As a web development agency in Chicago, Codal recognizes the role that meta tags and meta descriptions play in a website’s ability to be found organically. Google is unclear what their exact algorithm is for their search engine and its ranking system; however, one thing is for certain, these page descriptors can impact the click-through rate (CTR) that a page has.
Clicks, views, interactions- the more the merrier for any website domain. “Metadata” is the content that these web pages posses and what their meta tags or meta descriptions are representing.
Meta Tags and Meta Descriptions and Optimization, Oh My!
Meta tags and meta descriptions are the welcome mats, if you will, for a website. “Here I am, this is what I’m about, now click, and learn more about me.”
The gray text (shown above) underneath Codal’s hyperlink is the meta description for the UX company. The meta description gives a brief summary of what the web page contains. Although it can be any length (anywhere between 5-300 words), the optimal meta description makes the page seem valuable or ‘click-worthy.’
As Google experts say, the meta description does not have any effect on the SEO of the website. Yet, this brief description is pivotal for gaining site traffic and for correctly portraying the material contained in the hyperlink.
(Meta)Tag, You’re it!
The Yin to the yang of the meta description is the meta tag. Unlike the meta description, which can be seen by the common user, the meta tag is hidden in the HTML makeup of the web page.
The aesthetically pleasing, multicolored text at the bottom of the software development agency’s page would be the meta tags. Meta tags are essentially buzzwords that best represent a bulk of the content on the page. Unlike the meta description, which is a block of text, meta tags are single words. For Codal, the meta tags include, “UX design and mobile application development agency,” “Mobile App Development Agency,” so on and so forth.
Source (Close up of a block of HTML, meta tags are highlighted)
The Google search engine, up until 2009, used meta tags in their search ranking. However, due to “keyword stuffing”– stuffing unrelated keywords into meta tags of more popular sites to drive site traffic– Google devalued our dear friend, the meta tag.
I know the future looks bleak for the meta tag; however, don’t lose hope. Although the meta tag did lose some leeway in its influence, it still is something that search engines look at.
Search engines look to see the validity of your meta tags to the overall content presented throughout your page. Essentially, are you throwing out frivolous tags for the views, or are they representative (part to whole) of your site.
Then, in turn, the search engines will send the navigators of the World Wide Web your way if there is a match. If your keywords are representative of your site and are a match with what a user is looking for- it’s a match made in heaven.
You also think meta tags and descriptions are important… What’s next?
As a web development agency, Codal is aware of the importance that meta tags and meta descriptions play in organic search ranking. Thus, if you’re looking for an innovative way to optimize a web page and its design, contact us!
No comments:
Post a Comment