I'm going to talk about meta tags, one of the important elements in SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Meta tags are tags inserted into the HTML code of a website, providing specific information to search engines and web browsers. Meta tags are not visible to users, but they play a major role in helping search engines understand and index a site.

First, let's take a look at the basic concept of meta tags. Meta tags are located within tags and come in various types. I will introduce some important ones.

Important meta tags

First, Title tag. The title tag specifies the title of a webpage, and it's the first thing that appears on the search results page. For example, when you search for information, the first line you see in the search results list is the content of the title tag. Therefore, this tag plays an important role in briefly conveying the content of the webpage to users and encouraging them to click. The title tag should include the page's main keywords, and it should be written concisely and not too long. Generally, it's recommended to keep it under 60 characters.

Next, Meta description tag. The meta description tag is a tag that provides a summary of the webpage content to search engines. This description is displayed below the title tag on the search results page, and it significantly influences whether a user will click on the page. A good meta description should encapsulate the core content of the page and be written in a way that sparks users' curiosity. It's recommended to keep the meta description within 150-160 characters.

Third, Robot meta tagalso plays a significant role. This tag instructs search engine crawlers whether to index the page or follow links. For example, using the noindex attribute can prevent a page from being included in the search results. This is useful when a site administrator wants to keep a specific page private or exclude it from the search results.

Finally, let's talk about Canonical tag. The canonical tag specifies which URL should be recognized as the primary URL when identical or highly similar content exists on multiple URLs. This is very useful in resolving SEO issues caused by duplicate content. For example, if your site has multiple pages describing the same product, by specifying the main page through the canonical tag, you can prevent the search engine from recognizing it as duplicate content.

Meta tags that have lost importance

Meta keyword tag: It used to play an important role, but most major search engines (e.g., Google) now ignore this tag. Its credibility has been diminished due to excessive spam and misuse. In the past, it was used to list key keywords and provide them to search engines, but its importance has significantly diminished. Instead, using keywords naturally within the actual content of the page is more effective in helping search engines understand the topic of the page.

Meta tags play a crucial role in SEO, but they are not enough on their own. Unique and valuable content, fast page loading speeds, mobile optimization, and various other factors must be considered together. External factors, such as backlink building, also significantly influence SEO performance.

To optimize your website, start by using meta tags correctly. This will help search engines better understand your site and reach more users. I will continue to bring you useful SEO tips and information. Thank you!