Using meta tags in search engine optimization

Some continue to believe that HTML meta tags will bring you to the top of the search engine rankings. This is not the case, Pandia argues.

"Search engine optimization? Yes, we can help you with that. We will add a couple HTML meta tags and you will get a top 10 position in no time!" Yes, they are still out there, so-called search engine optimization experts trying to convince you that to include the right keywords in hidden meta tags are all that it takes.

The fact is that the meta tags have no more effect on your ranking than regular text. Many search engines actually ignore them all together in their ranking algorithms. No wonder, really, when you see how webmasters abuse what could have been a useful tool for web indexing.

Meta tags are so-called hidden text that will not be rendered by the browser. You can easily get access to them, however, by selecting View, Source in your browser. They are normally place after the <TITLE> tag (although the page will not suffer if you put it elsewhere).

The idea behind the meta tag was actually to add relevant keywords that could be used by search engines when indexing a page. By including synonyms and various spellings (UK/US English) the webmasters would make it easier for searchers to find relevant pages more easily.

Now it has become increasingly irrelevant. Of the major search engines only Inktomi supports the keyword metatag! Still, it won't hurt to include it.

This page is on meta tags and search optimization. A possible keywords meta tag could be the following.

<meta name="keywords" content="HTML meta tags metatags tag search engines internet directory web searching index catalog catalogue serch seach search engine optimization techniques optimisation ranking positioning promotion marketing">

Note the difference between UK and US spelling (optimization/optimisation), the synonyms (search engine optimization/promotion/marketing), singular and plural forms of the same term and the misspellings (serch engine).

Still, the chances are that a keyword meta tag like this one will not help your search engine ranking. At best it will give it a marginal boost. So why bother?

Well, if you add several "marginal boosts" you may finally get one not so marginal effect. Moreover, it gives you a chance to add a few synonyms and misspellings that are not included elsewhere on the page.

By the way, we have found no proof that search engines punish pages that include words that cannot be found elsewhere on the page. What you should avoid are keywords and phrases that have nothing to do with your page.

Adding Britney Spears to our keyword list will not bring Britney fans to our site, and even if it did, it would be a waste of band width. They are probably not into HTML meta tags anyway.

If your competitors find this form of cheating, they may report you to the search engine's spam police, and the search engine may then remove the page from their index, or even ban your site all together. It's not worth it!

Some keyword meta tag tips

As you can see we have chosen not to include commas. The search engines don't mind and it opens up for new keyword combinations. "search engine optimization techniques" includes no less than eight keyword or keyword phrases, including "search engine" and "optimization techniques".

Many search engine optimization experts argue that you should put your most important keyword phrase first. It won't hurt.

Do not repeat the same keyword with the same spelling more than three times, and do distribute the repetition there is throughout the meta tag.

In general search engines accept about 1,000 characters for the keywords tag, which is another reason for not using commas. Do not spend much time on this tag, however. It is much more important to include the main keyword phrase in the TITLE-tag, the main H1/H2 headlines and in the first regular paragraph of text. Some search engine optimization experts actually skip this meta tag, as they reckon it is not worth the effort.

The description meta tag

You should spend much more time on the meta description tag, not because it will give you any significant improvement in you ranking (it won't), but because some search engines use this text for their web page description. There is no use having a top 10 position if the searchers do not like your description and click on the search result.

The TITLE-tag and the description meta tag should present the content of the page in a clear and informative way. The searcher should get a clear idea of what the page is about and whether it is relevant for his or her needs.

There is no point in attracting visitors that leave your site as soon as they get there. The chances are that people looking for sports cars will not buy your embroidery kit.

Here's the description meta tag for this page:

<meta name="description" content="The use of HTML meta tags in search engine optimization">

There is no point in including more than 200 characters.

Trade marks in meta tags

There has been some debate on the issue of including trade marks other than your own in the meta tags. We believe you should be able to do so, as long as the trade mark is relevant to the content of the page. If you have a page about vintage cars, it makes sense to enter words like "Mercedes" and "Ford".

To give an example: In early 2002 an American appeals court upheld the right of a former Playboy Playmate to use the word "Playboy" on her own Web site, and endorsed a lower court's ruling that allowed her to use these words in the HTML meta tags.

Playboy had argued that Terri Welles' frequent use of the Playboy name in biographical references on her Web site infringed on its own trademarks. Moreover, the company objected to the use of words such as "playboy" and "playmate" in meta tags.

(Think about it, should we be allowed to use the word "Playboy" in this article?)

In one respect the panel was mistaken, however. "Because Welles' meta tags do not repeat the terms extensively, her site will not be at the top of the list of (Web) search results," the panel said.

As noted above the presence of a word in the meta tags has close to no effect on your listing in search engine results. What's really important is the inclusion of the word in the visible text on the page.

Non-Americans should note that lawyer-happy US companies may in some cases sue you for including their trademarks anyway, and that is a pretty expensive process. It could be wise to include a disclaimer similar to the one you find at the end of this page. You should not in any way give the impression that your page is affiliated with that company that owns the trade marks.

And yes, while we are at it, this must not be considered legal advice, and we will not be held responsible for your use of trade marks in meta tags.

The full text of the opinion (PDF file).
Former Playmate Wins Next Round In Playboy Web Suit (Newsbytes)
See also Danny Sullivans survey of meta tag lawsuits (Search Engine Watch)

Go to the Pandia Search Engine Optimization Gateway to find HTML meta tag generators and resources.

See also Pandia's article on How to optimize Web page elements, Andy Beal's article on Title Tags and Search Engine Watch's article on How to use HTML meta tags.

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