24/11/2017 3 min readContents:
A set of hidden HTML tags which helps search engines to define information about the page content are called meta tags. In simple words, meta tags are the information that is contained in the page’s source code and can be seen when the user is viewing the source code or looking at the snippets in the SERP (search engine result pages).
Meta tags are usually set up in the web page’s head area. The primary job of meta tags is to communicate with a search engine, and that is why the majority of the meta tags are only visible to the search engines. Meta tags can be divided into three main types: meta tag title, meta keywords and meta description.
Meta title, unlike meta keywords, is visible to both the search engine and website visitors. The primary purpose of meta title is to effectively attract visitors and inform search engines about the page content. Search engines, including Google, consider the title tag as primary information about the web page and the website which is indexed. On the other hand, the visitor will see this information even before entering the site in SERP and at their browser’s tab.
When it comes to securing a good ranking in a search engine, meta title tag is known to be the most important factor since it has positive (or in rare cases negative) impact on search engine algorithms. That is why website owners, webmasters and SEO professionals always make sure that their meta titles instantly provide the right information about the website and its main purpose. Otherwise, search engines may punish the site for misleading the visitor and push it down in positions or even exclude from the SERP.
With proper meta tags, the website may rank high and get organic traffic from the search engines. Title tag text appears in SERP snippets (clickable content), and a meaningful title tag may boost your search traffic. As a result, you will get more website visitors and potential customers.
More than a dozen of years ago meta information was considered as a crucial factor for SEO success. During that time, a lot of publications in SEO space were focused on meta titles, keywords, descriptions… Everyone was worried about headings and other things used for on-page optimization. A lot of SEO specialists were trying to trick search engines and make the websites rank higher by creating over optimized meta tags.
Later, Google algorithms changed, and most digital marketing agencies became less focused on metadata, missing out a lot of benefits it can bring to the website. Google still recognizes meta title tags and uses them to decide whether the site deserves to rank high in SERP. Of course, algorithms are changing from time to time. Nevertheless, metadata still works and will be working for years.
The reality is that no matter how smart search engine bots are, the user behavior is more important for Google. Correctly set up meta title tags play a primary role in your CTR (Click Through Rate) indexes, which still have a positive impact on your positions in SERP and allow search engines to recognize your website as a popular one, rewarding your online presence with more traffic and higher positions on the search.
All in all, proper on-site search engine optimization that’s performed with the regard to the keywords the website owner wants to target is the way to improve your website’s positions without spending an excessive amount of money on advertising. And website SEO conducted without the inclusion of a well-thought metadata strategy may not even be called as smart SEO.
If you would like to find out if your metadata is properly set up on your website, need help with it or would like to discuss SEO opportunities for your business, drop us a line. WiserBrand cyber team will dive into your online presence and fix the issues you might have.
