Meta Tags For SEO That Google Supports - October 3rd, 2024

Meta tags for SEO are small pieces of code that give search engines important details about your web page, like how it should appear in search results, what should be visible to users, and much more. They also guide web browsers on how to display the page to visitors.

Although every web page has different meta tags, you can only see them in the HTML code of the website. In this guide, you will learn how to correctly use the six most important meta tags for SEO and understand what to avoid when using them.

Meta Tags For SEO – Key Takeaways

Meta tags like meta title, meta description, and meta robots control how your page appears and functions in search results. This influences both search engine rankings and user engagement.
The <meta charset> tag helps web pages to display text correctly, ensuring a better user experience and supporting multiple languages.
Meta refresh redirects can automatically move users to new or updated pages, improving user experience and reducing bounce rates. However, for permanent page changes, using a 301 redirect is recommended for better SEO impact.

1. Meta Title

The first important thing in meta tags for seo is- A meta title, also known as the title tag, is an important element of a web page that defines the title of the page. It is what appears as the clickable headline in search engine results when someone searches for a topic related to your content.

Having a clear and relevant meta title is crucial for SEO (Search Engine Optimization) because it helps search engines rank your page better and makes your page more attractive to users.

Meta Title Tag For SEO

Meta Title Best Practices

Some of the Meta tags for SEO best practices include:

Create a unique title tag for each page.
Keep it brief but clear.
Avoid using vague or generic titles.
Use sentence case or title case.
Write something that catches attention and encourages clicks.
Match what people are searching for.
Include your main keyword naturally.
Keep the title under 60 characters.

How To Add Meta Title Tag

To add the meta title tag to your web page, you have to write the following below-written code below within the head section of your HTML document.

<title> This is the title of the page. </title>

2. Meta Description Tag

A meta description tag is a brief summary of a webpage content. It appears under the title of the web page in search engine results and helps users to understand what the page is about. A well-written meta description can attract more clicks by giving a clear idea of the page’s content and relevance.

Meta Description Tag

Meta Description Best Practices

Some of the meta description best practices that will help you to write clean, clear, and attractive meta descriptions for your page include:

Write a unique description for every page.
Summarize the content clearly and accurately.
Avoid using general or copied descriptions.
Make the description appealing and relevant, but avoid clickbait.
Ensure it matches the search intent of the user.
Include the target keyword naturally where it fits.
Keep the length below 160 characters.

How To Add Meta Description Tag

To add this meta tag for SEO in your web page, you have to write the following below-written code below within the head section of your HTML document.

3. Meta Robots

The meta robot tag is an HTML element used to control how search engines crawl and index a webpage. It tells search engines whether to show a page in search results and follow the links on that page. This tag is useful for managing SEO and controlling which pages appear in search results.

Using the wrong attributes in the meta robots tag can seriously harm your site’s visibility in search results. Your SEO performance depends on understanding this tag and using it correctly.

Here are the main values you can use in these meta tags for SEO:

index: Tells search engines to include the page in search results.
noindex: Tells search engines not to include the page in search results.
follow: Tells search engines to follow and crawl the links on the page.
nofollow: Tells search engines not to follow the links on the page.

Meta View Report Tag

A Meta View report tag is a type of tag used in web development and digital marketing to provide information about a webpage to search engines and other online services.

The main purpose of this tag is to communicate important details about the webpage, like its title, description, and keywords. This information helps search engines to understand what the page is about.

Benefits Of Meta View Report Tag

Improved Search Engine Rankings: By providing clear information through these tags, you increase the chances of your webpage appearing higher in search results.
Better User Engagement: A well-written title and description can attract more clicks from users, leading to increased traffic on your site.
Enhanced Visibility: Search engines use these tags to display relevant information, making your webpage stand out in search results.

How To Add Meta View Report Tag?

You can find the Meta View report tag in the `<head>` section of an HTML document. This is the part of the webpage that is not visible to users but is crucial for search engines, this is one of the most used meta tags for SEO that will help you to boost you sites visibility.

