What are meta keywords tags?
On a webpage, we notice a specific category of tags in the HTML code and direct the search engine to the topic on which the webpage is focusing and based; these particular tags are called meta keyword tags.
In simple terms, meta keywords tags are generally used to provide relevant information in a summary form about a page or a site to the search engines. Typically, they are present on the main page of any website and grab the searchers’ attention while scrawling down the search engines.
One should not get confused between keywords and meta keyword tags, and both are different. The primary distinguishing character between the two are meta keywords do not appear live or visible instead, it acts as a summarizer behind the page. In comparison, keywords appear on the webpage.
Therefore it is essential that while we select and optimize the meta keywords, the chosen keywords must reflect and highlight simultaneously summarize the contents of the webpage. Meta keywords must be prompt and clear instead of jamming in the web traffic. Since we are in the digital world, there are multiple pages with almost similar information. The meta keyword tags play a vital role here, and searchers generally look in for unique, prompt, clear, and accurate information matching their search without wasting much time. They must also enhance the CTR(Click-through rate ) of the webpage.
Even though there has been a noticeable setback in the role of the meta keywords in the SEO than earlier, still taking meta keywords lightly while working on an SEO-based webpage will be one foolish act. Title tags are more in trend, along with meta description tags showing excellent results in the Google algorithm. Meta keywords act as the communication bridge between the searcher and the web page, attracting the search engine result page.
The importance of meta keyword tags
- Some site owners and marketers could not understand the importance of the meta keywords and resulted in abusing the usage. The process resulted in devaluing the meta keywords by Google and other search engines. Although what was the actual reason behind the fall in the importance of the usage of meta keywords is still not clear. It is assumed that this was the fault of the developers who would duplicate the keywords or the phrases stuffing in the code, thereby diluting the information accuracy and trust in the search results. Ranking algorithm tactics are generally secret, for which still it is unclear how closely the system examines the meta keywords.
- Some search engines like Bing and a few more rely on meta keywords. They also hint that meta keywords can be maximum used as spam signals that differentiate a page’s quality content. The internet’s one of the largest and widely used Russian search engines is Yandex has also stated that meta keywords help determine the relevance of a page during any search query.
- Some time back, a survey was organized by SEM Pro for the search engine marketers to know the usage of meta keywords. The statistics gave a report that up to 70% gave a positive response on the usage of Meta keywords. And there was almost no report stating there is no use of the meta keywords as the meta keywords focus on the contents of the webpage, so there is a high chance it may target the potential searcher or the customer.
- Recent studies state meta keyword tags are generally not used by most popular CMS. Some internal search systems built on Elastic search that use meta keywords tags are also used for internal tagging systems.
- Meta keywords are also helpful while researching the competitors as they provide the seed keywords used by the competitors while doing the keyword research.
- The best reason for using the meta keywords freezes down to internal search and internal tagging.
- It also increases the collaboration opportunity amongst the team and other teams to improvise the page’s contents or update the same. Knowing the internal tagging also prevents multiple members of any team from focusing on the same targeted keywords.
How to use meta keywords tags in the website?
The manner in which we design and incorporate the meta keywords in the content of the webpage plays a crucial role. It may be incorporated manually or with the help of software.
The important aspect while doing this is selecting the keywords. It must be relevant to the specific webpage.
The number of meta keywords that we can use is also essential and decided before starting the work. We must also strictly avoid—unnecessary use of duplicate keywords. According to experts’ opinion, more than ten meta keywords on a page may negatively impact the website.
Other important aspects that we have to keep in mind are:
Misspellings: One of the best practices here is to include misspellings in the meta tags, which indicates the search engine about the relevance of the search query regarding the webpage.
Long-Tail Keywords: Google has set the number of characters that should be used. The keywords must be specific, relevant, and unique. Use of similar keywords or phrases should be avoided; better to use a variation in the keyword, else it looks like spamming.
Result of the SERP: The reason behind the landing of the particular webpage by the searcher amongst the search engine result pages must be maintained. Meta keywords act as the best player in these cases. We can use tools for a keyword search to check the data and analytics. The type of words that the searchers may use while researching a type of content should be used as the meta keywords to increase the click-through rate. The entire process also enables the ranking of the page.
Since there is a gradual shift in the trend from using meta keyword tags in websites towards title tags and meta description tags, proper planning and implementation of the meta keywords after thorough research is fundamental for holding the interest of the searcher and further recommendations.
