What is Keyword Stuffing and How to Avoid it?

How to avoid Keyword
Stuffing

Keywords still matter in SEO – but how you use them matters even more.

If you’ve ever been tempted to repeat a target phrase “just a few more times” to help Google understand the topic, you’re not alone. Keyword stuffing is one of the most common on-page mistakes businesses make, and it often happens with good intentions: trying to rank better, faster.

The problem is that keyword stuffing is considered a spam tactic. It reduces readability, hurts trust, and can lead to visibility losses in search. Google explicitly lists keyword stuffing (and related tactics like hidden text) under its spam policies, and violations can result in pages (or even entire sites) performing worse or being omitted from search results.
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This guide explains what keyword stuffing looks like today, why it backfires, and how to optimise pages the modern way – using keywords naturally, improving topical relevance, and aligning content with what searchers actually want.

What Is Keyword Stuffing?

Keyword stuffing is the practice of overloading a page with keywords or numbers in an attempt to manipulate rankings. It usually shows up as repeated phrases that feel unnatural, lists of locations/terms with no context, or irrelevant keywords added purely for search traffic.
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A simple way to think about it:

The intention vs the outcome

Keyword stuffing often starts with a logical thought:

“If we want to rank for ‘IT support Perth’, we should mention it a lot.”

But search engines are far better at understanding topics than they were 10–15 years ago. Today, repetitive keyword use is more likely to trigger low-quality signals than higher relevance.

Why Keyword Stuffing Hurts SEO (and Conversions)

Keyword stuffing doesn’t just look bad – it can actively undermine performance.

1) It violates search spam policies

Google’s spam policies describe behaviours that can cause pages or sites to rank lower or be excluded from Google Search, and keyword stuffing is specifically included.

2) It damages readability and trust

When content feels repetitive, visitors notice. That leads to:

Even if you temporarily rank, you may not convert.

3) It confuses topical focus

Ironically, stuffing can make it harder for search engines to understand what a page is truly about, especially if you:

4) It increases the risk of manual or algorithmic actions

Google provides tools like Search Console to help site owners monitor performance and issues.

If a site receives a manual action, visibility can drop significantly (and recovery can take time). Google also publishes training resources explaining that manual actions can result in some or all of a site not being shown in search results.

Types of Keyword Stuffing (Visible and Invisible)

Keyword stuffing generally falls into two categories: visible and invisible.

Visible keyword stuffing

This is the obvious form – users can see it.

Common examples:

Bad example (visible stuffing):

Looking for IT support Perth? Our IT support Perth team provides IT support Perth businesses with the best IT support Perth services…

Better example (natural use):

Need fast, reliable IT support in Perth? We help local businesses reduce downtime, secure their devices, and get proactive support from a team that understands your setup.

You’ll notice the second example still signals the topic – it’s just written for humans.

Invisible keyword stuffing (hidden text)

Invisible stuffing is when keywords are not meant to be seen by visitors but are present for crawlers — for example:

This overlaps with “hidden text and link abuse,” which Google treats as spam.
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If you’re thinking, “Surely that’s outdated,” it still happens – especially in templated sites, old plugins, and spammy SEO work.

The Keyword Density Myth (and What to Do Instead)

A lot of keyword stuffing comes from chasing an “ideal” keyword density percentage.

Here’s the truth: there is no universal perfect keyword density.
What matters is whether the content is:

Instead of targeting a percentage, use this rule:

If reading the page out loud sounds repetitive or unnatural, you’re overdoing it.

How to Avoid Keyword Stuffing: Modern, White-Hat SEO Practices

What is Keyword Stuffing -Computing Australia Group

1) Start with search intent (not the keyword)

Before writing, ask:

Then structure the content around that goal.

Example intents for “keyword stuffing”:

When you satisfy intent, you naturally include the terms that belong on the page.

2) Use one primary keyword + a topic cluster of supporting terms

Choose:

For this article, that might look like:

You don’t need to force every variation – include them where they fit.

3) Use synonyms, long-tail keywords, and “natural language”

Long-tail keywords can help you match more specific searches and appear in “People also ask” style queries.

Instead of repeating the same phrase, use:

Example variations for a local service page:

This builds topical relevance without repetition.

4) Write deeper content (with structure)

Thin pages are where stuffing often happens because there isn’t much substance to work with.

Create depth by adding:

Longer content isn’t “better” by default – but comprehensive content makes it easier to include keywords naturally while genuinely helping the reader.

5) Optimise keyword placement (not repetition)

Use your primary keyword in key locations once (or sparingly), where it makes sense:

SEO title (page title)
H1
Intro paragraph
One or two subheadings (if relevant)
Meta description
Image alt text (only if the image truly relates)
Conclusion

Avoid cramming the keyword into every heading.

Pro tip: Headings should describe what’s in that section. If every H2 is a keyword variation, it’s a red flag.

6) Avoid “location list” stuffing on local page

A very common local SEO mistake is adding a huge suburb list like:

Perth, Subiaco, Osborne Park, Joondalup, Cannington, Fremantle, Midland, … (50 more)

If you genuinely service many suburbs, show it in a more useful way:

7) Do a “human edit” pass

Before publishing, do a simple edit pass focused on flow:

If you have to choose between “more keywords” and “better clarity,” choose clarity.

How to Audit a Site for Keyword Stuffing (Quick Workflow)

If you suspect a page is over-optimised, use this practical process:

Step 1: Check for obvious repetition

Step 2: Look for invisible text issues

Step 3: Crawl your site

Use a crawler (like Screaming Frog) to export:

Then look for:

Step 4: Use Google Search Console to monitor outcomes

Search Console helps you measure search performance and diagnose issues.
If rankings or clicks drop suddenly after content changes, investigate pages you recently edited.

“Safe” Keyword Optimisation Templates (Use These)

Template: Service page

Template: Blog post

Conclusion: Optimise for People, Not Robots

You can also add keywords in key page elements like meta description, image alt tag, SEO title, introduction and conclusion paragraphs and subheadings. Ensure that you do not overdo it – once is enough in each element. This increases the density of keywords without stuffing it, and also helps search engines understand your page context better.

Creating quality content with the right keyword density can help you improve your ranking. At The Computing Australia Group, we use and recommend only white-hat strategies for content creation. Contact our SEO experts in Perth or email at sales@computingaustralia.group to know how to implement effective keyword optimisation strategies and improve your online presence.

Jargon Buster

Keyword density – is the percentage or number of times a keyword is used in the copy. It is calculated by dividing the number of keywords in the copy by the number of total words.

Black hat SEO – disapproved SEO techniques aimed at increasing a page’s ranking in a search engine result page (SERP). They are against the search engine’s terms of service and can result in the site being banned from the search engine.

How to avoid KeywordStuffing