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Keyword Density in 2026: What Number Should You Aim For?

· 7 min read

A practical look at keyword density, why 1–2% is a guideline rather than a rule, and how to check your draft.

What keyword density measures

Keyword density is the share of total words that a term accounts for. A 1,000-word article using a phrase 12 times has a 1.2% density. Search engines no longer reward a specific ratio, but density is still a useful editing signal.

A workable range

Aim for 0.5–2% for your primary term and let related terms appear naturally. Anything above 3% usually reads as repetitive to humans, which is the real cost.

Check it in seconds

The keyword density panel in the writing tools filters out common stop words so you see the terms that actually characterize your draft, along with their percentage share.

Check your own draft

Open the free editor to see live word count, reading time, and keyword density.

Open the word counter