Meta keywords are HTML tags found in a webpage’s head section. They describe relevant keywords and phrases for the content on that page.
The meta keywords tag looks like this:
<meta name=”keywords” content=”keyword 1, keyword 2, keyword 3″>
The purpose of meta keywords is to help search engines understand content and match it to a searcher’s query. This could improve your pages’ rankings in search results.
The metadata of a webpage consists of the meta title, meta description, and meta keywords. The meta title is the bolded, blue, clickable headline in search results. The paragraph that summarizes the page that appears beneath the title is called the meta description.
Although meta keywords play a significant role in search engine optimization (SEO), most search engines no longer use them to determine rankings. Some SEOs think they are still helpful in directing search engine crawlers. In general, meta titles and descriptions are seen as being far more crucial to SEO.
Should you use meta-keywords?
The effectiveness of meta keywords for search engine optimization (SEO) has been debated over the years. Years ago, when Google stopped using keywords as a ranking factor, many thought meta keywords were obsolete. Great news! Although Google may not prioritize meta keywords, other search engines like Bing, Yahoo, and DuckDuckGo still value them. Keep optimizing!
So, should you use meta keywords or not? The short answer is that they likely won’t hurt, but they aren’t critical for SEO. Meta keywords may still provide some potential benefits:
They allow you to specify keywords relevant to your content, which search engines may analyze.
They serve as internal optimization reminders for you or other editors to focus on important keywords.
In rare cases, they help improve rankings in smaller search engines.
Some SEO tools use meta keywords as part of their analysis.
But these days, meta keywords are not a top SEO consideration. Prioritize optimizing and adding keywords to your content, headers, titles, alt text for images, and other on-page components. Include relevant meta-keywords if you have the time and space. However, give up on perfectly optimized meta keyword tags as most sites are unlikely to benefit from them directly in search rankings.
Where to add meta keywords
You can add meta keywords in two main places:
To add meta keywords to individual pages:
<head>
<meta name="keywords" content="keywords, keyword phrases">
</head>To add site-wide meta keywords in WordPress:
For Blogger sites:
- Go to Layout » Edit HTML.
- Find the
<head>section. - Add a
<meta>tag with your keywords, like:
“`HTML
– Save and publish the template.
Now your major pages and site will be optimized for your target keywords!
How to Select Effective Keywords
Optimizing meta keywords requires careful selection of relevant keywords. Here are some tips:
Research keywords Related to your content topic. Look at keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner to find high-volume, relevant keywords that people search for.
Look at competitors’ keywords. Using a tool like SEMrush, research the meta keywords your competitor sites use for similar content. These are keywords people search for in your niche.
Aim for 3-5 keywords per page. You want to stuff only a few keywords, but including a few strongly related keywords ensures your page has a good chance of ranking.
Focus on keyword phrases. Not just single words. For example, it is “content marketing strategy” rather than “content marketing”. Phrases are more specific.
Consider LSI keywords. LSI keywords are words that search engines associate with your main keywords. For example, secondary keywords for “content marketing strategy” could be “content creation” or “creating a content plan.”
Make keywords relevant to your content. Don’t just add random keywords. They should match the focus of each specific page.
Format properly. Separate meta keywords with commas, as most search engines will ignore keywords formatted incorrectly.
Choosing solid and relevant keywords tailored to each page will help boost your SEO and rankings. But don’t over-optimize, and focus first on creating valuable content.
Length and optimization
When adding meta keywords, the ideal length is 150-300 characters. You want your list of keywords to be thorough but manageable. The search engines will generally ignore any keywords after about 300 characters.
Avoid keyword stuffing by using relevant keywords in order of specificity. For example, for a blog post about growing tomatoes, the meta keywords could be:
gardening, vegetable gardening, growing vegetables, tomato gardening, growing tomatoes, caring for tomatoes, tomato planting, tomato care, tomato cultivation
This covers some broader terms like “gardening” and “vegetable gardening” before getting into more specifics like “growing tomatoes” and “tomato care.” Going from wide to narrow keywords helps cover related searches and topics.
Keep your list focused on essential, relevant keywords. Avoid stuffing as many keywords as possible, as search engines will ignore overly stuffed meta tags. Optimize for real users first, not just algorithms.
Formatting meta keywords
When entering your list of keywords and phrases in the meta keywords tag, there are a couple of formatting rules to follow:
Separate each keyword and phrase with a comma. This allows search engines to parse the individual terms quickly.
Use double quotes around multi-word keywords and phrases. This tells the search engine to treat the phrase as a single keyword instead of separate words.
For example:
This would include the individual keywords “content marketing” and “search engine optimization,” along with the 2-word phrase “website meta tags.”
