Comments on: DIY SEO: Step 4 – Keyword Density

By: michigan search engine optimization

michigan search engine optimization — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 04:41:18 +0000

a trick i sometimes use is to have a subdomain setup (that i block with robot.txt) or just publish and unpublish a page as i run the automated keyword density tools.

By: Suzanne

Suzanne — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 19:31:04 +0000

Marelisa – That’s a good example of a situation where maybe your keyword should actually be a phrase. In your case, your one-word keyword ‘flow’, taken at face value on its own, could mean too many things, from the ‘flow state’ you’re talking about to the flow (or lack thereof) addressed by the prescription FloMax.

I would suggest you not target just the word flow, but phrases that provide the context in which you’re using the word, like ‘flow state’, ‘in the flow’ and others. This will help the search engines know better to which ‘flow’ you are referring, which will give you better search results positioning in the long run.

By: Marelisa

Marelisa — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 21:55:58 +0000

I just calculated that if I have 1205 words, 60 of them would have to be "flow" in order to get a 5% density ratio. Wow! Marelisa´s last blog post..How to Enter the ?Flow State?

By: Suzanne

Suzanne — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 02:06:21 +0000

Marelisa, I don’t know that you can arbitrarily decide an ‘ideal’ for something like this, other than the 5% target. I would say 2.15% is a little lower than you want, so I’d go back and see if there are either any possibilities for adding ‘flow’ a few more times OR opportunities to cut out some of the other text, which would also boost that ratio.

One of the things that this keyword density thing has done for me is make me aware of how ‘tight’ or succinct my writing is (or is not, as is more the case with me.) Lately, I’ve opted to work on tightening up my writing without losing my ‘voice’. I’m the kind of person who uses 30 words to say something when 10 would probably do the trick. LOL Some of that is my ‘voice’ and some is just extraneous fluff I would do well to eliminate. Discerning the difference is the exercise of the moment, for me.

By: Marelisa

Marelisa — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 01:51:51 +0000

I'm back. The post had 1205 words and I used the word "flow" 26 times, which gives me a density of 2.15%. Is there an ideal range, like between 2% and 5%, or is 2.15% too low? Marelisa´s last blog post..How to Enter the ?Flow State?

By: Suzanne

Suzanne — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 01:49:52 +0000

Oh cool, Marelisa! Come back and let us know how you did!

By: Marelisa

Marelisa — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 01:45:17 +0000

Hi Suzanne: This is very helpful. I’m going to apply it to the last post I wrote where the keyword is “flow”. Let’s see if I get anywhere near 5%

Marelisa´s last blog post..How to Enter the ?Flow State?

By: Suzanne

Suzanne — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 21:17:04 +0000

Lance – thanks for stopping by and I’m glad you found useful information here. (That’s my goal. ) Let me know what questions you have, too.

By: Lance

Lance — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 17:49:24 +0000

Suzanne, I didn't even realize there were such things as these density checkers! I guess I have much to learn on SEO - will be back to review the other stuff you've written as well - this was most definitely interesting! Lance´s last blog post..At One Hundred, Life Is?

By: Suzanne

Suzanne — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 02:22:59 +0000

Maya, I’m glad you find it helpful. Please don’t be bashful about asking questions, either here on the blog, or in email directly to me. Not only does that get your questions answered, but it helps me to know what’s useful to the folks who visit here.