link. Think of it as your first opportunity to "sell your site". Do not expect a search engine to use more than the first 150 characters though, so be sure to include the important information and your call to action at the very beginning of your description, where it is most likely to be displayed in the search results.

KEYWORDS META TAG: Ah, now we come to the tag that everyone seems obsessed with: the Keywords Meta tag. This is where, in the past, search engines would look to classify and index your site. But today it is used little in search engine algorithms.

However, the Keywords Meta tag hasn't completely lost its usefulness. Some search engines still consider the data in this tag when evaluating a web page, although it is difficult to determine how much weight they give it. However, even Yahoo advises the use of the Keywords Meta tag:

"Use a 'keyword' meta-tag to list key words for the document. Use a distinct list of keywords that relate to the specific page on your site instead of using one broad set of keywords for every page." -- http://help.yahoo.com/help/us/ysearch/ranking/ranking-02.html

And there's other uses for this tag that you should considMETA TAGS: The term "Meta" is derived from the word "Metadata" which means data which describes in summary form a larger collection of data. There are two types of Meta tags: user defined variables and system variables. System variable meta tags are also called "HTTP-EQUIV" tags, because they issue browser level commands such as when to refresh a page, but are rarely used today, as most of their functionality has been replaced by javascript. We will be looking at three user variable Meta tags which, although not as important as they once were, still retain some value to the internet marketer.

The proper syntax for these tags is , and are found in the header of an HTML page between the and tags.

Of the dozen or more Meta tags built into standard HTML, only three really have any value for web designers in regard to search engines or end users. These are the Title, Description, and Keywords Meta tags. If you open up your website's HTML source code, or click on the Template tab in your blog, you'll see them as something like this:

A short, to the point, description of your site

In the early days of the internet, search engines relied heavily on the values in these tags to help them index and classify web pages. But internet marketers soon learned how to manipulate the data in these tags to achieve unfair search rankings, or falsely represent the content of their sites. In consequence, most search engines today pay little or no attention to these tags, and rely instead on the actual content of a website to determine relevancy for search engine rankings.

So, if these tags have little importance to modern search engines, why am I discussing them as related to promoting your site? Well, these tags are still used in limited fashion by many search engines and can help you in subtle ways, and have other uses which make them worth setting up properly.

For example, Meta tags played a significant part in the logic of the Inktomi search technology, which is what Yahoo!'s search technology is based on, and the search engine Teoma (now known as ExpertRank) used by Ask.com. And while Meta tags may have little impact with other major search engines, many of the less popular and sophisticated search engines still rely on them, meaning that there will be times where effective use of these tags can give you an advantage over another site which has ignored them.

These Meta tags have other subtle effects, as well, which I'll explain in more detail as we look at each individual tags below.

TITLE META TAG: The Title Meta tag has several important uses that you should be aware of. This tag determines what is displayed in a browser's title bar for the active page, and is used as the default name for a page when it is bookmarked. But most importantly, search engines often use the information in this tag as the hyperlink text displayed on their results page.

For this reason, you should make sure that your Title tag accurately represents your site's content. Try to use the most descriptive words in the first 20 or so characters as the rest is usually cut-off when a search engine displays it. And of course, use relevant Keywords as much as possible, because even though most search engines don't give much importance to these tags today, often the values contained in them are still scanned as a part of your site's content as a whole. So including Keywords in your Title tag can add to your site's overall Keyword density.

DESCRIPTION META TAG: The Description Meta tag has a similar application to the Title Meta tag in that many search engines pull from it for their search results, displaying it as the description under a site's hyperlink on results pages. This application is not universal, as Google frequently creates its own description dynamically from the content of your site. Yahoo! utilizes it more frequently, but not in all cases. However, it is better to have it than not, because it at least gives you some small control over how your site is described. And if you leave it empty, some search engines will use the first few words to appear on your site for this description instead, and often that doesn't result in a very good indication of your site's content.

