Keyword Density Checker Online: Find Overused Words and Optimise Naturally
A keyword density checker online shows how often each word and phrase appears in a piece of content, as a count and as a percentage of the total words. Our free tool analyses any URL or pasted text, lists the most frequent single words, two-word and three-word phrases, and checks where your focus keyword appears: in the title tag, meta description, H1, URL, subheadings and first 100 words. It helps you spot keyword stuffing, find gaps in your on-page optimisation and discover the related terms your content already uses.
This guide explains what keyword density is, why there’s no perfect percentage, how to read the results and how to optimise content the way modern search engines and AI assistants actually understand it.
Key takeaways
- There’s no ideal keyword density. Google ranks content that covers a topic well, not content that hits a percentage.
- Placement matters more than repetition: title, H1, URL, opening paragraph and a subheading.
- Density above about 3% for one phrase usually reads as repetitive.
- Related phrases and entities show search engines you’ve covered the topic in depth.
What is keyword density?
Keyword density is the number of times a word or phrase appears on a page, divided by the total number of words, multiplied by 100. If a 1,000-word article uses “local SEO” 10 times, its density is 1%.
Keyword density = (times the keyword appears ÷ total words) × 100Where the idea came from
In the early days of search, engines relied heavily on how often a word appeared. Pages crammed with keywords ranked well, so people stuffed them in. Search engines responded, and keyword stuffing has been against Google’s spam policies for many years.
How search engines understand content today
Modern search systems understand meaning, synonyms and context. They look at whether a page covers the topic thoroughly and answers the searcher’s question, not at a word count. That said, clearly stating your topic in the places that matter still helps both search engines and readers know what the page is about.
Is there an ideal keyword density?
No. Google has never published a target and has said repeatedly that writing naturally is what matters. A useful way to think about it:
| Density of one phrase | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| 0% | The page never names its topic clearly; add it where it fits |
| About 0.5–2% | Natural use in most articles and service pages |
| 2–3% | Getting repetitive; check it still reads well |
| Above 3% | Likely to read as stuffed; vary your wording |
Treat these as signs to review, not rules. A short product page will naturally have a higher density than a long guide, and a brand name may appear often without any problem.
Why one percentage can’t fit every page
Page length, topic, language and format all change what’s natural. A glossary entry about “canonical tags” will mention the term constantly; a 3,000-word guide to technical SEO will mention it occasionally. Write for the reader and use the checker to catch extremes.
How to use our keyword density checker online
- Choose your input: check a live URL or paste text, such as a draft from Google Docs.
- Add a focus keyword (optional) to check its count, density and placement.
- Decide on stop words. Removing filler words like “the” and “and” keeps the frequency tables focused on meaningful terms.
- Run the check and read the summary: total words, unique words and the most-used word.
- Switch between 1, 2 and 3-word tabs to see single words and phrases with their counts and density.
- Review the focus keyword checks and the “How to fix it” suggestions.
How phrases are counted
Phrases don’t cross sentence breaks, so “our services. Local businesses” doesn’t count as the phrase “services local”. Counts are case-insensitive, and density is calculated against the total word count of the text analysed.
Understanding your results
Most used words and phrases
The top of each table shows what your content is really about, statistically. If your target topic is “dental implants” but the top phrases are “our team” and “free consultation”, the page may be light on topic-specific content.
What to look for in the 2- and 3-word tables
- Your main keyword near the top, but not wildly ahead of everything else.
- Related phrases that show depth, such as “implant cost”, “recovery time” and “bone graft” for a dental implants page.
- Accidental repetition, such as the same call-to-action phrase repeated in every section.
Example
A local plumber’s page might show “emergency plumber”, “boiler repair”, “burst pipe” and “same day” in its top phrases. Together they tell search engines the page covers urgent plumbing problems, which helps it rank for many related searches.
Focus keyword placement
When you check a URL with a focus keyword, the tool tells you whether it appears in:
- The title tag: the most important placement.
- The H1: confirms the topic on the page itself.
- The meta description: matching words are bolded in search results.
- The URL: helpful for new pages, rarely worth changing on existing ones.
- H2 subheadings: shows the topic is developed, not just mentioned.
- The first 100 words: confirms relevance early, where readers and answer engines look first.
Unique words
The number of distinct words gives a rough sense of vocabulary variety. Very repetitive content tends to have a low ratio of unique to total words.
How to optimise keyword usage without stuffing
Use the keyword where it counts
Put the main keyword in the title tag, the H1, the URL slug, the first paragraph and at least one subheading. That covers the important signals. After that, write naturally.
Use variations and related terms
Search engines understand synonyms, plurals and related concepts. Instead of repeating “SEO agency” 20 times, use “SEO company”, “our SEO team”, “search engine optimisation” and specific services. Find the variations people search with our long tail keyword generator free tool.
