Meta-data talking to search engines
Website meta-data is data about data - embedded code that summarises and describes to search engines what a webpage is all about. As an extreme example, meta-data allows you to describe the content of a webpage to a search engine using keywords that aren’t even featured in the visible on-page content. But meta-data is best used in harmony with other SEO principles, complementing your on-page content and reinforcing your main keywords.
Make your site search engine-friendly with optimised meta-data!
- Search engines index your site more accurately
- Gets your strongest keywords into search engine results
- Users see at a glance who you are and what you
- Encourages clicks through to your site
Meta-data and SEO
Meta-data is a key element of an effective Search Engine Optimisation strategy. We can conduct extensive competitor and market analysis to uncover the most effective keywords and keyphrases for your business, and then integrate them into your website’s meta-data. Once implemented, we can monitor their effectiveness in the context of your site to learn about how well they’re working for you, and make changes if required.
Rank higher with targeted meta-data
The outcome of this research and tracking is focused meta-data that improves your overall level of Search Engine Optimisation and drives your website up the natural search engine listings. Although modern search engine algorithms operate on a more complex level than simply analysing webpage and meta-data content, metadata optimisation is still recognised as an essential method for Search Engine Optimisation.
Effective meta-data – give users what they want
As with optimising your on-page content, the best meta-data is derived from thinking like a user. By using the same keywords and keyphrases that your target audience use when looking for the goods and/or services you offer, you’re more likely to feature in the search engine results for those phrases. Targeted meta-data is effective meta-data.
Meta-data – the 'invisible' descriptor
Meta-data is not visible in the content of a website, but you can view the source code by selecting the relevant view option in your web browser. For consistency, there are various sets of internationally recognised standards governing the implementation of meta-data, which the major search engines such as Google, Yahoo! and MSN encourage through recognition in their algorithms.
Is your meta-data up to scratch? Find out with your free website SEO analysis here.
Examples of three types of meta-data:
Meta-Title Tag - the first tag on a page that's seen by search engine spiders. Important for enticing users to click through to your site.
Meta-Description Tag - an embedded code that gives search engine crawlers a snapshot of a webpage’s theme and content.
Meta-Keywords Tag – along with the on-page content, this tag provides search engines with a brief synopsis of the main keywords contained on the page.
Meta-data – in practice:
The best way to describe meta-data to the uninitiated is to give an example – and where better to look than at home! Below is the meta-data for this page:
Meta-Title: The WebMarketing Group - metadata, meta data, html metadata, meta keywords
Meta-Description: Meta Data is an important part of the HTML of each web page. It signifies to Users and Search engines what the page is about – the Title Tag and the Meta description are both used in the Search Engine results page.
Meta-Keyword: metadata
Meta-data – a fundamental component of effective Search Engine Optimisation
Worried about your meta-data? Request your free website SEO analysis here.