Exact Match Density is the ratio of how often the complete analyzed search phrase appears in a page’s script-free body HTML to RankGear’s cleaned-content word count — a size-normalized measure of exact-phrase usage. It is stored as a raw ratio (0.02 means two phrase matches per one hundred counted density words), and a higher value is not automatically better.
| Factor ID | RG-KWD-005 |
|---|---|
| Family | Keyword usage & density |
| Measurement | Ratio |
| Measured zone | Script-free body source and cleaned page content |
What it measures
Exact Match Density divides the number of occurrences of the complete analyzed search phrase in the script-free body HTML by RankGear’s cleaned-content density word count. This normalizes exact-phrase usage so pages of different lengths can be compared on the same scale. The result is stored as a ratio rather than multiplied by 100, so a value of 0.02 represents two phrase matches per one hundred counted density words under this formula.
How RankGear measures it
RankGear compiles the search phrase as a case-insensitive regular-expression pattern and applies it to the rendered body source after scripts are removed. For the denominator it counts cleaned-content word tokens made of 3 to 64 word characters, then divides the raw-source phrase count by that word count. The numerator is measured in the body HTML source while the denominator is measured in cleaned text, so phrase occurrences inside markup can contribute to the count. The phrase is not escaped before the pattern is compiled, and a page with no denominator can produce a non-finite result under the preserved compatibility formula.
Exact Match Density = (exact phrase matches in script-free body HTML) / (cleaned-content words, 3–64 word characters each)How to optimize it
Use the exact phrase naturally where it helps communicate the page topic, especially in visible content that directly serves the search intent. Treat the number as an observation, not a target: if a run identifies a meaningful deficit, improve the relevant explanations rather than inserting repeated phrases into markup. Review the zone-specific exact-match factors to see where the phrase is absent, and do not chase the ratio independently of readability, variations, entities, and overall content quality.
Important considerations
- The numerator and denominator use different page representations — raw body HTML source versus cleaned text.
- The value is a ratio, not a percentage display.
- Markup can affect the numerator, so phrase matches outside visible copy still count.
- Higher density is not automatically better and may indicate repetition.
- Compare only RankGear values produced with consistent versions and run settings.
- This is a correlation-based prioritization signal, not a cause of ranking; a particular density neither makes a page rank nor guarantees a position.
Related factors
Part of the Factors reference · how RankGear measures · glossary.