have you read about "failure" search result : _http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&safe=off&q=failure&btnG=Search the #1 rank doesn't even have "failure" on the title,meta tags, or on page... I say, relevant anchor text (link back) is what more important, at least for google... CMIIW
I use 6.6%-7%. My reasoning? Ever since one of my sites with this ratio took off i've always replicated it using similar percentage. .
Can you remember the GOOGLE Bombs? When 500 bloggers decide (aggrees on) to link to a site with "fucking bastard" anchor? An that very page ranks #1 for the above phrase in the next 5 days? Do you still think that site owner has the " fucking bastard" phrase hidden somewhere on his site and enjoys just beeing the first "fucking bastard" in his category?
This Keyword density thing has me going nuts. Not sure it makes any sense at all. I have KWD of 43% on one of my pages (including meta tags, description, alt tags etc). It ranks # 3 consistently ! On the meta tags I have every form of the work imagineable.
I guess by the time you got to 43% keyword density, you overshot your mark by a little bit. I mean what's the point if you can get Google to rank your page well, if the traffic that you've tried so hard to get takes one look at your site, thinks it's shite and moves on. Keyword density does matter to a certain extent, but as long as you have it in the right places, and the appropriate bolds and underlines and such, you should be in good shape. Just my opinion, MR
Maybe I should have explained further. The visible text on the page is fine. Not too many keywords at all. Reads fine. The bulk of the keywords (or the various forms of the main keyword) are in the meta tags. That is where the 43% is. The visible page only has about 4%.