Keywords are used by search engines to help rank the relevancy of the content they represent to what the online visitor is searching. Thus, without keywords, a web page or site cannot be properly indexed into any search engine and finding the content becomes next to impossible. But what about keyword density? That is, the amount of times key words and phrases appear within a content page. Does keyword density matter and does it effect web search engine optimization? Trend of online marketing in western suburbs has increased and audience is aware of this process.
Keyword Density Sweet Spot, a Best SEO Myth
According to Wikipedia, keyword density was a brief but important factor for page ranking in the 1990’s while most search engines were still developing. As a result, keyword stuffing became mainstream and search engines were forced to evolve to devalue the overuse of key words and phrases.
Since then however, many continue to believe in what is know known as the keyword density sweet spot; a precise density percentage that supposedly provides great page rank boosting capabilities. Among those who believe in the ‘sweet spot’ myth (and try to sell it to others), the general consensus is to achieve a 3% to 5% density of keywords mixed naturally into the content of the page; in other words, 3-5 key words or phrases for every 100 words of content.
Focusing on Density Results in Poor Search Engine Promotion
Search engines today continue to beat the same drum regarding what they consider to be content that they will rank well within their index; produce content designed primarily for the reader and “avoid tricks intended to improve search engine ranking”. This means that content should be well written and posses a natural flow. It should not be “robotic” or “forced”, which would be the result if someone attempted to stuff in a keyword every “x” amount of words written. Such tactics do not result in quality content and leads only to poor search engine result rankings.
When Does Keyword Density Matter?
As stated already, quality content viewed by the visitor should appear natural, logical in its progression and make sense to the reader. The only time one should be concerned about the density of their keywords and phrases is to ensure they are not over using them. This can occur quite unintentionally as one attempts to create quality content because keywords are important and will often sit at the forefront of the mind of the author. Regardless of how it occurs however, overuse can be viewed as keyword stuffing or spamdexing by search engines which would negatively impact the rank of the page or site.
Keyword Density Tools for Web Search Engine Optimization
To help the content writer avoid such overuse, there are a number of useful and easy-to-use keyword density tools available on the web at no cost. As such, a good search engine optimizer kit should include at least one such tool.
- Keyword Density Analyzer Tool by SEO Tools – By far one of the easiest to use, the user simply enters the URL of the page they wish to analyze. This free web application includes the ability to include or exclude words or a certain length or appear a certain number of times. The user is then presented with a 3 column list of results.
- Keyword Density Tool by SEO Centro – This tool has fewer user selectable options but does include Tag Cloud results as well as indicating how long it took to load the page.
- Keyword Density by We Build Pages – Also very similar to the rest, with the same number of options as SEO Tools, but includes a total count of single, double and triple word phrases.
- David Naylor Keyword Density – This one stands out because it includes an internal and external link ratio count as well as lists (and counts) all external follow links.
Quality Content, Not Keyword Density is the Best SEO Web Search Engine Optimization
Again, and this simply cannot be stressed enough times, the key to good Google search engine optimization is the focusing on producing quality content that is of value to the reader. Attempting to artificially boost page rank by abusing keyword density (aka keyword stuffing) will potentially lead to the site being flagged for spamdexing.
Using the free tools above to alleviate concerns of keyword overuse can be of great assistance when someone else (such as an external SEO company) is handling the content development and/or search engine promotion.