As with the Title tag, use Keywords when creating your Description Meta tag, as some search engines still include its content as a part of the overall evaluation of your site. Also, because this tag is often used as the default description for your site, take your time in what it should contain. Try to write a description which is going to encourage users to click on your link. Include enough so it is clear what your site is about, and include a "call to action" to encourage someone to click on your link. Think of it as your first opportunity to "sell your site". Do not expect a search engine to use more than the first 150 characters though, so be sure to include the important information and your call to action at the very beginning of your description, where it is most likely to be displayed in the search results.

KEYWORDS META TAG: Ah, now we come to the tag that everyone seems obsessed with: the Keywords Meta tag. This is where, in the past, search engines would look to classify and index your site. But today it is used little in search engine algorithms.

However, the Keywords Meta tag hasn't completely lost its usefulness. Some search engines still consider the data in this tag when evaluating a web page, although it is difficult to determine how much weight they give it. However, even Yahoo advises the use of the Keywords Meta tag:

"Use a 'keyword' meta-tag to list key words for the document. Use a distinct list of keywords that relate to the specific page on your site instead of using one broad set of keywords for every page." -- http://help.yahoo.com/help/us/ysearch/ranking/ranking-02.html

And there's other uses for this tag that you should considckquote>

In the early days of the internet, search engines relied heavily on the values in these tags to help them index and classify web pages. But internet marketers soon learned how to manipulate the data in these tags to achieve unfair search rankings, or falsely represent the content of their sites. In consequence, most search engines today pay little or no attention to these tags, and rely instead on the actual content of a website to determine relevancy for search engine rankings.

So, if these tags have little importance to modern search engines, why am I discussing them as related to promoting your site? Well, these tags are still used in limited fashion by many search engines and can help you in subtle ways, and have other uses which make them worth setting up properly.

For example, Meta tags played a significant part in the logic of the Inktomi search technology, which is what Yahoo!'s search technology is based on, and the search engine Teoma (now known as ExpertRank) used by Ask.com. And while Meta tags may have little impact with other major search engines, many of the less popular and sophisticated search engines still rely on them, meaning that there will be times where effective use of these tags can give you an advantage over another site which has ignored them.

These Meta tags have other subtle effects, as well, which I'll explain in more detail as we look at each individual tags below.

TITLE META TAG: The Title Meta tag has several important uses that you should be aware of. This tag determines what is displayed in a browser's title bar for the active page, and is used as the default name for a page when it is bookmarked. But most importantly, search engines often use the information in this tag as the hyperlink text displayed on their results page.

For this reason, you should make sure that your Title tag accurately represents your site's content. Try to use the most descriptive words in the first 20 or so characters as the rest is usually cut-off when a search engine displays it. And of course, use relevant Keywords as much as possible, because even though most search engines don't give much importance to these tags today, often the values contained in them are still scanned as a part of your site's content as a whole. So including Keywords in your Title tag can add to your site's overall Keyword density.

DESCRIPTION META TAG: The Description Meta tag has a similar application to the Title Meta tag in that many search engines pull from it for their search results, displaying it as the description under a site's hyperlink on results pages. This application is not universal, as Google frequently creates its own description dynamically from the content of your site. Yahoo! utilizes it more frequently, but not in all cases. However, it is better to have it than not, because it at least gives you some small control over how your site is described. And if you leave it empty, some search engines will use the first few words to appear on your site for this description instead, and often that doesn't result in a very good indication of your site's content.

As with the Title tag, use Keywords when creating your Description Meta tag, as some search engines still include its content as a part of the overall evaluation of your site. Also, because this tag is often used as the default description for your site, take your time in what it should contain. Try to write a description which is going to encourage users to click on your link. Include enough so it is clear what your site is about, and include a "call to action" to encourage someone to click on your link. Think of it as your first opportunity to "sell your site". Do not expect a search engine to use more than the first 150 characters though, so be sure to include the important information and your call to action at the very beginning of your description, where it is most likely to be displayed in the search results.

