Enter a URL
The keyword density checker lets you input a URL to receive an output of total phrases found on your page along with their "keyword densities." For each phrase, a "keyword density level" is supplied via a percentage found by comparing the usage of a discovered phrase with the total phrase count on that page. Generally speaking, if your page's target phrase density is too low, it will be deemed by Google as irrelevant. Conversely, if your target phrase's density is too high, it will be deemed spammy.
All matters that pertain to Google's algorithm for indexing content are matters of speculation. However, we must agree that Google is run by individuals. For our success, we should try to get into the mind of Google's algorithm programmer as well as our prospect end-user. We know something they both want, and that is search results that are targeted yet qualified. Our keyword choices will emerge as we naturally explore our options.
Let's consider some things to increase our chances of success.
What is the correct keyword density.?
2%-3% is a safe bet for any particular phrase you are trying to achieve a rank for, although there are others who have suggested other percentages. That percentage range is basically an educated guess based on the study of a virtually limitless supply of case studies; Google has many, many sites in their index. The keyword density percentage matters but must be part of a holistic approach.
What is most important is that your page's percentage for target phrases is high when compared to the page's total word-count but not so high that it drowns out the other content and appears spammy. Google doesn't want its searchers to find keyword stuffed spam; quite frankly, their algorithm is just too evolved to allow it. Google wants your target phrases to be bolstered and reinforced by other content. This is easy if you have a dedicated team of writers who actually know the topic they are covering. If you're going it alone, it's all on you to create that rich content.
What About Page Data?
Your target phrases should be included in the url, headers, metadata and titles of your page. This is a given because this is how Google initially finds your page. These tools give Google's algorithm a bird's-eye-view of your page. It allows Google to create an index and compare the rest of your content to your own indices. When Google looks a step deeper it gets a quick photocopy-like scan of your content and compares phrases against your page's titles and meta data. If they match well, Google can list your content in its search results under the proper headings.
What about the Bounce Rate
There is however, this thing called the bounce rate.
The bounce-rate is simply how long end-users are staying on various pages of your site. You must match keyword and keyword phrase targets with relevant content because many believe Google can actually see how long a user visited your page for, what keyword they used to find you and how long they stayed on your page before, yes, bouncing.
At face value, a low bounce rate means engaging content and a high one means boring, irrelevant content. Google has tools for webmasters that allow tracking of bounce rates on pages. Webmasters can see the phrases the end-user was searching for upon discovery of their page and how long they remained there before going somewhere else.
Now, the question remains, does Google's page finding and indexing algorithm have the capacity to discover this data if the webmaster doesn't voluntarily supply it? The answer is probably, yes. However, whether or not Google penalizes a site for high bounce rates against certain phrases shouldn't matter. If you really want high search rankings, you should pretend like they do. It is the job of the writer to make a page sticky. Google wants searches to stick to your high quality content page, because that, in turn, makes them more relevant!
Engaging Content with Natural and Conservative Keyword/Phrase Inclusion
When it comes to content matching, we have to ask, what is content? Google makes their money because when you search for something you find the thing you were looking for. If you're looking for success with SEO, you must flip the roles and think like the author. Good quality content, low bounce rates. Bad quality, high bounce rates.
There's a trick in writing content and letting natural keyword densities occur: just be natural! Write like you want to keep the reader, who you know happens to be interested in your target phrase, engaged. Sell your product or service to them. Grab their attention, make them feel comfortable. Everything must flow this way or, to Google, the content is spam. That's the beauty of it, if you stick to basic fundamentals of success in this field, there is nowhere to go but up. You simply cannot cheat the system with keyword stuffing. You simply cannot cheat the system by using your keywords without supporting them with other content.
What Keywords Should I Choose?
Keyword and phrase selection is one of the most important things you can do as a search engine optimizer. The phrases you choose to optimize your page for should be the products and services you are selling. Shorter phrases with broad targeting have exponentially more competition for them than do longer, niche phrases. We recommend a blended approach, with broad and niche targeting, to achieve best results.
Niche Targeted Keywords
Examples: "used boats in newport beach," as opposed to "used boats in California," as opposed to "used boats."
