Meta Tags in SEO: A Guide to Improve Rankings and CTR

Krittitee Tongdang
July 12, 2023
A Meta Tag is part of a website’s HTML code that helps search engines better understand information about your site. It also influences how your website appears in search engine results pages (SERPs). Meta tags also instruct browsers on how to properly display your website across different devices. In simple terms, they ensure that your website looks correct on both desktop and mobile screens. This tells Google that your website is mobile-friendly—a factor that can improve your site’s ranking in Google search results. It’s safe to say that meta tags are a crucial part of SEO optimization. In this article, we’ll cover SEO basics and best practices for using meta tags to improve your web pages. You’ll also learn how to guide search engines to recognize and rank your site higher.

What Are Meta Tags?

Meta tags provide information about a web page and directly affect how search engines interpret and display your site. Here’s an example of HTML code inside the <head> section of a page: <html> <head> <meta name=”description” content=”Learn about meta tags and how they improve Google rankings, increase traffic, and boost conversions.”> </html> </head> This example shows a meta description, which tells Google about your page. Google then often displays this description in search results. Meta tags also improve user experience. For example, the viewport meta tag ensures your page adjusts to different screen sizes. Commonly used types of meta tags include:
  • Meta descriptions
  • Robots meta tags
  • Viewport meta tags
Additionally, the title tag works like a meta tag because it helps Google understand what your page is about. Google uses the title tag to display your page in SERPs. However, remember that technically, the title tag is not a meta tag.
Meta Tag Example

What Is a Meta Description?

The meta description is a short summary of a web page that helps both search engines and users understand its content. It usually appears below the title in SERPs. Here’s an example of meta description code: <meta name=”description” content=”Discover the best running shoes of 2020, sorted by brand, category, and suitability. Find the perfect pair for you.” />

How to Optimize Meta Descriptions for SEO

Although meta descriptions are not a direct ranking factor, they influence click-through rates (CTR). A well-written description encourages users to click on your link, which indirectly improves SEO. Think of the meta description as a tool to boost CTR. Always ensure your descriptions are engaging, clear, and include your target keywords naturally. For professional help, consider working with an SEO agency. Best practices for writing meta descriptions:
  • Keep it under 160 characters
  • Summarize the page content clearly
  • Avoid duplicate descriptions across pages
  • Be concise, compelling, and keyword-focused
  • Match the search intent
  • Use primary keywords naturally
Tools like On-page SEO checkers can help optimize your meta tags for better performance.

What Is a Robots Meta Tag?

A robots meta tag tells search engines whether to index a page and follow its links. With this tag, you control how Googlebot and other crawlers interact with your website. Here’s an example of a robots meta tag in the <head> section: <meta name=”robots” content=”noindex”> Common robot tag directives include:
  • Index: Allow search engines to index the page (default).
  • Noindex: Prevents the page from appearing in search results.
  • Follow: Allows search engines to follow links on the page (default).
  • Nofollow: Tells search engines not to crawl or endorse links on the page.
  • Noarchive: Prevents search engines from caching the page.
WordPress plugins like Yoast make it easy to manage robots meta tags. Other CMS platforms like Wix and Squarespace also provide built-in options.
Robots Meta Tag Example

Optimizing Robots Meta Tags for SEO

Robots meta tags limit how Google crawls and indexes your pages. For example, use noindex to block duplicate content from being indexed, or nofollow for comment sections where you don’t want to pass link authority.

What Is a Viewport Meta Tag?

The viewport defines the visible area of a web page. On mobile devices, the viewport is smaller than on desktops, making responsive design essential. Here’s an example of a viewport tag inside the <head> section: <meta name=”viewport” content=”width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0″> This tag tells browsers to display your page correctly on all devices—desktop, tablet, and mobile. Since more than 50% of searches now come from mobile, the viewport meta tag is critical for mobile SEO.

Optimizing Viewport Meta Tags for SEO

A website that doesn’t load well on mobile devices increases bounce rates, sending negative signals to Google. Responsive design, supported by the viewport tag, ensures users stay engaged and boosts your SEO performance.

What Is a Title Tag?

The title tag tells search engines how to display your page title in SERPs. It also appears on browser tabs and when your page is shared on social media. Here’s an example of a title tag: <title>Best Running Shoes | 2020 Reviews</title>

How to Optimize Title Tags for SEO

Title tags are one of the most important meta elements for SEO. They’re the first thing both users and search engines see, making them critical for attracting clicks and improving rankings.
  • Include unique title tags on every page
  • Keep titles under 60 characters
  • Avoid vague titles like “Home”
  • Ensure each title is unique and matches search intent
  • Use target keywords naturally

Improve Your Meta Tags Today

SEO has many moving parts, but optimizing your meta tags is one of the simplest yet most impactful steps. Tools can help analyze competitors, track SEO performance, and suggest improvements. With the right strategy, meta tags can boost visibility, increase clicks, and improve conversions. For expert support, partner with AsiaSearch Digital Marketing Agency, offering full-service online advertising solutions.

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