KEYWORDS META TAG: Ah, now we come to the tag that everyone seems obsessed with: the Keywords Meta tag. This is where, in the past, search engines would look to classify and index your site. But today it is used little in search engine algorithms.

However, the Keywords Meta tag hasn't completely lost its usefulness. Some search engines still consider the data in this tag when evaluating a web page, although it is difficult to determine how much weight they give it. However, even Yahoo advises the use of the Keywords Meta tag:

"Use a 'keyword' meta-tag to list key words for the document. Use a distinct list of keywords that relate to the specific page on your site instead of using one broad set of keywords for every page." -- http://help.yahoo.com/help/us/ysearch/ranking/ranking-02.html

And there's other uses for this tag that you should considill be times where effective use of these tags can give you an advantage over another site which has ignored them.

These Meta tags have other subtle effects, as well, which I'll explain in more detail as we look at each individual tags below.

TITLE META TAG: The Title Meta tag has several important uses that you should be aware of. This tag determines what is displayed in a browser's title bar for the active page, and is used as the default name for a page when it is bookmarked. But most importantly, search engines often use the information in this tag as the hyperlink text displayed on their results page.

For this reason, you should make sure that your Title tag accurately represents your site's content. Try to use the most descriptive words in the first 20 or so characters as the rest is usually cut-off when a search engine displays it. And of course, use relevant Keywords as much as possible, because even though most search engines don't give much importance to these tags today, often the values contained in them are still scanned as a part of your site's content as a whole. So including Keywords in your Title tag can add to your site's overall Keyword density.

DESCRIPTION META TAG: The Description Meta tag has a similar application to the Title Meta tag in that many search engines pull from it for their search results, displaying it as the description under a site's hyperlink on results pages. This application is not universal, as Google frequently creates its own description dynamically from the content of your site. Yahoo! utilizes it more frequently, but not in all cases. However, it is better to have it than not, because it at least gives you some small control over how your site is described. And if you leave it empty, some search engines will use the first few words to appear on your site for this description instead, and often that doesn't result in a very good indication of your site's content.

As with the Title tag, use Keywords when creating your Description Meta tag, as some search engines still include its content as a part of the overall evaluation of your site. Also, because this tag is often used as the default description for your site, take your time in what it should contain. Try to write a description which is going to encourage users to click on your link. Include enough so it is clear what your site is about, and include a "call to action" to encourage someone to click on your link. Think of it as your first opportunity to "sell your site". Do not expect a search engine to use more than the first 150 characters though, so be sure to include the important information and your call to action at the very beginning of your description, where it is most likely to be displayed in the search results.

KEYWORDS META TAG: Ah, now we come to the tag that everyone seems obsessed with: the Keywords Meta tag. This is where, in the past, search engines would look to classify and index your site. But today it is used little in search engine algorithms.

However, the Keywords Meta tag hasn't completely lost its usefulness. Some search engines still consider the data in this tag when evaluating a web page, although it is difficult to determine how much weight they give it. However, even Yahoo advises the use of the Keywords Meta tag:

"Use a 'keyword' meta-tag to list key words for the document. Use a distinct list of keywords that relate to the specific page on your site instead of using one broad set of keywords for every page." -- http://help.yahoo.com/help/us/ysearch/ranking/ranking-02.html

And there's other uses for this tag that you should considG: The Description Meta tag has a similar application to the Title Meta tag in that many search engines pull from it for their search results, displaying it as the description under a site's hyperlink on results pages. This application is not universal, as Google frequently creates its own description dynamically from the content of your site. Yahoo! utilizes it more frequently, but not in all cases. However, it is better to have it than not, because it at least gives you some small control over how your site is described. And if you leave it empty, some search engines will use the first few words to appear on your site for this description instead, and often that doesn't result in a very good indication of your site's content.

