Meta tags optimization - top tips

Some people think meta tags optimization is a waste of time.

I don't agree.

Let's find out what meta tags are and how they can help you in those search engine wars.

What are meta tags?

Near the top of that source code, you'll find a couple of meta tags.

One of them contains a description of what the page is about. The other contains my keyword or keywords for the page. This is what they look like:

• META Name="Description" Content="Meta tags optimization - top tips. Some people think meta tags optimization is a waste of time. I don't agree. Let's find out what meta tags are and how they can help you in those search engine wars."

  Didn't you just read that text somewhere? Yes - my meta tag description is made up of my page headline above and the first short paragraph of my page. You don't have to stick to this. But it helps for search engines that use the first part of my page's content for their description... instead of the meta description... :)

• META Name="Keywords" Content="meta tags optimization, meta tags, optimize"

While you're there, check out the title tag, too:

• Meta Tags Optimization - Simple Tips for Fab Meta Tags!

Although the title tag isn't a meta tag, it should be :) - and when you build a page, you should consider the description, keyword, and title tags together as a whole. Make them fit together - a happy family.

Notice that my keyword, meta tags optimization is used in the meta title and description - and obviously appears in the keywords meta tag.

Let's look at these three tags. What are they used for?

The Title tag

Search engine results pages show titles and descriptions. Your title will be the first thing a potential visitor will see in Google, for example. That surfer's eyes will skim down the list of titles and descriptions and choose one that seems to match best what they searched for.

Will they click on your title - which forms the link to your site? Or will they scroll on down, looking for something better? Here's how to make your titles enticing:

Top tips for titles

1. Make your title relevant to the subject matter of the page.

2. Make it look as though it's been written by a human being and not a robot or worse, a money-grabber.

3. Check it for embarrassing spelling mistakes.

4. Don't use two words - or twenty. Four to twelve words usually suffice.

5. Don't use loads of exclamation marks!!!!!!

6. Use a Capital Letter for Each Word - apart from articles (a, an, the) or prepositions (to, of etc)... or conjunctions (and, or, but) - play around and check what looks best, though.

7. Your page should focus on a specific keyword. Use your keyword in the title. Check that keyword on the search engines - use quotes around the keyword if it's made up of more than word - for example, "poisonous insects." What titles do the top results use? Don't copy them - make yours better.

Find out yet more about optimizing title tags!

The Keywords tag

Put your page's specific keyword into the keyword meta tag - and, if appropriate, one or two other keywords that are relevant to that page. That's all you need.

The Description tag

Better metas

Do good meta tags directly affect search engine rankings for your pages? Possibly - or possibly not. But I am sure that search engines know which titles (and thus, web pages) their visitors like to click on. And I'm sure they also know whether most visitors to that link return two seconds later to find something better. Don't forget - many surfers will read the description too, before clicking on a link to a site.

Let's hope you get the click - and that your visitors are more than happy with what they find!