Keyword density is a joke, update to 2026 standards please

  • Manu

    (@manuxx34)


    3 months ago

    I used to think Yoast SEO was bad when it came to keyword density, but Rank Math is even worse.

    Any decent SEO knows that keyword density matters less and less nowadays. That said, many of us still like to keep an eye on it as a basic reference.

    The problem is that Rank Math does not seem to properly count natural variations of a keyword or keyphrase, whether the variation appears before, in the middle of, or after the main phrase. That is a serious issue.

    Also, when was the last time you reviewed how the keyword density score works? Honestly, it feels like a joke. In some blog posts, Rank Math basically pushes you to repeat the exact keyword around 12 times just to get the green signal.

    I’m sorry, but for software developed by SEOs for SEOs, I cannot rate it higher than 1 star when something this basic works so poorly. It can lead users to over-optimize their content and make it sound robotic.

    I strongly suggest you review the keyword density feature, because in its current state it hurts the overall quality of the software.

Viewing 1 replies (of 1 total)
  • Plugin Support Jaideep Asrani

    (@jaideeprm)

    3 months ago

    Hello @manuxx34,

    We appreciate your feedback and apologize for the inconvenience caused by the keyword density test.

    Currently, the content analysis looks for exact matches of the focus keyword, which is why natural variations of the keyword or phrase are not fully considered in the analysis. We understand your concern, and improving this behavior is already something we plan to refine in future updates.

    The keyword density test is based on a percentage threshold, which means longer content may require more keyword occurrences to pass the test. However, the keyword density analysis also includes secondary focus keywords in the calculation, so you can add relevant keyword variations as secondary keywords to avoid unnecessary repetition of the exact same phrase throughout the content.

    We understand that maintaining natural, high-quality writing is more important than chasing a density score, and we’ve shared your feedback with our development team for further review and improvement.

    Thank you again for taking the time to share your experience and suggestions.

Viewing 1 replies (of 1 total)

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