Metadata is information provided by websites that helps search engine crawlers understand the context of web pages. It includes things like title tags, keywords, descriptions, and links.
Meta tags are pieces of information that add contextual meaning to a webpage, optimize its ranking in searches, and enhance the user's browsing experiences. They help both Google and technical services know what a site is about, and whether it is trustworthy.
Meta tags are not visible to visitors but are used by Google to determine which pages are most relevant for certain keywords. There are four main types of meta tags that help improve your site's ranking.
They are as follows.
1. Title Tag - This is the most important type of meta tag. It summarizes the content of a web page and helps search engines determine what the page is about. Search engines use the title tag to identify the topic of a web page.
2. Description Tag - This is another important type of meta tag and provides additional information about a web page. It describes the content of a website, including keywords related to the site's subject matter.
3. Keywords Tag - This is the third type of meta tag that includes words used to describe a particular web page. These keywords help search engines find relevant sites based on those keywords.
4. Robots Tag - This is the fourth type of meta tag and tells search engines how to index a web page.
Metadata is the information that tells search engines how to index your web pages. Metadata includes things like the title tag, description, keywords, and file names. These are called "metadata" because it contains information about the content of your webpage.
Metadata is used by search engine crawlers to determine which pages to index and which ones not to. They help you optimize your web pages so they appear high in search engine results.
The following image shows an example of typical metadata:
<meta name="title" content="Easy Mata Tag Generator Free Tools">
<meta name="description" content="Easy Mata Tag Generator is a free tool that generates metadata automatically.">
<meta name="keywords" content="easy meta tag generator, easy meta tag generator free tools, easy meta tag generators, easy meta tag tool, easy meta tag tools, easy meta-tool, easy meta tools free, easy meta tools online.">
<meta name="robots" content="index, follow">
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
<meta name="language" content="English">
<meta name="author" content="seobegin">
Before 2009, meta tags and the keywords they contained had a significant influence on how Google ranked websites.
However, today, meta descriptions and the keyword tags they contain aren’t nearly as important.
In fact, Google doesn’t even display them anymore. But they do matter because they can help people find what they’re looking for faster.
So make sure you write great meta descriptions and tag your pages properly so that they show up in Google searches.
A meta description is one of the most important parts of your web page because it appears under your link in search results.
A meta description is typically 160 characters long, although some sites allow up to 320 characters. This is where you describe what the page is about and why someone might want to click on it.
You can use descriptive text to help people find what they're looking for faster.
The best way to make sure your meta description is effective is to test different versions of it. Test how well each version performs across multiple devices, including desktop computers, mobile phones, tablets, and smart TVs.
If you don't know much about writing meta descriptions, here are some tips to keep in mind:
1. Use relevant keywords: If you've optimized your site for specific terms, try to incorporate those words into your meta description. For example, if you sell shoes online, you could say something like "Shoes - Buy Shoes Online."
2. Be concise: Keep your meta description short and sweet. Don't use too many adjectives or adverbs.
3. Limit yourself to 150 characters: You'll probably run into space limitations sooner rather than later, so don't go over 150 characters unless you really need to.
4. Keep it positive: Don't talk about negative things, such as discounts or sales. Instead, focus on providing useful information.
5. Avoid spammy language: Spamming is a no-go. Your meta description shouldn't sound like advertising copy.