Meta Tags SEO
Meta tags SEO are HTML tags in the <head> that give search engines extra info about a page, especially to control how it's interpreted, indexed, and shown in results.
Start here
- Audit your existing pages for duplicate or missing title tags and meta descriptions.
- Set meta robots to "index, follow" on pages you want in search results.
- Write meta descriptions that are 150–160 characters, unique per page, and include a clear value proposition.
- Remove meta keywords from your templates — they're useless for Google.
- Use Google Search Console to verify how your meta tags are being read.
Let me save you the trial and error I went through.
What I'd do first
- Check your title tag is unique and includes your primary keyword near the front.
- Write a meta description that reads like a real sentence — not keyword soup — and includes a call to action.
- Set meta robots to "index, follow" unless you have a specific reason not to (like a thank-you page).
- Use Google Search Console's URL inspection tool to see how Google sees your meta tags.
- Ignore meta keywords entirely. Seriously.
Plain-English take
Meta tags are HTML elements that sit in the <head> section of your page. They don't show up on the page itself, but search engines read them to understand what the page is about and how to handle it. Think of them as a note you leave for the librarian, not a sign you hang on the shelf.
The ones you need to care about:
- Title tag — the clickable headline in search results. Big ranking factor.
- Meta description — the blurb under the title. Not a ranking factor, but it influences whether people click.
- Meta robots — tells Google whether to index the page and follow links.
- Viewport — helps with mobile display (not a ranking factor, but important for user experience).
Everything else? Google mostly ignores it.
When it actually matters
- Launching a new page — every page needs a unique title and description. Don't skip them.
- Fixing a page that isn't showing up in search — check your meta robots tag. You might have accidentally set it to "noindex."
- Trying to improve click-through rate — a well-written meta description can make the difference between someone clicking your result or a competitor's.
- Running an SEO audit — meta tags are one of the first things to check. Duplicate titles and missing descriptions are common issues.
- Building a site structure — consistent use of meta tags helps Google understand your site hierarchy.
What I got wrong
- I used to stuff meta keywords with every variation of my target phrase. Turns out, Google hasn't used it for ranking since 2009. I was just handing my keyword list to competitors.
- I thought meta description was a ranking factor. It's not — but it does affect click-through rate, which can indirectly help.
- I once accidentally set meta robots to "noindex" on a whole section of my site. Took me weeks to figure out why those pages weren't in Google.
- I assumed all meta tags were equally important. They're not. Focus on title, description, and robots. The rest are noise.
Next step
Sources
Primary documentation is linked directly. Anything commercial is marked nofollow.
- Google Search Central - Special Tags — Official list of meta tags Google supports and how they're processed.
- Google Search Central - Snippet Controls — Explains how title and meta description affect search result appearance.
- W3C HTML Specification — Technical reference for meta element placement and structure in HTML.
Notes from Callum Bennett.