Understanding SEO Tools: Pay Attention to the Quality of Meta Data
In addition to words that are visible on the site, websites also contain meta data embedded in the site’s HTML (the coded information that the web browsers understand). These SEO tools help search engines determine how to index each web page. Meta data is not visible on the page content but can be seen by viewing the source code of a website. Three types of meta data are typically used in websites:
- HTML Title. This wording appears at the edge of a browser window when the web page is displayed. For example: If you are in a car accident in New Jersey.
- Meta Description. This concise statement describes the page. It is what shows under search results. For example: When you are in a car accident, you need to be very careful about the information you share with the police and others involved in the accident. It’s important to seek help from a personal injury lawyer who is familiar with New Jersey driving laws as soon as possible.
- Meta Keywords. These are searchable keywords that pertain to the web page. Few search engines still use this field, but it does not hurt to put in five or six relevant keywords here. For example: Car accident, police report, personal injury lawyer, new jersey driving laws.
- Alternative text. This is text used for illustrations and other graphical elements.
Quality matters
Meta data is visible to the search engines and much of it is visible to people doing searches, too. So, it’s important that this content be carefully created, grammatically correct, and spelled correctly.
You’d be surprised how many digital marketing professionals do not fully use these important SEO tools. When you need an effective search engine marketing strategy, the content specialists at Raising the Bar Media have years of experience creating website content. We understand the importance of quality meta data to ensure your website is seen by your audience and ranked favorably by search engines.
