Meta tag question...

[Minnsy]

How important is it to have detail (description/keywords etc) filled in on the landing pages - those being the pages that are linked from the home page?

Does it make a significant difference to optimisation?

Thanks

 

[justinmarch]

The title is the most important in terms of ranking, the description is important to achieve improved click thru from the SERPs if and when you appear.

I often don't bother adding the meta keywords, but others still do.

 

[fisicx]

Doesn't make any difference whatsoever. Keywords aren't even indexed and the description is only indexed to provide something for the snippet.

What you can do is fill your meta keywords with lots on non-converting junk to misead your competititors.

 

Doesn't make any difference whatsoever. Keywords aren't even indexed and the description is only indexed to provide something for the snippet.

What you can do is fill your meta keywords with lots on non-converting junk to misead your competititors.

Aren't even indexed by whom.?

Earl

 

[MyWebEdge]

Meta tags still play a role in search engine optimisation, just not as major as it used to be. It's more important that you get the content of the page correct (such as keyworded copy, complete alt tags, in coming links etc).

It's definitely worth filling in the title, description and to a lesser extent the keywords as this could make the difference between 1st and 2nd in the search engine results.

 

[Ali-v-8]

meta title is very important, description is important until google reads content..
i class them as important and would not ignore them.

 

[TDplus4]

How important is it to have detail (description/keywords etc) filled in on the landing pages - those being the pages that are linked from the home page?

Does it make a significant difference to optimisation?

Thanks

Title Tags are very important. Especially with incoming links from other websites that have similar keywords in the anchor text

The title is the most important in terms of ranking, the description is important to achieve improved click thru from the SERPs if and when you appear.

I often don't bother adding the meta keywords, but others still do.

The description will show keywords that match the title tag in bold, which will improve click thru. So Meta Descriptions are also important.

Doesn't make any difference whatsoever. Keywords aren't even indexed and the description is only indexed to provide something for the snippet.

What you can do is fill your meta keywords with lots on non-converting junk to misead your competititors.

Keywords aren't even indexed? Not true. How does Google provide relevant results to search queries? - thru indexation of relevant pages, using content that includes keywords! Basic SEO 1 on 1.

Non-converting junk? Why waste the opportunity to help the lesser search engines like Yahoo and Bing along with a keywords tag? They may only place a dash of emphasis on them (unlike Google), but best practice would be to include them.

Tony

 

[Tin]

Doesn't make any difference whatsoever. Keywords aren't even indexed and the description is only indexed to provide something for the snippet.

Not indexed? Then I suggest that you try to stuff a load of keywords into the keyword tag on every page of a site and come back in 6 months and tell us if you've still got a listing in Google.

 

[MyWebEdge]

As you've probably read from the previous posters (the last few!), meta tags are definitely worth filling in. But just bare in mind a few other factors:

Good meta tag information
Fresh/original content
Keyworded copy
In coming links to pages

If you focus on those four main area's then you'll give your page every chance to do well in the search engine rankings, although that's not to say these are the only factors!

 

[justinmarch]

The description will show keywords that match the title tag in bold, which will improve click thru. So Meta Descriptions are also important.

Who said they weren't important.

Meta tags still play a role in search engine optimisation, just not as major as it used to be. It's more important that you get the content of the page correct (such as keyworded copy, complete alt tags, in coming links etc).

It's definitely worth filling in the title, description and to a lesser extent the keywords as this could make the difference between 1st and 2nd in the search engine results.

Google official line is: http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2009/09/google-does-not-use-keywords-meta-tag.html

Whether you add them or not is up to you, I have achieved great results without them, but if in doubt why not it wont do you any harm.

 

[TDplus4]

Who said they weren't important.



Google official line is: http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2009/09/google-does-not-use-keywords-meta-tag.html

Whether you add them or not is up to you, I have achieved great results without them, but if in doubt why not it wont do you any harm.

No one. Just stating an important point. Many website owners don't understand the value of the Meta Description.

 

[MyWebEdge]

Whether you add them or not is up to you, I have achieved great results without them, but if in doubt why not it wont do you any harm.

It's true of Google, but Google isn't the only search engine out there, for instance, Google provides 90% of our search engine traffic, what about the other 10%?

Some of the other 10% of the search engines still consider the keyword meta tag and it's definitely worth spending that extra five minutes filling it in.

I suppose the point is you want to do everything possible to get that extra bit of traffic for that extra sale, even if it could mean an extra 1%, it's worth doing!

 

[TDplus4]

It's true of Google, but Google isn't the only search engine out there, for instance, Google provides 90% of our search engine traffic, what about the other 10%?

