Keyword density refers to how often a specific keyword appears on a page in relation to the total number of words. It’s usually expressed as a percentage. For example, if you write a 1,000-word article and your target keyword shows up 10 times, the keyword density is 1%.

Back in the early days of SEO, keyword density was everything. Writers and marketers stuffed pages full of target terms to game the rankings. But search engines got smarter—and today, keyword density is a signal, not a strategy.

Why keyword density still matters (a little)

Even though search engines no longer reward keyword stuffing, they still need clear context. Using your target keyword (and natural variations of it) in key places helps Google understand what your page is about.

That said, obsessing over hitting a perfect keyword percentage will often do more harm than good.

How to calculate it

You don’t need to break out a calculator, but here’s the basic formula:

(keyword uses ÷ total word count) × 100 = keyword density

So if you use “WordPress care plan” 8 times in a 1,200-word post:

(8 ÷ 1200) × 100 = 0.67%

Many SEO tools like Yoast, Rank Math, or Surfer will calculate this for you automatically as you write.

What’s the “ideal” keyword density?

There’s no magic number—but generally:

• 0.5–1.5% is considered safe and natural
• Anything over 2% might start to feel forced (and risk penalties)
• Less than 0.5% could mean your keyword isn’t clear enough

The real key? Sound natural. If your content is helpful, focused, and readable, you’re usually fine.

Where keywords matter more than density

Search engines don’t just count keywords—they look at where they show up. Focus on using keywords in:

• The page title
• The meta description
• The H1 heading
• One or two H2 or H3 subheadings
• The first 100 words of your content
• Image alt text (when appropriate)
• URL slug (e.g. /wordpress-care-plans/)

It’s also helpful to use related terms and synonyms—Google’s understanding of language is more advanced now, and it values context over repetition.

Don’t fall into the keyword stuffing trap

Repeating a keyword too many times makes content hard to read, unnatural, and, frankly, annoying. This is keyword stuffing, and it can actually hurt your rankings. Signs you’re overdoing it:

• Repeating the same exact phrase in every paragraph
• Using awkward variations just to “get the keyword in”
• Prioritizing SEO terms over user experience

Bottom line

Keyword density is useful as a guide, not a goal. Use your main keyword enough to make the topic clear, especially in important on-page elements—but always write for people first. If your content flows naturally, answers real questions, and matches search intent, you’ll get the rankings you’re after without playing a numbers game.