The keywords don’t need to be in any particular order. Search engines will parse the list and determine relevancy based on their algorithms.
Keep the formatting simple with just commas and quotes. Other symbols or formatting choices like brackets or dashes may need to be addressed.
Correctly formatting your meta keywords helps search engines accurately index and target your content for relevant keyword searches. Just remember commas for individual keywords and quotes for multi-word phrases.
Updating keywords over time
One key aspect of effective meta keyword optimization is to review and update them regularly over time. As your website grows and evolves, you’ll want to make sure your keywords continue to reflect the content accurately.
Perform an audit every 3-6 months of existing keywords versus new content. Look for gaps where you need keywords to match new pages or sections of your site.
As you expand into new topics and categories, add relevant keywords. For example, if you start writing product reviews, include appropriate product and category keywords.
Remove outdated or irrelevant keywords that are no longer applicable. If pages are removed or you move away from certain content, remove those keywords.
Leverage keyword research tools to find new keywords and phrases driving traffic to your competitors. Target these to stay current with search trends and demand.
Revisit top-performing content and see if there are additional keywords to optimize. Look for phrases and themes in popular posts that could become new keywords.
Consider seasonality and timeliness – are there keywords tied to seasons, events, or holidays to capitalize on? Add these in relevant periods.
Track keyword performance over time and double down on ones driving traffic and engagement. Cut ones that aren’t triggering results.
Revisiting your meta keyword optimization should become a regular habit. By keeping keywords fresh and relevant, you’ll attract more search traffic as demands and trends shift.
Keyword tracking
Once you’ve implemented meta keywords, tracking their performance over time is essential. This will show you which keywords effectively drive traffic and conversions on your site.
The best way to track keywords is through your website analytics. Visitors’ search terms for finding your pages can be followed using Google Analytics and other analytics tools. You can see which keywords result in the most clicks and conversions.
Specifically, look at your site’s search console. This will show keyword impressions, clicks, and click-through rates. Sort by click-through rate to see which keywords perform best.
If you wish to monitor the number of goal completions on your website, you can establish conversion tracking on Google Analytics. See which keywords contribute to your desired actions, like email signups or purchases.
Analyze this keyword data regularly, such as each month or quarter. Identify any new high-performing keywords that you should focus on optimizing for. Also, look for underperforming keywords that you may want to eliminate or reduce emphasis on.
Proper keyword tracking and analysis will help you optimize your site’s SEO over time. Focus your efforts on driving traffic and conversions from the most effective keywords. Continually refine your keywords to match searcher intent and perform well for your content.
Additional SEO Optimization Tips
Do you know that implementing excellent SEO optimization strategies can significantly boost your blog post’s ranking on search engine results? While meta keywords are important, there are other ways that you can increase your blog’s visibility and get more traffic to your site. Let’s explore these optimization techniques and unlock the full potential of your blog!
Write meta descriptions. A meta description is a short paragraph summarizing a page’s content. It displays in search results under the page title to provide more context. Meta descriptions can influence click-through rates from search engines, so craft compelling descriptions up to 160 characters.
Use strategic page titles – A page’s title tag appears at the top of the browser and as the clickable headline in search results. Include important keywords, but create readable titles that make users want to click. Titles can be up to 65 characters.
Create XML sitemaps – An XML sitemap is a powerful tool that can help boost your site’s visibility on search engines. Creating a sitemap of your website allows search engines to index your content, making it more visible to users. Take advantage of potential traffic – create an XML sitemap today! This ensures search engines don’t miss any of your content. Some plugins can auto-generate a sitemap for your WordPress site.
Meta Keywords Alternatives
While meta keywords were once a vital optimization tactic, they have diminished in importance due to search engine algorithm updates. Instead of relying on meta keywords, focus your efforts on optimizing your overall content.
Focus on Content Optimization
Rather than trying to stuff keywords into meta tags, create valuable content that naturally uses relevant keywords. Write long-form, in-depth articles that provide information searchers are looking for. Optimize your content for visitors, not just search engines.
Use Google Analytics Data
Review your Google Analytics reports to see which keywords drive traffic to your site. Identify high-performing terms that could be incorporated into content. Look for keyword gaps where you need to create content targeting specific searches.
Leverage SEM/PPC Keyword Tools
Keyword research tools for pay-per-click advertising campaigns can also inform SEO content creation. Look for high-volume, low-competition keyword opportunities to tailor content to target these searches.You can build an organic search by focusing on content optimization and keyword research.
2 comments
[…] – Compelling page titles and meta descriptions help get clicks from search engine results pages. This drives qualified traffic to your […]
[…] Write engaging meta descriptions that summarize the page content. Include the target keyword, but prioritize user readability. Keep meta descriptions within 150-160 characters. […]