Some of the other 10% of the search engines still consider the keyword meta tag and it's definitely worth spending that extra five minutes filling it in.

I suppose the point is you want to do everything possible to get that extra bit of traffic for that extra sale, even if it could mean an extra 1%, it's worth doing!

Good post

 

[Ali-v-8]

This was debated quite a while back. I for one am of the opinion that there is no negative effect by doing the metas. It doesnt take that long. And if your an seo and your paid to do it why not?

 

[driansmith]

The title is the most important in terms of ranking, the description is important to achieve improved click thru from the SERPs if and when you appear.

I often don't bother adding the meta keywords, but others still do.

Nothing more to add really - simple as that!!!

 

[fisicx]

Keywords aren't even indexed? Not true. How does Google provide relevant results to search queries? - thru indexation of relevant pages, using content that includes keywords! Basic SEO 1 on 1.

Non-converting junk? Why waste the opportunity to help the lesser search engines like Yahoo and Bing along with a keywords tag? They may only place a dash of emphasis on them (unlike Google), but best practice would be to include them.

Tony

The keyword meta tag isn't indexed by google. That's what the OP was asking about. As to the other search engines, if you include a keyword in the meta tag but not on the page your chances of ranking for that word are far less than a competitor who does put them on the page. Ergo, the value of the mata tag is almost zero. If you want to spend your time writing out the tags for thousands of products who am I so stop you. There are however far more productive ways of spending your time.

 

[driansmith]

...the value of the mata tag is almost zero. If you want to spend your time writing out the tags for thousands of products who am I so stop you. There are however far more productive ways of spending your time.

I must agree with this point. There are far more productive tasks that can be done.

 

[Ali-v-8]

As you can see below this was the original question.
asking about all meta's not just keywords.

Answer: its important.

How important is it to have detail (description/keywords etc) filled in on the landing pages - those being the pages that are linked from the home page?

Does it make a significant difference to optimisation?

Thanks

 

[driansmith]

To summarise:

meta description - important, as already stated.
the rest - pretty much a waste of time/effort when you could/should be doing other aspects.

 

[Ali-v-8]

no.
but if thats what floats your boat.

To summarise:

meta description - important, as already stated.
the rest - pretty much a waste of time/effort when you could/should be doing other aspects.

 

[Minnsy]

Thanks for all input... on balance think it is worthwhile!

 

[i3SearchWorx]

I am hoping I can clear this up:

Title tags are absolutely PARAMOUNT for your keywords - keep the title tag short (66 characters I find works).

Meta tags on the other hand bare absolutely NO relevance to SEO (or to Google anyway) in how you rank - they do not use these to determine a sites genre. A really helpful resource to prove this is the Official Google Blog - they released a statement - go to google and type 'meta tags no longer used by google' - the second result should be the official release from Google backing this up.

I hope this helps

Jamie McKaye

 

[Ali-v-8]

I think that you need to read it.
"Google doesn’t use the keywords meta tag in web search"
meta description is still important.

I am hoping I can clear this up:

Title tags are absolutely PARAMOUNT for your keywords - keep the title tag short (66 characters I find works).

Meta tags on the other hand bare absolutely NO relevance to SEO (or to Google anyway) in how you rank - they do not use these to determine a sites genre. A really helpful resource to prove this is the Official Google Blog - they released a statement - go to google and type 'meta tags no longer used by google' - the second result should be the official release from Google backing this up.

I hope this helps

Jamie McKaye

 

[i3SearchWorx]

::::yawn:::

 

[JamesMcMorn]

Great post i3SearchWorx I always wondered about the Meta tags

 

[fisicx]

I think that you need to read it.
"Google doesn't use the keywords meta tag in web search"
meta description is still important.

It actually says:

Even though we sometimes use the description meta tag for the snippets we show, we still don't use the description meta tag in our ranking.

 

[Joe Ossulton]

1. meta titles are crucial for SEO - make good ones based on keyword research
2. Meta description - has some importance (not in ranking) but can convince people to enter your site (there is more to write here...)
3. Meta keywords - virtually not important nowadays

this is based on years of experience.

joe dot ossulton at gmail dot com

 

[Ali-v-8]

My Bag!! was meaning that description does still play a part.

It actually says:

 

[fisicx]

My Bag!! was meaning that description does still play a part.

Damn right it does. A really well written page titlec and description meta tag combination can generate more clicks at the #2 spot than a generic bit of stodge at the #1 spot.

 

[johnny windows]

Hi,
Im using xmlhttp ajax to refresh my content page, but i am not able to change the ladning page to what i wand coz url always is the same with # at the end.

Can u tell what language shall i use to make it any better and what google likes?
Johnny