Cover the topic, not just the term
Ask what a searcher needs to know: costs, process, timelines, comparisons, risks and alternatives. Covering those subtopics naturally introduces the related vocabulary that signals depth. Our content quality checker scores depth, structure and answer-readiness.
Write for answers
AI Overviews, ChatGPT search and featured snippets quote passages that answer a question directly. Phrase some subheadings as questions that include your topic, then answer them in the first sentence. That uses your keyword naturally and makes the content easy to cite.
Signs you’ve overdone it
- Sentences sound awkward when read aloud.
- The keyword appears in almost every paragraph.
- You’ve added location or keyword lists at the bottom of the page.
- The same phrase appears in image alt text where it doesn’t describe the image.
Keyword density for different types of content
Blog posts and guides
Longer content naturally has a lower density for any one phrase and a wider range of related terms. Focus on covering subtopics thoroughly.
Service pages
Use the service name in the key places and describe the work specifically: what’s included, who it’s for, prices, process and proof. Specific detail does more than repetition.
Product pages
Product names repeat naturally. Make sure descriptions are unique rather than copied from manufacturers, and include the attributes shoppers search for, such as size, material and compatibility.
Local landing pages
Avoid swapping the city name into otherwise identical text. Mention the location where it’s relevant and add genuinely local detail: areas served, local projects and reviews from local customers.
Category and collection pages
Ecommerce category pages often have very little text, so the category name dominates the frequency tables. Add a short, genuinely useful introduction above or below the product grid: what the range includes, how to choose between options and any buying advice. Keep it concise so products stay visible, and avoid repeating the category name in every sentence. Product names in the grid also count towards the page’s vocabulary, which is why a URL check of a category page can show product terms near the top.
FAQ pages
FAQ pages repeat question words such as “how” and “what”, and the topic word appears in many questions. That’s natural. Focus on making every answer complete and direct rather than worrying about the percentage.
Using keyword density for competitor research
Check the pages ranking in the top five for your target keyword. Compare their most used phrases with yours. Phrases that appear on most competing pages but not on yours often point to subtopics you’ve missed. Combine this with our free keyword difficulty checker to see how strong those competitors are.
What not to copy
Don’t try to match a competitor’s exact density or word count. The goal is to understand what the topic requires, then cover it better and more usefully.
Beyond keyword density: entities and topical coverage
Keyword density measures repetition. Modern search measures understanding. If you want content that ranks well and gets cited by AI assistants, think in terms of entities and topics.
What entities are
Entities are the specific things your content talks about: people, places, products, organisations and concepts. A page about “WordPress speed optimisation” naturally mentions entities such as caching, Core Web Vitals, LiteSpeed, images and PHP. Search engines connect these to judge what the page covers and how thoroughly. Google explains how its systems work out what a page is about in How Search works.
How to use the frequency tables for topical coverage
- List the subtopics a complete answer would cover.
- Check the 2- and 3-word tables for phrases that represent each subtopic.
- Where a subtopic is missing, add a short section that covers it properly.
- Re-run the keyword density checker online to confirm the new phrases appear without pushing any single phrase too high.
People-first content still wins
Google’s guidance on creating helpful, reliable, people-first content asks whether content provides original information, a substantial description of the topic and insight beyond the obvious. Tools help you check the mechanics; usefulness comes from expertise and experience.
How to fix a page that’s keyword stuffed
If the checker shows one phrase far above everything else, or you inherited a page written for search engines rather than people, clean it up in this order:
1. Remove the obvious offenders
Delete keyword lists, repeated location lists, hidden text and footer paragraphs written only for search engines.
2. Rewrite repetitive sentences
Read each paragraph aloud. Replace repeated phrases with pronouns, synonyms or more specific wording, such as the exact service, product or outcome.
3. Add substance
Replace filler with useful detail: prices, process steps, examples, FAQs and proof. This lowers density naturally and makes the page more helpful.
4. Re-check and monitor
Run the checker again, then watch the page’s impressions and clicks in Search Console over the following weeks.
Keyword optimisation checklist
- The focus keyword is in the title tag, H1 and URL slug.
- It appears in the first 100 words.
- At least one H2 includes the keyword or a close variation.
- The meta description mentions it once.
- Density of any one phrase stays below about 3%.
- Related terms and subtopics are covered naturally.
- Some subheadings are phrased as questions with direct answers.
- The text reads naturally out loud.
Related free SEO tools
- Long tail keyword generator free: find keyword variations and questions.
- Content quality checker: score depth, readability and E-E-A-T.
- Readability checker: count words and check how easy your text is to read.
- H1 checker: check your keyword appears in your headings.
- SERP preview tool: test your keyword in the title and description.
Ready to check your content? Run the keyword density checker online above.