The Sticky for Meta Description, keywords, keyword density, and title tags

[fathom]

No I'm telling you. You went back and edited your posts.

So I went back to edit typos?

Or

I went back to twist my post in a better light?

Or

I went back to dig the knife in a little deeper?

Or

I went back to make you look like a bigger fool?

What 'so you say' fussy-britches?

...I have 9300+ post and most with "edits" - so I'm consistently doing the same thing for almost 6 years... if so fiendishly deceptive... why are you the first to notice?

...what do you think... everyone else is just really dumb or maybe they are so bedazzled by my intoxicating wit, charisma and charm.

[SEO_AM]

...what do you think... maybe they are so bedazzled by my intoxicating wit, charisma and charm.

I thought you really knew yourself... Boy are you off the mark!!!

[shinny]

is it ok to put keywords in title

[seomonkeymanocp]

*smashes head on table and pulls hair out*

Yes it is ok to use your keyword in the title... The title is very important. It tells google what the page is about and is the thing that stands out on the natural listings. You need to make it clear and exciting.

[kwirl]

Well, the fact that this thread was a sticky caught my attention, and the arguing kept it for the duration of my reading. Anyway, hello everyone. I used to do SEO work a few years ago, and have recently found myself delving back into the work. How things have changed!

I tried to filter through the extraneous arguing in this thread and put together a summary. I'd appreciate if anyone wants to clarify or correct my assumptions. Thanks in advance for allowing me to waste your time! Hopefully I'll be able to translate your wasted time into constructive posts in the future!

Keyword density is not the juggernaut of SEO that it was years ago, and meta-descriptions are not places for webmasters to hide all the extra words they couldn't fit into their bloated and keyword saturated descriptions. The real SEO work now is in link acquisition and quality, along with content relevance?

I should focus my work on strong, relevant titles and headers while adding quality content to my website. While doing this, I should be networking to find ways to place links to my site on relevant and highly ranked pages with similar search results.

Is this about the sum of the thread?

[abhy2007]

hi,,every one i have read the discussion about the topic.I think some search engines like yahoo and msn are sticky on the keyword meta tag,,but title tag is the most important for the on page optimization

[netedge]

U have really been so kind to pen down the importance. But a slight confusion, meta description tags are important or no as whenever i search i find it equally important.
thanks

[fathom]

But a slight confusion, meta description tags are important or no as whenever i search i find it equally important.
thanks
netedge

1. Meta Descriptions DO NOT aid in ranking web pages.
2. Meta Descriptions DO NOT increase overall CTR
3. Meta Descriptions DO aid in generating poor; actually down right pathetic descriptions to searchers that are more likely to become your customer [had they not seen your pathetic descriptions]
4. Most people are confused about the use of Meta Descriptions because they have been around and used since the start of the SEO trade... but that isn't really an important PLUS for using today.

Meta Description does way more harm than good... but most people fear change... and why they prefer to embrace the harm with open arms.

[netedge]

1. Meta Descriptions DO NOT aid in ranking web pages.
2. Meta Descriptions DO NOT increase overall CTR
3. Meta Descriptions DO aid in generating poor; actually down right pathetic descriptions to searchers that are more likely to become your customer [had they not seen your pathetic descriptions]
4. Most people are confused about the use of Meta Descriptions because they have been around and used since the start of the SEO trade... but that isn't really an important PLUS for using today.

Meta Description does way more harm than good... but most people fear change... and why they prefer to embrace the harm with open arms.

Thanks,
But how it harms as people generally put content with keywords in it.

[mynotion]

As my understand, based on Google SEO starter guideline - Unique Title Tag and Description is still important. But for Meta Tag Keywords, is no longer valid.

[fathom]

Thanks,
But how it harms as people generally put content with keywords in it.

People "suggest" they use Meta Description so they can better control what search engines show as a description for a page and because of this their listing appeal is better thus more searchers will click to their website... thereby increasing their CTR.

Unfortunately, they "assume" this to be the case because they target their Meta Descriptions for their chosen phrases [their most competitive phrases or their preferred phrases]... and these "phrase listings" look perfect.

Unfortunately, this in most instances is a grave error...

Example: SEOINC.com is a prominent SEO firm - there mainpage has a Meta Description:

<meta name="description" content="Search Engine Optimization Inc. - the worldwide leader offering customized SEO and PPC solutions for the past decade. Call 877-736-0006" />

A simulation of a longtail query for their website [A RANDOM EXAMPLE] might be certified seo firm case study ...and Google shows

SEO Inc. Case Studies. SEO INC CEO ON FOX 6 NEWS ... Search Engine Optimization Inc. is a professional search engine marketing firm, specializing in ...

"IF" we believe that appealing listings are a must for clicks then this SEO firm has a false sense of security in believing their "Meta Description protects them and generates a higher performance of CTR".

...I merely grabbed 5 words off the mainpage that were not included in the Meta Description...

what if we try "partial matches" some in the page content and others in the Meta Description like:

SEO Solutions Course California

...and you get this:

SEO Inc. Announces Agency Select: Enterprise SEO Solutions for Agencies ... Carlsbad, CA 92010. North County San Diego. Phone: 1-877-736-0006 ...

...I don't know about anyone else... but this doesn't seem all that attractive to me...

While people can say "those don't matter those terms are used once in a blue moon"... and they are right... but for every "targeted phrase" you rank for you have thousands of untargeted phrases that are not in the Meta Description in whole or in part and that means "the likelihood of really poor quality descriptions"... you thought you got rid of because you used a Meta Description.

That's REAL HARM... being totally oblivious to lost potential customers due to professional complacency.

Why remove the Meta Description?

...you remove a source of information from Google... and force it to use your visible page content... and you have absolute control over how this is displayed [and you can see the issues early so they can be fixed] ... but when you allow Google to pool information sources so it can take "a little here; and a little there... and "crap appeal" is the end game.

[fathom]

As my understand, based on Google SEO starter guideline - Unique Title Tag and Description is still important. But for Meta Tag Keywords, is no longer valid.

Google's STARTER guidelines are for beginners... you don't really learn how to write a thesis in elementary school... but a thesis is a necessary requirement for PhD [e.g. advance guidelines]... so why don't you learn this is elementary school since you need it to be most advanced?

[simrn]

I don't think description tags harm in any way; it's just HOW you put this tag! make it attractive, descriptive and add title [main KW] must...

[fathom]

I don't think description tags harm in any way; it's just HOW you put this tag! make it attractive, descriptive and add title [main KW] must...

So that's good for you... a guess... but how are you sure?

If you're wrong would you even know it?

[arnoldsmithh]

i have also a website and its is not optimized having no meta keywords no meta descriptions i want to optimize it.

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