What is keyword density?
Keyword density is the share of a text taken up by a word or phrase: the number of times it appears, multiplied by the number of words in the phrase, divided by the total word count. A 500-word article that uses “cold brew” 10 times has a density of 4% for that phrase.
Keyword density is not a Google ranking factor. There is no ideal percentage, and Google has said so repeatedly. Modern search systems understand synonyms, related concepts and intent, so a page about cold brew can rank for “cold-steeped coffee” without repeating it. Writing for a target density usually makes copy worse, and stuffing a keyword is against Google’s spam policies.
So why measure it? A frequency analysis is a quick editing aid. It reveals phrases you have repeated without noticing, shows whether the words your readers use actually appear in the text, and makes topic coverage visible at a glance. Use it to make content more natural and complete — not to hit a number.
How to use the Keyword Density Checker
- Paste your article text or the page’s HTML. With Strip HTML tags on, markup, scripts and styles are removed before counting.
- Optionally enter a target keyword to see how often it appears, its density, and whether it shows up in the first 100 words (and in
<title>and<h1>when you paste HTML). - Switch between 1-, 2- and 3-word phrases. Filter stop words and set a minimum word length to focus on meaningful terms.
- Click any phrase to analyse it as the target keyword, or copy the table as CSV for a content brief.
Example
The built-in sample is a 151-word HTML article. With stop words filtered, the two-word view shows that “cold brew” is clearly the topic — and that it is repeated often enough to be worth reading the text aloud:
Phrase Count Density
cold brew 8 10.60%
brew coffee 3 3.97%
Target "cold brew": 8 occurrences, first at word 4 (in the first 100 words, in <h1>)How to use the results well
- Spot over-optimisation. If one phrase dominates the list and the text sounds repetitive when read aloud, replace some instances with synonyms or pronouns.
- Check topic coverage. Compare the top phrases with the subtopics searchers expect. Missing terms often point to missing sections, not missing keywords.
- Put the main topic early. Mentioning it in the first paragraph, the title and the main heading helps readers confirm they are in the right place.
- Compare with ranking pages. Paste competing articles to see which concepts they cover that you don’t — then write about them in your own words.
- Pair it with the Word Counter for length targets and the Meta Title Generator to get the topic into your title tag.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good keyword density for SEO?
There isn’t one. Google does not use keyword density as a ranking factor, and no percentage guarantees rankings. Write naturally for the reader; use this tool only to catch repetition that sounds forced or topics you forgot.
How is keyword density calculated?
Occurrences × number of words in the phrase ÷ total words × 100. Counting multi-word phrases this way means a two-word phrase used 5 times in 100 words has a 10% density, because it accounts for 10 of the 100 words.
What are stop words and why filter them?
Stop words are very common words such as “the”, “and”, “of” and “with”. They dominate any frequency list without telling you anything about the topic, so filtering them makes meaningful words visible. Phrases are hidden only when they start or end with a stop word, so “cost of living” still appears.
Can using a keyword too often hurt my rankings?
Yes, if it becomes keyword stuffing — repeating words unnaturally to manipulate rankings. Google’s spam policies name it explicitly, and it can lead to lower rankings. Repetition that reads naturally is fine.
Is my text uploaded anywhere?
No. The analysis runs in your browser, so drafts and unpublished content never leave your device.