// SEO
Keyword density is the percentage of times a target keyword appears in a piece of content relative to the total word count. It was once a popular SEO metric but has not been a meaningful ranking factor for years; search engines use far more sophisticated natural language processing.
Why it matters: Do not optimize for keyword density. Write naturally, use variations and related terms, and ensure the topic is clearly covered. Search engines understand synonyms, context, and topic depth far better than counting keyword occurrences. Excessive repetition can trigger quality penalties, not ranking improvements.