4. Meta Charset

The <meta charset> tag is an HTML element that specifies the character for a web page. Character basically determines how text is represented and stored in a digital format. This meta tags for SEO is important because it helps in making the site attractive by allowing it to display different characters seamlessly.

How To Add Meta Charset Title Tag

The <meta charset> tag is placed within the <head> section of an HTML document. It tells the web browser which character set to use when displaying the content on the page. The most common character encoding is UTF-8. It supports a wide range of characters from different languages and symbols. Using <meta charset=”UTF-8″> ensures that your web page can display text correctly, regardless of the language or special characters used.

Why is the Meta View Charset Tag Important in SEO?

Proper Display of Content: If the character encoding is not set correctly, some characters may not display properly. This can lead to broken text or unreadable content, which can frustrate users and increase bounce rates.
User Experience: A clear and readable page is crucial for user experience. When visitors can read your content without issues, they are more likely to stay on your site, engage with your content, and return in the future.
Search Engine Crawling: Search engines use bots to crawl and index web pages. If your character encoding is not specified, it may cause confusion for these bots. This could lead to improper indexing of your content, making it harder for users to find your site in search results.
Localization and Internationalization: If your website targets a global audience, using the correct character encoding ensures that users can see characters from various languages correctly. This can help improve your site’s reach and relevance in different regions.
SEO Best Practices: Including the `<meta charset>` tag is a best practice in web development. It shows that you care about the quality and accessibility of your content, which can positively impact your SEO efforts.

5. Meta Refresh Redirect

A meta-refresh redirect is a way to automatically send users from one webpage to another after a certain amount of time. This tag tells the browser to refresh the page and redirect the user to a new URL after a set number of times, usually 0 or 5 seconds.

Here is how it works:

When a user visits a webpage with a meta refresh redirect, the browser reads the meta tag.
After the specified time, the browser automatically takes the user to the newly defined webpage.

Why Is Refresh Redirect Important in SEO?

User Experience: A meta refresh can improve user experience by automatically guiding visitors to the right content without requiring them to click a link. This can be useful if a page has moved or if you want to direct users to updated information.
Handling Page Changes: If a webpage is permanently moved to a new location, a meta refresh can help ensure that users reach the correct page. However, it’s often better to use a 301 redirect for permanent moves because it tells search engines that the page has moved.
Reducing Bounce Rates: By automatically redirecting users to relevant content, meta refresh redirects can help to reduce bounce rates. A lower bounce rate can signal to search engines that your site provides valuable content, which can positively impact your SEO.
Temporary Content Changes: If you temporarily want to direct users to a different page (like a maintenance page or an update), a meta refresh redirect can be a quick solution.

Learn Digital Marketing Skills With PW Skills

Are you looking to kickstart your career in digital marketing with confidence? Look no further than PW Skills!

Our comprehensive Digital Marketing with AI course not only provides expert training from top professionals in leading multinational companies but also offers daily practice sheets, regular doubt sessions, and extensive alumni support.

Not only this, our course also includes 100% placement assistance; ensuring you land the job of your dreams after completing our program. Join PW Skills today and embark on a rewarding journey in digital marketing!

Recommended Course

Meta Tags For SEO FAQs

How do meta tags affect SEO?

Meta tags impact SEO by influencing how your site appears in search results. A well-written meta title and description can increase click-through rates and help search engines categorize your content better.

Can meta tags improve website rankings?

Yes, meta tags can indirectly improve website rankings by increasing click-through rates and enhancing user experience. While they don’t directly impact rankings, well-crafted meta tags make your site more appealing in search results.

What is the difference between meta title and meta description?

The meta title appears as the clickable headline in search results, while the meta description is a brief summary that appears below the title. Both are essential for providing information to users and search engines.

Are meta keywords still relevant for SEO?

No, meta keywords are no longer relevant for SEO. Most search engines, including Google, do not use meta keywords for ranking purposes as they are often misused.