SEO, Meta Tags and Algorithms

SEO, Meta Tags and Algorithms
By Vickie J. Scanlon

SEO and Meta Tags and Algorithms must be considered when you are optimizing your site. But let's begin with algorithm and it's connection to Meta Tags and SEO.


What is an algorithm?

What is an algorithm? It is the method/formula used by a search engine to determine the relevancy and importance of a web page. Algorithms are, as you have seen with Google in the last year, becoming more advanced. Google is attempting to make the pages more relevant for it customers. There are many things considered within the algorithm, so you have to ask yourself, with all the changes are Meta tags still important in the optimization process? I would say, yes.

But which Meta tags are useful and which are not? It depends who you are talking too.


Meta Tags Useful or Not?
So which meta tags are useful? Let's begin with meta tag robots.

Meta tag Robots

The Meta tag robots tag can be very beneficial. This can tell a search engine how to proceed on your page. The below example tell the search engine to index and follow through:

META NAME="robots" CONTENT="INDEX, FOLLOW"

META NAME=”robots” CONTENT=”NOINDEX, NOFOLLOW”

(Tells robot not index page or to scan it for links on this page)

Note: Though this tag may be useful for robots that follow the rules, in most cases there are robots such as email harvesters that completely ignore the tag completely.

Meta Tag Description - Meta tag descriptions can be either short or long descriptions. The short Meta tag description is great for navigational queries, while the long description is good for SEO.

Meta Keywords - There is a lot of give and take when it comes to the Meta keywords tag. Here's some of the comment I have heard:

1. Some people say that the Meta keywords is obsolete, others say it is not so.
2. Some say the big search engines may not utilize them, but some say the small search engines do.
3. Some webmasters say that they use it as a reference, other say, no-no don't it will give the competition unfair advantage.

So, you be the judge. If you do use keywords, be sure to make sure that your page is within keyword page density.

To conclude, yes Meta tags are still used, and if used appropriately can help you to be user-friendly to search engines and your SEO process, as well as, giving the robots, that mind their manners. the instructions they need when they hit your site.

About the Author:
Vickie J Scanlon -- Visit her site at: My Affiliate Place for tools, ebook reviews, computers, security software and products for business, and SEO how to info for the Affiliate Marketer/Internet Marketer.