Meta tags are HTML elements located within the section of an HTML document. They provide metadata about a web page to web browsers and search engines, but are not visible to the average user on the web page itself. This information serves to make it easier for machines to understand and process the web page’s content.
The function of meta tags for search engines and users
The main function of meta tags is to provide search engines with relevant information about a page’s content and structure. This helps crawlers to interpret, index and display the page correctly in search results (SERPs). For users, the snippets generated from meta tags (the text displayed in search results) are often the first point of contact with a website and are crucial for the click-through rate (CTR).
Although meta tags played an even more direct role as a ranking factor in the 1990s, their significance has changed as search engine algorithms have evolved. Today, many meta tags are no longer used directly for ranking purposes, but they continue to influence visibility and user interaction indirectly.
The most important and most commonly used meta tags in search engine optimisation (SEO) include:
- Meta Title (
<title>-tag): Although not technically a meta tag in the strict sense, the title tag is often mentioned in this context as it forms the webpage’s heading in the SERPs and in the browser tab. It is a powerful on-page SEO factor and should concisely reflect the page’s content, contain relevant keywords and not exceed a length of approximately 60–70 characters (pixel-based) to ensure it is displayed in full. - Meta Description (
<meta name="description" content="...">): This short description appears below the title tag and the URL in search results. Although the meta description is not a direct ranking factor for Google, it has a significant influence on the click-through rate. A well-written, engaging and keyword-rich description (ideally around 150–160 characters) can encourage users to click on the search result. Search engines may also rewrite the meta description themselves if they deem the content to be more relevant. - Meta Robots (
<meta name="robots" content="...">): This tag provides search engine crawlers with instructions on how to index a page and follow links on it. Common values areindex, follow(Index the page and follow links),noindex, follow(Do not index this page, but follow links) ornoindex, nofollow(Do not index this page and do not follow links). This tag is essential for controlling a website’s crawling and indexing strategy. - Meta Charset (
<meta charset="...">): Defines the character encoding of a web page, usuallyUTF-8. This ensures that special characters and umlauts are displayed correctly in the browser. - Meta Viewport (
<meta name="viewport" content="...">): They are particularly important for mobile optimisation. This tag controls how content is displayed on different screen sizes and is crucial for responsive design. Correct implementation ensures a good user experience on mobile devices, which in turn is relevant for Google’s mobile-first indexing.
The relevance of meta tags in modern SEO
Although many meta tags are no longer considered direct ranking factors, their role in a comprehensive SEO strategy remains indispensable. They contribute to the technical health of a website, optimise its display in search results and improve the user experience.
The ongoing monitoring and optimisation of title tags and meta descriptions remain best practice for maximising visibility and increasing the click-through rate from search engines. Mobile optimisation via the viewport meta tag is also crucial for performance in the SERPs.