Longer keywords are easier to rank for because they meet localized and specific interests. Our phrases must match the business entity very directly so we can maximize the interests of targeted searches.
When we consider the interests of the site, we can begin to brainstorm a list of phrases that could connect searchers to our site. When we find out the competition and traffic for these brainstormed phrase, we can find which phrases are the true gems and which aren't really worth getting into. One strategy is by choosing 10 longer, niche phrases and writing a short article around each one. Each of those articles can be made into a page with proper headings to get Google's attention faster.
Broad Targeted Keywords
Examples: "used boats" as opposed to "used boats in California," as opposed to "used boats in newport beach.
Broad keywords are more difficult to rank for due to great amounts of competition that exist for them. Reputable, proven web sites are typically given the weight. If you are trying to rank a page with a broad phrase target, be aware this will take considerably more time and resources as opposed to a niche phrase target.
A broad phrase strategy would be best coupled with niche phrase practices. If my task is to rank region wide for the term "used boats," I should consider other options on the way up. While the prevailing theme of my site is going to be used boats, I will sprinkle my site with articles targeting more specific things about my business, or I'll simply choose more targeted areas. If my goal is to rank for used boats regionally, why not write many articles targeting used boats in smaller geographic areas? It is in that way that we we able to create a network. This takes time and patience.
Google Adwords has a keyword/phrase tool that allows you to estimate, based on past search data, the amount of monthly searches for a given term. As you would expect, the more monthly search volume you have a particular term, the more competition exists for the search rankings. This tool will help you set reasonable goals and learn, if need be, to target less saturated markets. Google Adwords will quickly show you who your competition is. Do this, take the enlightened path when it comes to your competition. Find out whats on their site and what they do. Ask yourself why is Google awarding them with high rankings. At that point your standards are set in stone because you know what your up against. If you really want to be on top for a search term, you have to be willing to do something better than the competition.
If you are in a saturated market, this is not to say that you will not be able to rank your keywords. You will, however, have to give your site time to gain credibility. There is always a way of "spinning" something to give it a fresh feel. Keyword research can even help you discover markets you didn't know existed. With keyword research you can find your mini-markets, which are markets inside of your larger market that are easier to penetrate.
What About Other Phrases in my Page?
A phrase tree grows as your page grows. The bigger your phrase tree the easier it is for Google to see what the site is all about. The beauty of it is that this is done mostly mechanically via Google's indexing algorithm. Google doesn't really need to get to know you, they can scan your page and get a pretty good feel.
The keyword density tool reveals all your page's phrases. We can call phrases that aren't your target phrase but exist on your page "outer" phrases. Outer phrases are going to emerge naturally on your website. As your site emerges, certain phrases with higher keyword densities will become prevailing themes as they are supported with secondary, supporting phrases. This is going to help Google index your website as cross referencing emerges in your sites phrase pool. Your site becomes a constantly growing tree of keywords flowing around your main interest. You can't beat the computers on this. You actually have to try to make your website great. Google's algorithm has evolved so much that it can quickly tell good from garbagement content.
Google wants to see a site that is growing, pays its hosting fees (stays alive), has high quality content targeted to its title and growing in its engagement base.
Your Phrase Portfolio
Our keyword density checker tool views your page in a very similar way to Google's; it quickly collects and categorizes information. When you look at your results, don't just look at your target phrases but look at the entire phrase tree as a portfolio of information. This information portfolio will grow with your site. Your phrase tree will continually populate your site with phrases that bolster its credibility. If you are in this the for the long haul and are looking at a site that has long-term growth potential, you make discover, via this tool, phrases that you didn't actually know were important to your image.
View the word trees of strong sites or sites that are your competition. This may give you some insight going forward. You have the luxury of knowing that this has indeed worked for them, because you yourself are viewing their page via a search term you supplied. Looking at their word tree could actually give you some ideas for new pages and articles.
Good Keyword Density Practices are Only One Facet of SEO
The keyword density tool is a powerful tool you can use in a comprehensive SEO outlook. But SEO is about considering a myriad of variables and taking the best course of actions to further the interests of your site. Other facets include, engaging content, inbound links and link building, url optimization, page-speed optimization and more. You can find these tools on this site.