What Is Metadata and Why It Matters?

Metadata are snippets of code embedded within your website, used by Google and other search engines to help users identify what a webpage is about. These snippets typically appear in search results as headlines and descriptions, providing a brief overview of the page’s content. Metadata is critical in determining a page’s ranking in organic search listings.

The two most well-known meta tags for SEO are keyword meta tags and description meta tags. It is considered best practice to create unique metadata tags for every page to ensure optimal visibility and relevance.

The key components of metadata:

Title Tag

• The title tag is vital because search engines place significant emphasis on the keywords contained within it.
• Every page should have a unique, keyword-rich title that remains concise. Titles longer than 70 characters get truncated, making them less appealing in search results.
• Titles appear as hyperlinks in search engine results, inviting users to click through to the website.

Meta Description Tag

• Each major page on a site should have a unique and descriptive meta description.
• Meta descriptions should “sell” the webpage, enticing users to click through.
• A meta description should be a maximum of 320 characters; longer descriptions get truncated by search engines.
• If a meta description is absent, search engines will generate one, often with less relevance to the page’s content.

Conduct keyword research to identify the most relevant and effective keywords for your content. This process involves analyzing search volume, competition, and relevance to ensure you select keywords that will drive traffic and engagement.

• Primary Keywords: These should be used within the title tag and meta description tag. They should appear frequently in the page content, especially towards the top and bottom of longer articles.
• Secondary Keywords: Important but less frequent than primary keywords, used in sub-headings and main body copy.
• Tertiary Keywords: Less important and may not always fit into meaningful phrases but should be included in the page copy where possible.