Best practices for keyword density in content optimization?

Hey everyone,

We recently launched our 'Keyword Density & Frequency Checker' tool, and it's been awesome to see people use it. However, it’s also highlighted a really common struggle that I think many of us face: balancing keyword usage for optimal search rankings without tripping over into over-optimization or keyword stuffing. We all want to improve our visibility, but finding that sweet spot for effective on-page SEO is tricky.

The core problem, as I see it, is this constant tightrope walk. You're trying to rank for your target keywords, which naturally means using them, but you absolutely want to avoid any potential penalties for keyword stuffing. It feels like there's a fine line between giving search engines enough signals and making your content sound unnatural or spammy. How do you consistently hit that perfect balance for effective on-page SEO?

Here’s what we’ve been doing and observing:

• We've been using our own tool extensively to analyze our content and client content.
• We tried aiming for traditional density percentages, like 1-3% for primary keywords, as a starting point.
• We've also spent a good amount of time analyzing top-ranking competitor pages to see their keyword distribution and how they structure their content.
• We've focused heavily on natural language integration and using LSI keywords, but even with all this, there's still a lingering uncertainty about what the "right" density truly is in today's SEO landscape.

So, I'm really keen to hear from this community. What are today's practical, *actionable* best practices for keyword density? Has it changed much with recent algorithm updates, especially regarding how Google understands context and user intent?

• Are there different recommended approaches or target ranges for primary keywords versus secondary or LSI keywords?
• How do you effectively use density checker tools like ours to *guide* your content optimization without making the content sound unnatural or forced?
• And finally, any specific tips for long-form articles (say, 2000+ words) compared to shorter service pages when it comes to managing keyword density for optimal on-page SEO?