| Metadata, Keyword Modifiers, and more |
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 published in LED Digest 2251: Sites for Users not Search Engines From: Nathan Holley Subject: Metadata > ... I stand firm that having good site content, > creating strategically crafted meta tags (i.e. > Title Tag and Description Tag)...will get a site > listed in a top position... - Kym McLaughlin, LED 2250 Don't forget that title tags aren't meta tags, they are displayed to the user directly in the browser (for instance in the user's browser "favorites") unlike the keyword meta and description meta tags which are hidden from view. But title tags are very important, and with the description meta can be influential in search results. Since these two tags are what is displayed in most search engines' results, it's wise to use them to advantage. On a more practical note... Good to be snappy and descriptive in the title (with your keywords), but keep it unique to that page. And keep it short - around 10 words or less - with your most favored keywords coming early in the title tag. Also, try to create a call-to-action in the description tag. Short, sweet, and leave them wanting to find out / buy / know / subscribe to your stuff. I'm surprised the description-meta is not used to better advantage by so many sites. Use (relevant) keyword modifiers to your advantage. What are modifiers? Here's a quick run-down: By "modifying" your primary, favored keywords in certain ways, search engines will treat them as completely separate search terms. This has an effect of widening the scope of targeted traffic from your more narrow, specialized keywords. Examples are singular and plural forms of words, using apostrophes and hyphens, common misspellings, tying words together or splitting them up, country-specific language (for instance, color and colour, or even braces and suspenders), abbreviations, etc. All this stuff is important. But here's something even more important: don't create your site for the search engines! Create it for the user. If good design, thoughtful navigation and usability, and gripping content are all put online, it's only a matter of TIME until the traffic starts coming. Honestly, with the amount of MFA (made-for-AdSense) and other junk on the Web today the search engines are dying for the good stuff. That's what GYM (Google / MSN / Yahoo! - thanks to Eric Ward for that one) are looking for, that's what their algorithms are being tuned to find, that's what they WANT. All this gaming, worrying, and fussing can actually have the effect of creating diminishing returns. Even if we're not gaming, we're tweaking, optimizing, etc, and we're using valuable time that could be better served elsewhere. Nathan Holley Comments (2)
Jeff
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| Thanks for the useful information. I also believe that good site content with meta tags and your other suggestions are right on the money! Thank You... |
Anthony Bradley
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| I have to agree that people are far too concerned about pleasing the search engines rather than the people who matter, their visitors. If the content is good and the search engines have their algorithms right then a website should eventually be a success. Everyone wants to be top of the rankings but not everyone can, so relax and write more good quality content which is what your visitors and the search engines want. |
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