As with the Title tag, use Keywords when creating your Description Meta tag, as some search engines still include its content as a part of the overall evaluation of your site. Also, because this tag is often used as the default description for your site, take your time in what it should contain. Try to write a description which is going to encourage users to click on your link. Include enough so it is clear what your site is about, and include a "call to action" to encourage someone to click on your link. Think of it as your first opportunity to "sell your site". Do not expect a search engine to use more than the first 150 characters though, so be sure to include the important information and your call to action at the very beginning of your description, where it is most likely to be displayed in the search results.

KEYWORDS META TAG: Ah, now we come to the tag that everyone seems obsessed with: the Keywords Meta tag. This is where, in the past, search engines would look to classify and index your site. But today it is used little in search engine algorithms.

However, the Keywords Meta tag hasn't completely lost its usefulness. Some search engines still consider the data in this tag when evaluating a web page, although it is difficult to determine how much weight they give it. However, even Yahoo advises the use of the Keywords Meta tag:

"Use a 'keyword' meta-tag to list key words for the document. Use a distinct list of keywords that relate to the specific page on your site instead of using one broad set of keywords for every page." -- http://help.yahoo.com/help/us/ysearch/ranking/ranking-02.html

And there's other uses for this tag that you should consid link. Think of it as your first opportunity to "sell your site". Do not expect a search engine to use more than the first 150 characters though, so be sure to include the important information and your call to action at the very beginning of your description, where it is most likely to be displayed in the search results.

KEYWORDS META TAG: Ah, now we come to the tag that everyone seems obsessed with: the Keywords Meta tag. This is where, in the past, search engines would look to classify and index your site. But today it is used little in search engine algorithms.

However, the Keywords Meta tag hasn't completely lost its usefulness. Some search engines still consider the data in this tag when evaluating a web page, although it is difficult to determine how much weight they give it. However, even Yahoo advises the use of the Keywords Meta tag:

"Use a 'keyword' meta-tag to list key words for the document. Use a distinct list of keywords that relate to the specific page on your site instead of using one broad set of keywords for every page." -- http://help.yahoo.com/help/us/ysearch/ranking/ranking-02.html

And there's other uses for this tag that you should consider. Internal site searches (where the search only looks through the current domain) often use these tags to find individual pages within a website, although this isn't such a concern for bloggers since separate posts don't possess their own Meta tags. In some cases, a search engine that wouldn't use this tag normally, might fall back on it if the page it is evaluating doesn't have enough content to classify. Also, the Keywords Meta tag can sometimes be helpful in getting your page located if a search term is misspelled by the user. So it can be a good idea to include common misspellings or unusual variations of your critical search terms in your Keywords tag. In other cases, it can be useful to list keywords in the Meta tags of individual pages if there are terms that relate to your site as a whole but are not actually used on the current page. For example, if you have a site dedicated to dogs, and one page is dedicated to proper canine diet, but you want people searching for "dog hygiene" to find it as well, you could include "dog hygiene" as part of your Keywords Meta tag.

There is one final way this Meta tag can be useful. As you develop the content for your site, it goes without saying that you should keep critical keywords in mind. Maintaining high keyword density within your content is arguably the most effective way to increase your rankings with search engines. Therefore, I would recommend that before you attempt to create the content for your site, you identify those keywords which are most essential to your topic. Then list those terms in the Keywords Meta tag. This Meta tag then is a constant reminder of which terms you should try to use as you create your content.

In conclusion, let me leave you with a few tips for using the Keywords Meta tag:

• Keep your number of Keywords to under 1,000 characters
• Do not repeat any particular keyword more than 3 times
• Include misspellings or variations of keywords that relate to your site as a whole but might not be mentioned on that page
• Refer back to the keywords you have chosen as you build the content for your web page

So, there you have it. Don't rely on your Meta tags to ensure your place in search engine rankings, but don't neglect them either. It doesn't take much to develop them properly, and they can give you an edge over competing websites that have ignored them. And as a last warning, if you find yourself tempted to milk the usefulness of these Meta tags by keyword repetition or including terms that don't relate to your site content -- DON'T. Even search engines that pay little attention to the content of these tags often have logic which will "punish" sites they suspect of abusing them.