Meta tags and its importance for Google SEO

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Have you ever wondered why your search engine rankings vary so much? Although there are several factors that go into the ranking of your website, meta tags play an important role in Google’s search algorithm, so they’re worth taking time to understand and implement correctly. If you have questions about Google’s algorithm or the role of meta tags, read on to find out more.

Say “hello” to meta tags!

One of the most important things you can do to improve your website’s search engine optimization is to make sure you have proper meta tags. These are text snippets that describe the content of the web page inside the HTML source code in the <head> section. All the information that appears in search results comes from this data. They act as a communicator for search engine robots visiting our website and – at first glance – are not available to users.

Types

Most important: 

  • tag title;
  • meta description;
  • meta robots (index, noindex, follow, nofollow, verify, ALT).

Other:

  • tag Google Search Console;
  • tag Unavailable_after;
  • meta refresh;
  • tag Original-source;
  • tag Open Graph.

Tags vs. Search Engine Optimization

Are you wondering what the difference is between tags and SEO? Meta tags give us control over the website in the process of its indexing by search engine robots. Thus, we influence their work and our image on the web. Tags help search engine robots when indexing, that is, collecting data from your website, processing it and collecting it on the web. They help users hit the right place, so it’s important that they work with algorithms. The biggest advantage of meta tags is the ease of their implementation and the possibility of continuous editing according to the needs.

Tags vs. Google

SEO Google loves tags, all of them. However, it may happen that the Google search engine changes your meta tags to something else. We warn you right away – no need to worry. Algorithms scan the content of the page, extracting the most important information from it in terms of the intentions of searching for users. If they are changed, it means that the browser is trying as best as possible to match the results with the queries.

Remember: Using the right keywords in your meta description is another way to make sure that people find you when they are searching on Google or other search engines, but too many keywords will actually work against you because they can look spammy.

How do I add tag tags?

Adding and editing meta tags is not a difficult task. It is enough to edit the HTML code and place the selected types in its structure, depending on the needs. However, if you have a WordPress site, it’s even easier – all in One SEO plugin is enough. We advise you to use a keyword research tool that will help you with this task. There are many such tools online, but I recommend SEMrush because of its quality and accuracy. 

Checklist for basic tags

Title tag. It is, in a way, the headline of a website because it appears in the search results as a blue hyperlink encouraging to click. However, remember that the appropriate length of the title tag is between 60-70 characters.

Meta description. It is used to describe the content of the page in a nutshell. It is visible to the user and displays in the SERP right below the page title. As in the case of the title tag, it is worth using keywords and call to action – but try to make it non-intrusive. The optimal length of the description is 150–170 characters.

Meta robots package. A small staircase begins here, because it is not one tag, but a set of choices. They send various signals to robots, e.g. the index tag allows you to index the page and is set as the default one, the noindex tag is designed to block indexing, the follow tag allows you to follow links, and the nofollow tag on the contrary, while the verify tag is a verification tag. domain ownership, while ALT is used to describe the graphics on the site.

Wrapping up

Google looks at a variety of factors when determining how to rank websites in their search engine. One of those factors is the presence of meta tags. Meta tags are invisible bits of text that provide information about your site. They’re not required, but they can help your site’s ranking on Google. Optimizing meta tags is not complicated, but it’s easy to make mistakes here. It should be remembered that they affect the reception of the site first, it is worth consulting with experts (https://www.icea-group.nz/seo-wicklow/). 

Photo:Pexels/pixabay.com

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