Meta Tags

Yes, contrary to what you may have heard, meta tags are still an important part of Search Engine Optimization. True, they’re not as important to your rankings as they used to be - and some pages rank well without them - but it’s still worth putting a little time into developing quality keyword and description meta tags. But, be careful, if you do it wrong they may hurt more than they help.

As a general rule I will write the meta description tag as an honest and informative description of the site and make sure that I am using my keyword phrases in that description. 2-3 sentences should be plenty - I usually aim for 180-200 characters (with spaces - this number is based on Yahoo’s recommendations for their Search Submit Pro product).

Important Note! The description tag is used by some engines and directories to formulate the site description under your listing. Again, like with your title tag, if you optimize for position but not for the user reading the listing - you will lose clicks. So, make sure your description is written to entice users to click on your listing.

As for Meta Keywords, don’t stress-out with them, just list your top 10-12 keyword phrases separated by commas. Simple as that. Just don’t “stuff” or repeat keywords in the title tag over and over again. That would do more harm than good, you would be better off not using them at all.

As far as meta tag order goes… Within your HEAD tag - list your title first, then your description meta tag, then the keyword meta tag. Anything else in your HEAD tag should go after these three elements.


Tagged as: SEO, Optimization Tips