Keyword density of 1–2% is a reasonable baseline, but treating it as a hard rule misses the point of how Google ranks content in 2025. The algorithm reads semantically, meaning it understands synonyms, related terms, and topic coverage. Stuffing a keyword to hit 3% or 5% density typically backfires, triggering over-optimization penalties or just reading awkwardly enough that users bounce. What matters more than density: use your primary keyword in the title tag, H1, first 100 words, and naturally throughout the body. Then cover related entities and questions people actually ask. A 1,200-word guide on "Ottawa home renovation permits" should mention permit types, timelines, costs, and inspections—not repeat the exact phrase 24 times to hit some magic percentage. At Ottawa SEO, we track keyword usage during content audits but never optimize to a density target. We look at whether the page answers the query better than competitors, whether related terms appear, and whether the writing flows. A page ranking #1 might have 0.8% density while a #47 page forces 4% because the writer thought more = better. Practical checks: Read your draft aloud. If the keyword feels forced or repetitive, dial it back. Use tools like Surfer or Clearscope not for density scores but to identify semantic gaps—terms and concepts competitors cover that you don't. Include your keyword where it logically fits: intro, subheadings when relevant, conclusion. Everywhere else, write for humans. Density still has one use case: diagnosing keyword cannibalization. If five pages on your site all hover at 2–3% for "SEO audit," Google may not know which to rank. In that case, consolidate or clearly differentiate them by intent. Otherwise, stop counting percentages and start counting whether you've actually answered the searcher's question comprehensively.