Clean Keyword Density reports what share of a page’s readable body text is made up of the run’s keyword variations, expressed as a percentage. It is an observation about coverage, not a target to hit — a higher number does not make a page more accurate, more useful, or better ranked.
| Factor ID | RG-KWD-002 |
|---|---|
| Family | Keyword Usage & Density |
| Measurement | Percentage |
| Measured zone | Clean body text |
What it measures
This factor reports the percentage of body-word usage represented by the run’s keyword variations. It looks only at the clean body text — the readable prose of the page — and asks how much of that word budget the tracked keyword and its variations occupy.
How RankGear measures it
RankGear counts case-insensitive whole-word matches of the keyword variations in the clean body text, divides that count by the total body word count, and multiplies the result by 100. A body with no words returns 0.
density = (variation whole-word matches / body word count) × 100
empty body → 0| Component | What it counts |
|---|---|
| Variation matches | Case-insensitive, whole-word hits for every generated keyword variation, combined |
| Body word count | Total words in the clean body text |
| Result | Matches ÷ words × 100, as a percentage (0 when the body is empty) |
How to optimize it
Treat this as an observation, not a number to chase. Cover the keyword and closely relevant variations where they genuinely help answer the user’s intent, using natural prose and meaningful subtopics. The density then follows from writing that addresses the topic well — not from padding text to reach a figure.
Important considerations
- It combines all generated match words rather than only the exact query, so the percentage reflects the full variation set.
- Overlapping terms are consumed longest-first, so a longer variation claims a word before a shorter one can.
- Density does not measure accuracy, expertise, or usefulness — only how frequently the variations appear.
- Avoid targeting a percentage without considering the competitive distribution and content quality.
- Density correlates with position within a measured result set; it is a prioritization signal, not a guarantee that any value will make a page rank.
Related factors
Part of the Factors reference · how RankGear measures · glossary.