Forum Moderators: open
I have heard conflicting advice on the forums about whether to repeat keywords in phrases and leave phrases as whole or to break apart phrases into parts.
For example, is it better to have the following in your metatag:
red and purple widgets,blue and purple widgets,pink and purple widgets, black and purple widgets,
or
red,blue,pink, purple,black,widgets,
Would my site be as likely to be ranked well for "blue and purple widgets" when using the first option vs the second option above? Or does the spam filter block any advantage that the site might have with the first metakeyword tag above?
Also, what length in number of keywords and characters is optimal for Google and Yahoo?
Thanks,
Chris
I have however used both phrases and single words successfully on websites in the past. Now I continmue to use them but only as a reminder to myself on what each page is being optimised for.
For example, is it better to have the following in your metatag:red and purple widgets,blue and purple widgets,pink and purple widgets, black and purple widgets,
or
red,blue,pink, purple,black,widgets
jonescd - As BeeDeeDubbleU said, the keywords meta tag is not likely to help you rank. I generally use them anyway, as a reminder to myself.
I generally don't repeat words, and I don't use commas. So my preference would be...
red blue pink purple black widgets
Somewhere, though, I remember Yahoo saying that they like phrases with commas. I don't lose any sleep over it.
Also, what length in number of keywords and characters is optimal for Google and Yahoo?
IMO, less is better than more. You're trying to focus your targets for an individual page. So, the keywords in your title (which is generally 70 characters or less... for Google less than 63 char), plus maybe a few choice modifiers.
I have several clients who are paranoid about showing the keywords on the page for fear of tipping off the competition, and I generally tell them that if this is a concern, they should simply drop the keywords tag. It's really not that important.
[edited by: Robert_Charlton at 7:34 am (utc) on Feb. 22, 2007]
I have several clients who are paranoid about showing the keywords on the page for fear of tipping off the competition, and I generally tell them that if this is a concern, they should simply drop the keywords tag. It's really not that important.
I still get enquiries from people who think that all they have to do is use a few META keywords and they will go straight to the top of the SERPs. If only life were that easy. ;)
- Up to 130 real characters (with spaces).
Up to 130 real characters (with spaces)
kneoteric_V - Where did you come up with this, particularly with such certainty? I balk at this kind of precision for an element where there's no real specification and no solid belief that it's used. I've never heard this figure in the 10 years I've been in SEO.
I still get enquiries from people who think that all they have to do is use a few META keywords and they will go straight to the top of the SERPs.
It's also amazing what search terms they think they can rank on. I'll never forget the day when the new secretary in a client's office told me, "We'd like to be number one for 'music' in Yahoo."
- Where did you come up with this, particularly with such certainty?
I must admit I was wondering about this too. kneoteric_V can you explain?
Regarding the Yahoo music thing and a wee bit OT, I have a current client who has four shops and he has also started to sell widgets online. I have got him to number one for terms like widget sales and several other terms. He is top five on Google for all of the best KWs, like widget hire, widget shops, widget location, etc. He gets hundreds of visits to his website everyday and he is still not happy. He wants to be number one for the single word term, widgets!
