture. it is really way to generic for it to apply or answer the question at hand.

I see no reason to make a mountain out of a mole hill.

Its a pretty simple question - does keyword density affect SEO? I'am pretty sure it does, but there is no reason to turn something so simple into a science. On top of that, I see no reason why I should count the words of a 1,700+ word article, and then figure up percentage points.

Friday morning I spent close to 5 hours writing an article. I have better stuff to do then do break out the calculator, count the words, figure percentages, reword the article, edit, count,,,,. Write the article, publish, move to the next one. Add to that 5 hours the time it took make the video that was included in the article, take the pictures, rename the pictures, resize, watermark,,,,.

There are so many other factors that determines where an article ranks, that counting keywords probably makes up a few pixels of the big picture.

As a serious article writer - I create my images, make videos, create my own content,,,, counting words is the least of my worries.

[InHwan Park]

well you wouldn't have to manually count the words... but i think SEO should be looked at as if it was science. well at least that's how Google treats it. and i dont think it hurts to try and be better at what i love and do.

but "counting words" as you say, should never be the only or even a major part of SEO. there are many other things to do in SEO. but even if its just a little part, i would like to take a closer look, not just keywords but other factors as well too.. this thread just happens to be about keyword density.

if Google counts words, i feel obligated to do so as well, as a SEO professional and for the benefit of my clients.

i don't want to make a mountain of a mole hole. but just because we are isolating one variable from the rest of the contributing factors doesn't mean we are implying that it is the most important.

but SEO is very fun for me and important in my IM, so maybe you can just entertain my question for me. i know it may seem very simple or irrelevant...and maybe even..below you, but you would be doing me a big favor if you explain how you think it helps with ranking. not SEO as a whole. i know it helps in targeting which keywords to rank, but i want to know if it actually help you rank higher.

Thank You

[JakeRhodes]

Originally Posted by ~kev~

Keyword Density is for people who have nothing better to do with their time then to count words, do the math, and figure up percentages.

If you have that much free time, maybe you should get a second job, or maybe a first job?

With real life - family, full time job, kids, cutting the grass, washing the truck/car, posting on the blog, house chores,,,,, who has time to count words? I barely have time to keep my blog updated, much less figure out how many times a word was used in a blog post.

Write your post for people, not search engines, and the rest will work itself out.

Rather than counting it all manually you could just use this free checker - Free Keyword Density Analyzer Tool

[JohnMcCabe]

I'm in kev's corner on this one, but not necessarily for the same reason.

I'm big on having things look as natural as possible, especially when they are not.

The only writers I've ever seen who will consistently have the same keyword density from article to article are SEO types who are over-engineering the algorithm.

If you write naturally, sprinkling in both your keyword and related terms and synonyms, the spiders will get your message.

On the other hand, a site with every article within +/- 1% on keyword density might just look like a footprint worth watching, might it not?

[~kev~]

Originally Posted by JakeRhodes

Rather than counting it all manually you could just use this free checker

I would rather go fishing, take some pictures and film some videos for my next article.