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SEO practitioners add Meta tags to the header of a webpage to describe the page in a way Google can understand. Unfortunately, more often than not, they tend to ignore Meta tags because content and links get more priority. However, you can significantly help Google to understand what your page is all about by optimizing the Meta tags. A high-quality Meta tag description can get better search engine rankings and improve the website’s click-through rate (CTR).
The Concept of Meta Tags
Meta tags used in the webpage HTML provide information about the website that search engines use to determine the content and purpose of the webpage and whether it is likely to fulfill the search intent. Even though users cannot see the Meta tags, they play an important role in the search results page rankings.
The page title is an important Meta tag, which users see as the link in blue at the top of the search results in the snippets. The meta description is also another meta tag you will do well to focus on because it shows the page description in the search results that help users decide to click on them or not.
Using Meta Tags
Meta tags appear high on the list of things in a website audit report. The tags appear above the content in the page header and provide important page information. Understanding the use of Meta tags can help you to appreciate their function. You may like to include certain words in the product or service description, like features, size, prices, etc., and use the keyword Meta tag to describe them.
You can also use the location Meta tag to let users know the location of your business or even a category Meta tag to help people find your blog post. There are several types of Meta tags for varied applications to help SEO rank better in the search results.
The Importance of Meta Tags for SEO
While some people may argue that content and links are more important than Meta tags, however, they are still extremely vital to the overall process of search engine optimization. The quality of the title tags can mean the difference between the success and failure of your webpage.
If you leave your title or Meta description tags blank, Google will use its discretion to decide what will work best for your website. Because the algorithm is not flawless, it could lead to a sub-optimal result in webpage visibility. It is the reason you must make it a point to incorporate a physical page title and page description because otherwise, you will have to depend on Google to do it in a way it thinks is the best.
All about Page Title Tags
The page title tag is the primary and most important descriptive page element. Everyone searching for your site on Google will see the title tag in the search results. It is for this reason; you must ensure that it reflects the page content accurately. It is important because you will want users to know what they can expect from the page they are looking at.
The reason for this indifference to title tags by some websites possibly lies in the type of the website. Some sites focus on the text, some on videos, and still others on specific subjects, while some websites cover a wide variety of topics. While a particular website might have its own justification for not putting any effort into optimizing the title tags, it is clear that incorporating a high-quality title tag can only assist Google to understand your website better.
While a brand-new website might not benefit much from a title tag, it becomes more important as the site received more traffic, and you will desire to track vital metrics like conversion and bounce rates. Tracking these metrics will help you determine if the title tag affects the site performance and offer pointers on further optimization.
Essentials of Meta Description Tags
Another important Meta tag for SEO is the Meta description tag. According to Search Engine Land, it appears on the webpage as a brief snippet paragraph just below the page title on the search results page. Google uses it if it thinks the Meta description tag is more accurate than what it can ascertain from the webpage content.
There is little importance of the Meta tag for search engine rankings. Instead, its principal use is to inform and tempt users to visit the page. The Meta description tag is a short but relevant summary of what the webpage is about and is used to convince users that they will find what they are looking for on the page. While Google does not limit the length of the Meta description, it truncates the snippet as it deems fit on the SERPs, typically based on the width of the device screen.
Best Practices for Creating Meta Descriptions
Even though Meta descriptions do not find much use in rankings, they are still important from the point of SEO because a compelling and informative Meta description can mean more CTRs. It is the reason why you must focus on both page titles and Meta descriptions for SEO. However, visibility of the Meta description on the webpage is vital as Google will otherwise ignore them.
You must make sure that every Meta description used on the website is unique because identical or even similar Meta descriptions on the pages of different websites do not help users when they see them on the SERPs. Google recommends creating unique and accurate page descriptions on all pages except the homepage, where you should use a site-level description.
The description should include information that reflects the actual page contents. Meta descriptions for product pages can include information that may be scattered throughout the page, while for blog posts and news sites, the Meta description can contain information typically not displayed, like the publication date, author name, etc.
Conclusion
While you can go through endless pages of recommendations and guidelines issued by Google, one thing you will need to keep in mind is that for the page title tags and Meta description tags to be effective, you will need to make them highly relevant to your website or webpage, accurate, and descriptive. Also, you can contact SEO experts to increase your local rankings and revenue now.