Top 10 SEO Tips and Tricks | Meta Keywords Tip 10

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Tip 10 of my Top 10 Tips and Tricks for building a search engine optimized (SEO) website from the ground up is Meta Keywords and the last in this series.

Meta keywords

On the web, a keyword is a reference to the content and/or the type of meta element included in a given web page’s HTML code to aid in the page’s indexing. A keyword meta element may include several comma-separated keywords (or keyword phrases, each of which may contain several individual words) as follows

<meta name=”keywords” content=”keyword, another keyword, one more keyword” />

Looking back in the 90’s, the search engine crawlers were relatively poor in terms of analysis capabilities, and, thus, the meta keywords were a simple way to detect the topics of a page. Historically, it has been the first way to optimize for search engines, however, no major search engine today claims to read the keywords which has raised the question of whether they are still needed at all.

While the meta keyword debate rages on … Are they really of value? Should I use them? My position is that I use them, qualified by, “if you are going to use meta keywords you might as well use them right.” Search engines may not give them much value but if you use meta keywords in your tags that you don’t use on the page you might be penalized.

What does this look like? Well first and foremost DO NOT use too many meta keywords. How many actual topics will you use on a web page? My goal is to shoot for 5 to 7 actual keyword phrases. Make sure the keyword phrases are actually used on the page in which they are entered into meta keyword tags.

I have actually seen sites that had more keywords than they had words on the page. Don’t let this happen to you. Be practical, use the keyword or keyword phrases you are using on the page, make them relevant. Search engines like relevancy. If search engines like what you do you will get search love from the them.

Here is an example of a Golf site that has 30 meta keywords on their front page.

Earlier in this project you actually did your keyword research and selected your keywords and keyword phrases. You built your text outline using the keyword and keyword phrases. You probably already have the basis for your meta keyword tags.

Now you have done it all:

1. Keyword Research
2. Keyword Selection
3. Theme Selection
4. URL Selection
5. Site Architecture
6. Text Structure (outline)
7. Meta Descriptions and Title Tags
8. Submitting to Search Engines (or not)
9. Submitting to Directories (free and paid)
10. Meta Keywords

So now you are done. You can set back and let the visitors and dollars roll in right.

No you are just beginning. Remember SEO is not a one time thing that you do and forget. It is a process that needs to be continually checked and updated. What you have done is establish a good foundation for the SEO process.

The PDF version will be available soon on Search Engine Optimization Portland.

late,
gary pool

This is a post from Gary Pool’s Search Engine Optimizician&trade blog.

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