How to use the keyword density checker
- Paste your copy into the box. The analysis updates as you type, and nothing is sent anywhere.
- Choose single words, two-word or three-word phrases. Phrases are usually more useful than single words, because they show your real topic.
- Type a target keyword to see exactly how many times it appears and what its density is.
- Look for words that dominate the list for no good reason, rewrite those sentences naturally, and run the text again.
What keyword density means
Keyword density is the number of times a word or phrase appears divided by the total number of words, shown as a percentage. If “seo tools” appears 6 times in a 400-word article, its density is 6 × 2 words ÷ 400 = 3%. This tool counts phrases by the number of times they appear and measures density as the share of all words they take up.
Is there an ideal keyword density?
No. Google does not use a target percentage, and people at Google have said repeatedly that keyword density is not a ranking factor. Pages rank because they answer the search well, are easy to crawl and earn trust. Searching for “the right density” is a leftover from the days when search engines were simple word counters.
What density is good for is a quality check. If a single non-trivial word makes up more than about 3% of your text, the copy probably reads as repetitive. Google's spam policies specifically call out keyword stuffing: filling a page with repeated words or numbers to manipulate rankings.
How to use this tool well
- Check the top phrases match your topic. If your page is about “running shoes” but “our company” is the top phrase, the copy is not about what you think it is.
- Look for natural variety. Good copy uses synonyms and related terms. A long list of near-identical phrases is a sign to rewrite.
- Include the target keyword where it fits, such as in the title, the H1 and the first paragraph, but do not hunt for a number.
- Read the text aloud. If a sentence sounds forced, a reader will notice too.
Why stop words are filtered
Words like “the”, “and”, “of” and “to” dominate every English text and say nothing about its topic, so the checker ignores them by default. Turn the filter off if you want a raw count, for example when analysing a short phrase that contains them.
Beyond density: what to improve instead
If you want better rankings, focus on search intent, depth and clarity: answer the question fully, add examples and original details, and structure the page with clear headings. Then check the technical side with the free SEO audit, and preview the result in the SERP snippet preview.
A worked example
Paste a 500 word product description for "handmade leather wallet". The checker may show the phrase "leather wallet" six times, which is a density of about 2.4 percent, plus a high count for the word "wallet" on its own. That looks natural for a page about that product. If the same phrase appeared twenty times, you would be above 8 percent and the copy would read as repetitive.
The fix is not to delete every mention. Replace some repeats with related words such as "bifold", "full grain leather", "card slots" and "gift", describe what makes the product different and answer common questions. The result reads better and covers more of the topic.
Using related words and variations
Search engines understand that people describe the same idea in different words. A page about "running shoes" will naturally mention trainers, cushioning, road, trail, fit and sizing. You do not need to engineer these, but you can check whether your text covers the subtopics a reader would expect by looking at the phrase list for a few relevant terms.
The two and three word phrase views are the most useful for this. They show the recurring ideas in your copy, which you can compare with the questions your audience asks.
What to do when a phrase is overused
First check whether the repetition is justified. A legal page will repeat defined terms, and a recipe repeats ingredient names. If the repetition is only for search engines, rewrite a few of the sentences so that the pronoun, a synonym or a more specific noun replaces the phrase.
Next, read the page aloud. If any sentence sounds odd, rewrite it. Finally, look at the page from the reader's side: does the headline, first paragraph and structure clearly answer their query? That has far more effect on results than any percentage.
A short checklist for on-page copy
- The main topic appears naturally in the title, the main heading and the first paragraph.
- No single non-trivial word makes up more than about three percent of the text.
- Related terms and synonyms appear where they help the reader.
- Each section of the page answers one clear question.
- The text reads smoothly when spoken aloud.
If you can tick all five, the density figure is unlikely to be a concern. Spend the remaining time on depth, examples and original information, which is what readers and search engines actually reward.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good keyword density?
There is no official number. As a sanity check, a single main keyword rarely needs to exceed 1 to 2% of the text. If it passes 3%, the copy likely reads as repetitive.
Does Google use keyword density to rank pages?
No. Google has said it is not a ranking factor. Using a keyword naturally where it belongs is enough, and stuffing it can trigger spam policies.
How is density calculated here?
For each word or phrase, the tool divides the number of words it covers by the total word count of the text, then shows the result as a percentage.
Is my text stored or uploaded?
No. The analysis runs entirely in your browser, so drafts and client copy stay private.
Does it work for languages other than English?
It counts words in most languages that separate words with spaces. The stop-word filter is English only, so turn it off for other languages.