Defining Keyword density

[PhilipT]

Could I get your advice on the subject of keyword density as I am having a debate about it with a client?

The client wants a 1,000 word article with 3% keyword density. The keyword (or more accurately keyphrase) has two words in it.

3% of 1,000 is 30. The client wants the whole keyword used 30 times. I seem to remember reading that you should divide the numbers of keyword phrases required by the numbers of words in the keyword - 30 divided by 2 = 15. Is that right? Should the two word keyword phrase be used 30 or 15 times?

My own view is that to repeat long keywords again and again looks bad even if it is within some pre-determined percentage.

I would appreciate your expert thoughts.

Thanks

Philip

[Matt Maiden]

Keyword density of 3% would be the keyword used 3 times for every 100 words. The entire keyword phrase (Content Writing Service) would be counted the same as using a single keyword (Writing).

I would suggest trying to keep your keyword density to 2%.

Back when Google had a love affair with the EzineArticles directory, EzineArticles would not accept an article that had more than a 2% density.

I saw that as the way Google wanted it done and changed all of my content writing articles, blog posts, even my videos to that 2% standard. I started getting very good results from not only Google, but Bing as well.

Just my humble two cents.

[100KAffiliateManager]

That's a very high 'density'. Particularly since the Panda updates, you need to be extra careful. One 'thrust' of Panda is "search engine manipulation", and any 'unnatural' keyword emphasis falls into that category. It also happens to be one of the more visible issues.

Personally, I'd talk to my client. You might make some extra 'points' by letting them know about Panda, that Google has become significantly 'stricter', and that you'd be doing them a disservice otherwise.

[DNChamp]

nice to know...always get stuck on this issue..What if you below say a 500 word article with just 2 of your keywords in it..is that even enough?

[Bindu Dwivedi]

I would like to say about Ezine article, world number one content specification websites.According to this 2% keyword density is sufficient to explain your content .

[MikeFriedman]

The client hired you. You can advise against it, but in the end you should give them what they want.

That being said, I've never bothered to pay attention to keyword density. I'll try to use the keyword in the first and last sentence of the first paragraph, somewhere in the last paragraph, and other than that, wherever it happens to fall in the writing.

Like I said though, the client is paying. They should get what they want.

[100KAffiliateManager]

Originally Posted by DNChamp

nice to know...always get stuck on this issue..What if you below say a 500 word article with just 2 of your keywords in it..is that even enough?

With the 'new rules' for content these days, anything 500 words or less, I use my target keyword phrase in the title, first sentence, and once more in the body. More than 500 words and I'll do the title, first sentence of the first paragraph, first sentence of the last paragraph, and perhaps once or twice throughout the body.

[Alexa Smith]

Originally Posted by PhilipT

Should the two word keyword phrase be used 30 or 15 times?

30, I'm afraid, if he really wants 3% keyword density. Regardless of the number of words in the keyword.

It'll be "clunky" and not-too-pleasant to read, of course.

And at EZA it would get an automated software rejection without even getting in front of a human editor. (But that's probably not what he wants it for, I suppose?).

All you can do is advise him that 3% keyword density is way too high (which it is), but as people mention above, he's the one paying ...

[yukon]

That would be keyword stuffing (30 words) at it's finest!

You'll get more bang for your buck by optimizing your Page Title, <h1> tag, & internal linking with the keyword, assumes the article is for the buyers own site.

Like already said, two or three times is more than enough intext stuffing.

It's not difficult to rank pages in the SERPs with 10 words or less (total) per page, I do it with my download sites all the time.

If the article is for the buyers own site, they should be picking up relevant keywords instead of going hog wild (massive keyword stuffing) on a single keyword & internal linking with anchor-text.

[PhilipT]

Thank you all for the excellent advice. The article is for the client's website. Most of my recent work has been articles for websites rather than EZA.

Thank you also for making me think again about 3% density being too high.

Philip

[PhilipT]

The advice given above proved really useful. I wrote an article showing how I thought it should be written and was able to convince the client that sticking rigidly to a 3% keyword density is going to cause major problems.

I now have a big order from the client - 27 more articles but the specialist niche is within the exotic tourism industry so I will enjoy that.

Thanks for everyone's help and advice

Philip