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MVI Solutions
6301 N.W. 5th Way
Suite 4500
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309
Phone: 1.877.633.9536 |
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| KEYWORD META TAG |
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| As soon as someone begins researching search engine placement, they'll likely hear that meta tags are not the answer most beginners think they are. Over the years, they're quickly told, too many webmasters have abused the meta tags, which, is true. This article only talks and relates to Keyword META tags and should not be confused with Title Tag META tags. |
| The meta-keywords tag was designed as "a way to insert text into an HTML page that is not visible when the page is viewed through a browser." This definition, along with a good history of the meta tag, is available at various place on the web. Exactly two years ago, Inktomi was then the only major search engine still supporting the meta-keywords tag and, in MVI opinion, it was no longer worth using. Except, that was then and this is now. |
| We're not just talking about tiny, little Inktomi any more. We're talking about Yahoo! (who bought Inktomi and used it as the foundation for it's new search engine), and Yahoo! has the potential to deliver a LOT of traffic.Take a look at Yahoo's advice on using the meta-keyword tag: |
| "Use a keyword meta-tag to list key words for the document. Use a Distinct list of keywords that relate to the specific page on your site instead of using one broad set of keywords for every page." |
| So what exactly does that mean? Maybe the best way to answer that question is to look at some examples of how Yahoo! takes its own advice. |
| At http://autos.yahoo.com we find the following keyword meta-tag: |
| <meta name="keywords" content="cars, auto, autos, car, Kelley blue book, kelly blue book, auto insurance, car insurance, kbb,car reviews, car pictures, used car prices, new car prices, blue book, compare cars, auto show, car shows, car search, car ratings, car safety, yahoo autos, buy a car, build a car, auto warranty, auto loans, auto loan calculator, car specs, auto insurance quotes, car models"> |
| Note, however, the alternate spellings for kelley and kelly, one of the principal uses of the meta-keywords tag. For several years, many have recommended only including keywords in your list that can actually be found on the page -- and that is absolutely wrong! You should also include misspellings and synonyms not on the page. |
Note, too, the keyword phrases are separated by commas, which answers another frequent question in the forums. This particular keyword list runs about 370 characters, much less than the 1,000 or 2,000 character limits I've seen recommended by others. Use that information as you will, but remember to consider the source (Yahoo! should know, after all). |
| Let's dig a little deeper (literally) at the same site. At http://autos.yahoo.com/new_cars we find this keyword meta-tag: |
| <meta name="keywords" content="Cars, new cars, sports cars, hybrid cars, suv, trucks, vans, convertibles, minivans, wagons, sedans, luxury cars, makeslist"> |
The important thing to notice here is that this keyword list is substantially different than the first. Apparently, when they say we shouldn't use "one broad set of keywords for every page" they actually mean it. If Yahoo! gives little weight to the meta-keyword tag, and other engines like Google and AltaVista reportedly give no weight and may not even index it, is it really worth the effort to devise a different keyword list for every page on your site? |
That's going to obviously be a personal call. Certainly, they aren't a panacea or silver bullet to great rankings, even on Yahoo!, and there are a WHOLE LOT of things of greater importance. MVI has always used the meta tag for keywords more as a comment field than anything else. Six months from now, when MVI revises the content on a page, it's helpful to know what keywords I was targeting. If Yahoo! is giving weight to my internal notes, so much the better. |
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