Search Engine Keyword Density

[seven777]

Does anybody have any ideas about the keyword density Google or other search engines prefer. I've read a little bit about it and found a lot of sites that said 3-5% and a couple sites that said never go over 2%.

I was searching for the term "online widgets", which has millions of results and the #3 site had a density of:

"Online" - 7%
"Widgets" - 11%
"Online Widgets" - 6.5%

I am going for "Online widget ratings" with a density of:

"Online" - 4%
"Widgets" - 8.1%
"Ratings" - 1.8%

Does anybody have any suggestions for optimizing keyword density?

[edited by: caveman at 8:35 pm (utc) on Sep. 28, 2005]
[edit reason] widgetized - no specifics please, per TOS [/edit]

[robotsdobetter]

Look at the web sites listed in the search results for your targeted search term and look at their keyword density. What ever the average keyword density is the same you should try to target. I wouldn't stress about it though because it's not the most important thing to the search engines. Focus on the Title tag, backlinks and placing the keywords in bold and underline text.

[seven777]

When does your keyword density start to become spamming?

[caveman]

I have sites where the kw's are at 20% density and they're doing fine. ;-)

[mjtaylor]

I tend to agree with robotsdobetter ... assess the keyword density of the successful competitors for a keyword phrase, and emulate that. My sites tend to have a keyword density of around 18% on some words and phrases, less on others and still do well for all.
2-5% works just fine when other elements of optimization are in place.

By the time keyword density approaches 20%, the flow of the language starts to, well, stop flowing. The copy begins to lose its naturalness (is that a word?) and it becomes pretty obvious to even the most oblivious reader that you are more interested in reiterating a particular phrase than in communicating with them about how your site will fulfill their need.

I wouldn't stress about it though because it's not the most important thing to the search engines. Focus on the Title tag, backlinks and placing the keywords in bold and underline text.

Good advice and a great start to optimization. I would add: use the keywords in heading 1 or 2 tags; elsewhere use it in italics; place the target keyword phrase in the first paragraph; use it in a insite link going out of the page and an insite link back to the page, ideally from the home page; and use it alt tags for an image which is named with the same or similar phrase. Link to an authority site or high PR page using the phrase, and obtain a link from a high PR page using the phrase in the anchor text.

I have begun to also utilize the title tags for links. While the jury seems to be out on whether or not that is a useful strategy, I am betting it is and it certainly can't hurt.

Oh, and utilize all stems of the keyword; e.g.: design, designs, designed, designing, etc.

Cheers, MJ