# Keyword proximity

Category: [On-Page & Content](https://seo-geo-glossary.com/en/glossary/category/on-page-content/) › [On-page keywords & semantics](https://seo-geo-glossary.com/en/glossary/category/on-page-content/on-page-keywords-semantics/) · Also known as: Proximity

**Keyword proximity** is the distance between the words of a search phrase within a text, counted as the number of words that separate them. In SEO it works as a rule of thumb for writing copy. Google does not document it as a ranking factor.

## What does keyword proximity mean?

Take the phrase "dentist Boston implant". The text "dentist in Boston" has one word between the first two terms. A sentence that places "dentist" and "Boston" ten words apart has a larger distance. Two related measures are keyword density (how often a phrase appears) and keyword prominence (where it appears, for example in the title or a heading).

Several SEO sites state that a smaller distance signals higher relevance. The pages checked for this entry cite no Google source for it, and a search of Google Search Central found no statement that proximity is a ranking factor. It is best treated as a writing heuristic.

## Example

Title A: "Women's running shoes: test and comparison". Title B: "Running shoes: test, tips and a guide for women". Version A keeps the phrase together. Both versions are clear to a reader.

## Common mistakes

Pressing phrases together at any cost can slide into keyword stuffing. Google's spam policies define it as filling a page with keywords in an attempt to manipulate rankings, including repeating words so often that the text sounds unnatural.

## Related terms

- [Keyword density](https://seo-geo-glossary.com/en/glossary/keyword-density/index.md)
- [Keyword stuffing](https://seo-geo-glossary.com/en/glossary/keyword-stuffing/index.md)
- [Keyword cannibalization](https://seo-geo-glossary.com/en/glossary/keyword-cannibalization/index.md)

## Sources

- [Spam policies for Google web search – Google Search Central](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies)
- [Keyword Density, Prominence, and Proximity – SEO.com (secondary)](https://www.seo.com/blog/keyword-density-prominence-and-proximity/)
- [Keyword Proximity – Conductor Academy (secondary)](https://www.conductor.com/academy/glossary/keyword-proximity/)

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Last updated: October 7, 2026
URL: https://seo-geo-glossary.com/en/glossary/keyword-proximity/