Keyword Density Checker
Paste any content to instantly see keyword frequency and density percentages. Stop words are filtered automatically. Optimise your on-page SEO without keyword stuffing.
What the Checker Shows You
Instant keyword analysis designed to help you optimise without over-optimising.
Frequency Table
Ranked keyword frequency table showing counts and density percentages.
Stop Word Filter
Automatically removes 'the', 'and', 'is', and other low-value stop words.
Density %
Each keyword's density shown as a percentage of total word count.
Instant Analysis
Results update in real time as you paste or type your content.
Keyword Density & SEO — What You Need to Know
Before Google's sophisticated natural language processing, keyword density was a core ranking lever — the more times a keyword appeared, the better. Today, Google's algorithms are far more nuanced, using semantic analysis, entity recognition, and topic modelling to understand content. But keyword density still matters — not as a direct ranking factor, but as a signal of topical focus and content depth.
The sweet spot for most primary keywords is 1–2% density. Below 0.5%, your keyword may not register as a primary topic. Above 3%, you risk entering keyword stuffing territory that Google's Panda algorithm was specifically designed to penalise. The goal isn't to hit an exact number — it's to write naturally about your topic, then verify that your focus keyword appears at a reasonable frequency.
Modern SEO best practice relies on LSI keywords (Latent Semantic Indexing) — semantically related terms that reinforce topical authority without repeating the same phrase. For example, an article about "dog training" should also include related terms like "puppy behaviour", "positive reinforcement", and "obedience commands". The keyword density checker helps you spot whether you're over-relying on a single phrase or distributing keywords naturally.
1–2%
Ideal primary keyword density
>3%
Risks keyword stuffing penalty
100%
Browser-based, content never stored
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about keyword density and SEO optimisation.
What is keyword density?
Keyword density is the percentage of times a specific keyword appears in content relative to the total word count: (occurrences ÷ total words) × 100. For example, if 'SEO' appears 10 times in 500 words, density is 2%.
What is the ideal keyword density for SEO?
Most SEO experts recommend 1–2% for primary keywords. Above 3–4% risks keyword stuffing penalties from Google. Natural, reader-first writing typically lands in the ideal range automatically.
What is keyword stuffing and is it penalised?
Keyword stuffing is loading a page with keywords to manipulate rankings. Google actively penalises it. Natural writing and LSI keyword variation are the best defences.
What are stop words and why are they filtered?
Stop words are common words like 'the', 'and', 'is' that carry little SEO value. They are filtered so results focus on meaningful keywords.
Should I target one keyword or multiple per page?
One primary keyword plus 2–5 semantically related secondary keywords (LSI keywords) per page is best practice. This creates natural keyword distribution without over-optimisation.