Contextual Density measures how densely a page uses the run’s keyword variations, recognized entities, and related terms relative to its meaningful-word count — the concentration of topical signal beyond exact-match repetition. It is a rate, reported as a percentage.
| Factor ID | RG-KWD-101 |
|---|---|
| Family | Keyword usage & density |
| Measurement | Occurrence rate (%) |
| Measured zone | Cleaned rendered page content |
What it measures
Contextual Density shows how frequently the run’s query-specific variations, entities, and related terms appear against the page’s meaningful-word count. It is occurrence-based: a relevant term used several times can contribute more than once, so the metric reflects concentration, not just coverage.
How RankGear measures it
RankGear counts whole-word occurrences from three run-specific lists — keyword variations, recognized entities, and LSI or related terms — deduplicating within each list and processing longer entries first to control overlap. It subtracts recognized English stop words from the total to produce a meaningful-word denominator, then divides the combined occurrences by that denominator and multiplies by 100.
| Component | Source |
|---|---|
| Keyword variations | Run-specific variation list |
| Recognized entities | Entity provider (if available) |
| LSI / related terms | Run-specific related list |
| Denominator | Meaningful words = total words − stop words |
contextual_density = (variations + entities + related) / meaningful_words * 100How to optimize it
Review the variations, entities, and related terms attached to the run and find concepts the ranking field covers that your page omits or treats superficially. Add those terms only where they support accurate explanations, examples, comparisons, specifications, evidence, or answers. Strengthen topical completeness rather than repeating a list — the most useful changes introduce missing concepts and explain their relationship to the primary topic.
Important considerations
- Compare pages within the same run — the source lists are keyword- and provider-specific.
- A higher rate is not automatically better; excessive repetition can reduce content quality.
- The factor does not judge factual correctness or whether terms are used in the right context.
- Provider availability can affect the entity component.
- Read it alongside Contextual Density (Unique Terms) to separate repetition from breadth.
Related factors
Part of the Factors reference · how RankGear measures · glossary.