Why Use Meta Tags
Understanding Meta Tags
Hi Folks
Lots of new members asking about meta tags. What is their function and where to use them. This is a short explanation which will hopefully point them in the right direction. I have also included this link to a web page that will give a more detailed description of the three main tags.
What Are The Main Advantages Of Adding Meta Tags In SEO?
Meta Tags are added to a webpage to increase its visibility for the search engines. The Meta Tags consist of three important components which are Title, Description and Keyword.
The Title is the most commonly used Meta Tag. Its displayed on top of the browser window, and acts as the title of the document.
The Meta description is not shown on the browser but it is shown in the search results.
The Meta Description is often used in a webpage that does not contain text content. For example, in a photography site, the page usually only displays photos. Since there's no text you have to use the Meta Description to optimize it with keywords.
The Meta Keywords is the least important of all the Meta Tags. Some people like to take advantage of the Meta Keywords by spamming it with a huge list of keywords.
The Meta Keyword(s) should not exceed more than 255 characters. If the Meta keyword(s) exceed 255 characters, it will be considered spam by the search engines. Your site may be blacklisted by the search engines as a spam site because of the amount of keywords in it.
You can use multiple words as one keyword. The optimum amount is five which are known as Long-Tail Keywords. In order for the search engine to recognize a phrase as a single keyword, you have to use the comma. The most important keyword should be positioned in front followed by the less important keywords.
Example - Work From Home Taking Surveys - Here you have the first three as one good keyword followed by two more as a work at home job as well as all of them as one complete keyword phrase or Long-Tail Keyword.
The title and description should be written properly so that people will be interested in viewing the web page. Sometimes, the search engines will display the Meta Description in the search result if it couldn't find any keyword in the article.
Its important to optimize the Meta Title and description with keywords. By optimizing the Meta Title and description, you will be able to rank well in the search engine.
Your keyword should have low competition. You should not use misspelled keywords in your Meta Tag. Though misspelled keywords have small competition, your ranking wont be so high if you use it. Misspelled keywords will also lead people to think that your site is unprofessional. When people believe your site is unprofessional, they will avoid it and won't even consider buying your product.
Ok folks as I said a short description. Read the article I've given a link to for a more detailed explanation.
Have a great day and please leave a comment if you have anything further to add.
Robert Allan
Recent Comments
68
No probs Debbie and thank you for reading my blog.
Hope the info will be of some use to you.
Get it right and try to get bit right first time and you wont go far wrong.
Have a great Thursday.
Robert
There is certainly much information here.
META tags are crucial and to ignore them is to ignore the road it paves to success.
Hi Mickey and thank you for dropping by and reading my blog.
A lot of people who put themselves across as SEO experts would disagree with you about the importance of Tags.
As long as you get that all important Description tag right you wont go far wrong.
Enjoy your Thursday.
Robert
Thanks so much for this detailed, but easy to understand, description of how to use Meta tags to our benefit! I've bookmarked as I need to refer back as I check out mine to be sure I'm taking full advantage of what they can do for my pages. I will also be checking out that article.
Blessings,
Debby
Hello Debby and thank you for taking time out to read my article and leaving a comment.
Perhaps a wee bit trial and error to begin with Debby but you will get the hang of it as you continue adding content to your site.
Have a great day.
Robert
Thank you for this very detailed explanation.
I have so much to learn! Yikes.
I am not ready for Meta Tags, but when I am, I will come back to this information!
i feel like I am in WA Kindergarten but wishing I was graduating!
Step by step...I know!
The great thing is, I love it here!
Thank you for your valuable post.
Susan
Hello Susan from BC.
The principle is easy to follow, its the actual implementation that's the tricky part.
In order to get it right there will be trial and error.
That being said I wouldn't wait too long before getting to grips with it if you already have a site up and running.
You get stuck, you drop me a PM or two or even three lol.
Thank you for your comment and have a marvellous day over there in Canada.
Robert
Thank you, Robert, fellow Scot.
I am going to take you up on your offer of support right now!
If you would look over my website and give me some feedback, I would be thrilled.
I would bake you some bonac, as "thanks", and mail it to you, but we both know it would be stale by the time you received it. You might have to come to Canada for fresh, out-of-the-oven bonac!
Here is my website.
http://susanmacneil.org
Thank you for your help!!!
No probs and will get to your site as and when I have time before I sign off in about 2 hours.
Robert
Sorry, I read that you're retired, it was your last school - I wanted to look it up.
Will reply before I sign off.
Robert
Robert, thanks. This is a very important post.
Running out busy day, but I am bookmarking this, and will get back to this with my thoughts.
Hi Kaju and thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment.
Worth bookmarking for future reference if you haven't yet mastered this important part of marketing online.
I'm sure to get lots more question asked now that I've published this blog.
Oh well, better get my notepad out again lol.
Enjoy your Thursday.
Robert
Robert, I've known that meta title tags are very important for SEO.
But other so-called "experts" here and elsewhere have recently confused the heck out of me.
I use a main long-tailed keyword in my title tag that has low competition and searches (QSR
Very useful information. I have spent some working on meta tags for my site. I am still not sure if I have go it right. Time will tell.
Cheers
Robert
Hello Robert and thank you for your comment.
You are right, time will tell ig you are getting it right.
If not then back to the drawing board as they say.
Once you get the hang of it, its relatively easy to do.
Enjoy your Thursday.
Robert
Thank yu for taking the time to explain the meta tags. The attached pictures/graphics were very helpful.
Hello Sondra, haven't seen you around my blogs for a wee while so thank you for reading this one and of course leaving a comment.
Hope my short explanation was ok and of course you have that link for further info.
Have a great Thursday.
Robert
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Hi there
many thanks for sharing this great training
we all need to follow this tutorila, if it will lead to better indexing and ranking within Google
much appreciated once again
Cheers PB
Hi Phil and thank you for your comment.
Get the Description tag right and have your keyword in it and you should be ok.
Get your keyword in your Title as well.
Enjoy your Thursday.
Robert