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Keywords are keywords whether they're ALT tags or text or anchor text.
Anchor text is a critical aspect of developing good PR and intrasite linking using keyword rich anchor text could have significant benefits.
That doesn't mean that they aren't recommended or needed. It just means that I don't have a use for them on my personal web site (which has a lot of content not just about me).
I feel the same, but one final tester I wanted to do is,
Do they help in deciding the theme of the site?
If we have meta keyword through out the site..does that help the spiders which supposedly detect theme for the meta keyword we are using.( I don't know if it's true.)
Aravind
Meta Keywords are not being read by bots because of abuse and simply put: what in the world do they have to do with what is actucally on the site, theme or otherwise. If people can't see it, don't expect bots to care much. Bots are people centric, they read pages and links because it is the only viable way to deduce what a page/site is really about.
Pay attention to your title, Htags, and keywords density and page by page keyword phrase concentration.
Forget about metas. Put them in, but forget about it and concentrate on the real factors.
Good Luck. Justin.
Google may ignore keyword meta's but there are hundreds of meta spiders out there who want to list your site in various niche directories.
Some of these directories give you hard links out from good pr pages. You only need a few a month to pick you up and it will help your pr = better google rankings.
So keyword metas can help your google rankings.
Also IMHO I think the 'theming' aspect is a possible benefit.
I removed my meta tage before the last craw and all my keyword moved up to the top positions. I don't know if it's because of the meta tage or the changes I made.
Have a read of this thread, where all the SE's gave their verdict: [webmasterworld.com...]
Craig
Also IMHO I think the 'theming' aspect is a possible benefit.
Not on any major search engine. Any that want to engage in "theming" can do so effectively by examining the same text content that they use in other ranking algorithms -- that is, without the easily spammed meta keywords.
But you are right that some small, internal, or niche directories and other resources do still use it -- generally where the confidence is higher that spamming isn't widespread.
Now lets be careful here so as not to confuse people new to this stuff:
We are only talking about meta keywords here.
There are meta tags which are very useful and should not be neglected. The neta description is important, meta language can be important, to name two.
Back to meta keywords: Apart from code bloat there's really not much to be said against the usage of the meta keyword tag.
It has however no influence, positive or negative, on the ranking in Google. It gets ignored.
Use META keyword tags selectively. If you're doing well for a few of your target keyword phrases then focus on some of the phrases you're not doing as great with by using META keywords.
But you are right that some small, internal, or niche directories and other resources do still use it -- generally where the confidence is higher that spamming isn't widespread.
Can you name any of these SE's or directorie that use the meta-keyword tag?
If there are a few I might put it back into action on a few sites and see what happens for a month or so :)
Craig
The meta-keyword tag is dead, the only SE that reads and takes notice of the tag is Inktomi.
That's reason enough to include the meta=keyword line, isn't it?
Meta-Search Engine...there seem to be some.Do they use Meta Keywords.
Perhaps true theme seems to be far fetched.But I was just thinking if a spider needs to find theme.It is an easy way to do, but again this can be easily abused.
MHes and Chicago and Craig Thanks for the inputs.
>Inkotomi
Can somebody clarify.Does it use if so to wat percentage.
Aravind
Good MetaData - in a number of forms - is helpful for those with non-traditional browsers (text readers for the blind etc).
And with large sites you can use them to manage your content.
One example - I am responsible for a departmental site occupying a subdirectory of the larger organisation's site. Good keyword and description are essential for us, because the 'site search' function uses them.
Haven't checked any other Inktomi-fed search engines, so don't know how they handle the meta description tag.
Beth
I have done little research on what google displays when u search for a keyword.
First comes:
Secenario 1:
If you are searching for Online Widgets.
Then if your meta Description contains this particular search term.It will display entire sentence untill it finds a pullstop(.)( if pullstop is not there it completely igonores the meta description tag)
If suppose your meta is short and google has to still place, then wat it displays is some line or text it encounters with widgets.
Sceneario 2:
If google searching for Online widgets.
Say suppose it doesn't find Online Widgets in meta description tag, it only finds widgets in meta tag description, it will not display this.It will keep searching till it finds online widgets is found on the entire page.If this happens to be a sentence then it will display this sentence.If say suppose it's not the sentence , some important like
.online widegts
.software
.cell phone
.download
Then it will display all points.
Now coming back, it will always give importance to first word of key pharse then next word and then next word.
But there are some exceptions , on average I am able to say roughly 99% of times what will be displayed in google after seeing the home page.
I Thought I will share with you guys!
Incase somebody has contradictory results do post me.
Aravind
Maybe Google does penalise for having meta keywords BECAUSE inktomi uses them. hmmmm;)
