Meta Tags and Keywords

• The <title> Meta Tag
• The <description> Meta Tag
• The <keywords> Meta Tag

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The <title> Meta Tag

The <title> meta tag is the most important meta tag of all because it is recognized by every major search engine. It can be a key factor in getting a high search engine ranking. The <title> meta tag ensures that the correct name of your site will appear above the summary in a search engine listing.

It is recommended that you include relevant keywords in the <title> meta tag because they can also help your site rank higher in search engine listings. However, do not write a full-length explanation (like that found in the <description> meta tag) nor simply insert a line of terms (like those found in the <keywords> meta tag).

For example, if composing a <title> meta tag for the home page of a made-up business, J.J. Designs, it is better to write: "J.J. Designs: Automotive Accessories — Home" than "J.J. Designs — Home."

The first example describes the page as well as the site's contents. It also includes two popular search terms in the automotive industry: Automotive and Accessories.

When composing the <title> meta tag:

• Use relevant keywords in your <title> when possible.
• DO NOT write a paragraph.
• DO NOT write a string of descriptive keywords.

The <description> Meta Tag

The <description> meta tag lets you concisely summarize your page for search engines. This meta tag will appear in the search engine as the summary under the title of your page. The description should be no more than 200 characters (approximately 30 words) and less than 100 characters if possible.

For example, the home page for the fictitious company J.J. Designs could be: "Custom automotive accessories delivered to your door. Thousands of items to choose from at affordable prices."

When composing the <description> meta tag:

• Ensure that the <description> is written by someone who is an authority on the site's content.
• State the functions or services of your site clearly and concisely.
• Treat your <description> meta tags much like ad copy. Use words to attract "customers".
• Incorporate as many of your <keywords> as you can in the description.

The <keywords> Meta Tag

The <keywords> tags are key terms that represent a page's content. If any of these terms are used in an Internet search, the search engine will then seek out any Internet pages featuring these terms as <keywords> and grab those pages as a match. Because each search engine grabs a different number of keywords, ensure that your keywords appear in order of importance.

For example, J.J. Designs may choose the following keywords for their home page:

• custom automotive accessories
• auto enthusiast
• car enthusiast
• interior accessories
• exterior accessories
• custom wheels
• car speakers
• car stereos
• car audio
• car
• truck
• sport utility vehicle
• SUV
• motorcycle
• sports car

It is recommended that there should be a maximum of twenty keywords. If you have more than twenty keywords, some search engines will ignore the remaining keywords, demote you to a lower ranking, or delete you from the list entirely.

When composing the <keywords> meta tag:

• Anticipate the keywords that your target audience is most likely to use to access the type of information you are offering.
• Place the most important keywords first in the list, as search engines often give more weight to keywords found at the beginning of the list
• Think of the keywords as a draw that helps attract attention onto your site.
• Decide on the best use of a word (i.e., Should a term be single, plural, or both? Should a phrase be used instead of a collection of terms?). Try to create relevant phrases instead of only single terms, especially if the terms are very common.
• DO NOT repeat keywords. Excessive repetition is called "keyword spamming" and all major search engines penalize sites that do this. Spamming may cause search engines to ignore your site or refuse to index the page.
• DO NOT include inappropriate or misleading keywords in your meta tags simply to generate traffic (e.g., money, sex).