Keyword density—the percentage of times your target keyword appears relative to total word count—should typically land between 0.5% and 2%, but chasing an exact number is the wrong approach. Google's algorithms haven't relied on simple keyword frequency counts since the early 2000s. Modern NLP models evaluate topical relevance, entity relationships, and user intent instead. For a 1,000-word article targeting "Ottawa commercial roofing," that 0.5–2% range means using the exact phrase 5–20 times. In practice, you'll naturally hit this if you write for humans. Forcing keywords beyond what sounds conversational triggers over-optimization penalties and makes content unreadable. We've seen pages rank first with 0.3% density because they covered the topic comprehensively with strong semantics. What actually moves the needle: use your primary keyword in the title tag, H1, first 100 words, and one H2. Then write naturally about the topic, incorporating synonyms and related terms. For commercial roofing, that means discussing flat roofs, TPO membranes, building codes, maintenance contracts—terms Google expects to see in authoritative content even if they're not your exact keyword. Red flags to avoid include keyword stuffing (repeating the phrase awkwardly), hiding keywords in white text or CSS, or cramming keywords into alt text where they don't describe the image. These tactics haven't worked since 2012 and actively harm rankings now. At Ottawa SEO, we don't calculate density during content creation. We write the piece, ensure the primary keyword appears in strategic locations, then read it aloud. If it sounds forced, we remove repetitions. Our 500+ domain portfolio proves this works—sites rank for hundreds of keywords per page without anyone ever checking a density percentage. Focus on covering search intent thoroughly, and density handles itself. If you're stuck at 0.1%, you're probably not addressing the topic enough. If you're above 3%, you're repeating yourself and should add supporting detail instead.