What are Meta descriptions, Tags and Keywords?

It really is not as complicated as you might think. Let’s start by asking a very simple question will add Meta titles, keywords, tags, descriptions make your site shoot up the search engines to the top?

Easy to answer this, no! However, don’t give up on them as they do hold importance to search engine rankings and SEO optimisation. The correct Meta titles and keywords will help the major search engines such as Google and Yahoo index your site and understand what your site is offering.

Let’s look at the different functions

Meta Title:

This is what it says on the tin, the title! Have a look at the website in the very top left-hand corner of the browser window and you will see the Meta title.
What is best to put here? Our advice is simple, put exactly what the content on the page is about.
It should contain keywords, but don’t over complicate this as the title tag will be the first thing on your page.

Meta description:

This is the part that tells us about the company.
Firstly and most importantly this is a real chance for you to engage and interest the consumer as it might be the first thing they read about your company. Don’t bore them with a load of keywords, the idea is that they will click and visit your site.

Each page should have a description and the key is to tell the audience exactly what’s on the page, i.e a summary. This will increase the likelihood of people clicking through.

The description you provide for your page has to convince the person that you are providing exactly what they are looking for. If a user comes to your site and the Title and Description Tags don’t accurately match the content they actually find, you are less likely to be considered a reputable source of information.

The description for a website should be no more than 250 characters.

Meta keywords:

Finally the content itself on your pages! To increase the ranking and occurrence probability on a search engine, words relating to the website /company or business are added to the website.
For example, lets look at JBi site again on the home page content and highlight some of the keywords that relate to our business.

JBi is a leading provider of internet solutions for business of all sizes, offering professional online services from web design and development to complete interactive e-marketing.

Finally

Please remember that whilst useful, Meta tags are not a magic formula and in need to be used in part of a whole SEO strategy, not in isolation.

Please feel free to call us on 0207 078 4328 for more information