Minimum keyword density

[Marcia]

I know that around 8% is about the top of the range, but if there are several keyword phrases being used on one page, what is the very least density to use for the individual words and phrases that would be effective?

[tedster]

I think it all depends on the competition. And when you get down to phrases, the competition may be rather inattentive -- then you can use the phrase once and you're in. Or you may find other players that aren't in the running on the individual words but have a good hold at the top of the SERP for a three word phrase.

I've got some great standings on phrases where I only use the whole phrase one time.

Then there are others where I pick up so much extraneous competition on the phrase that I can't break through unless I devote an optimized page or two to just that phrase.

[Marcia]

>the competition may be rather inattentive

it's basically all two to four word phrases (that's how the products are described) and the similar sites I've done are getting more attention than I would have expected.

Not that they're highly competitive categories, but it's quite competetive within the categories. There are about 4 sites that have maintained place in the top spots for quite a long while, and as my existing sites edged in there, I know it got some attention, because after a couple of months I started to notice a couple of the other sites change their wording or sequences to exactly what I had - they had not had that before.

This is the current issue: What I'm concerned with is a couple of new sites. One, in particular, will only be a 5 page site, with about 10 products on 2 product pages. Four of those products have a considerable number of searches on goto.com with no bids, as well as couple of well searched general gift type terms that relate (I'll theme the site on those), and in checking AV, none of what will be the top competing sites are optimized.

I'm trying to decide whether to do it all on the two pages or go ahead and just give her some extra pages to do a better job for her.