5 Useful HTML and Meta Tags for SEO

When discussing changes on a website for the benefit of SEO, on-page SEO, or the technical parameters of the website itself, comes into play. HTML and Meta tags are closely related to this. What impact do they have on overall optimization activities? Is it even that important to focus on them? Most SEO agencies or even a digital agency should have the right answer to this question.

Some have a ranking influence, while others contribute to the visibility of your website. The analysis and assessment of the use of these tags and elements are subjects of an SEO audit, which is one of the many parts evaluating the quality output of a processed website. Let's go through the various options to increase your website's visibility in search results using HTML and Meta tags.

By writing good content, gaining links, and making efforts in designing an appropriate layout for your website, you can achieve quite a lot. However, this effort is underappreciated by search engines without the use of useful HTML tags. It works the other way around too. HTML and Meta tags are useless if the website itself does not meet content quality standards, has a good design (user-friendly experience), and lacks valuable backlinks.

HTML and Meta tags communicate to search engines (Google) in the most understandable way and reveal more about the content of the page so that the search engine can better understand the structure and information. They are thus a key component for success in SEO.

Here are 5 useful HTML elements and Meta tags that you may already be using, but you might consider improving on your site.

Title

The <title> tag is an important tag. The title element typically appears as the clickable headline on search engine results pages (SERP) and also displays on social media and in browsers. If you look at the HTML code of this article, you will see that the title is:

<title>5 Useful HTML and Meta Tags for SEO</title>

The title tag is located in the head section of your web page and should provide a clear and comprehensive idea of what the page is about. There is still ongoing discussion about user behavior factors as logical evidence of relevance, thus serving as a ranking signal.

The page title is the first tag that a searcher sees in the search engine results pages (SERP) and helps them decide if the page appropriately answers their search query – intent. A well-written title can increase the number of clicks and thereby traffic, which has a positive impact on ranking by the algorithm.

A simple experiment can also show that Google no longer needs your title tag to contain the exact matching keyword to determine the topic the page is about.

For example, a few years ago, a Google search for "how to file a tax return" would display nearly 2 out of the first 5 results with titles that exactly match your search query.

Today, however, the situation is different, as we can see in the image. The search result for "how to file a tax return" shows that there isn't a single exact match. And despite not offering any irrelevant results, each of the listed pages explains how to file a tax return and what is needed for it.

Search engines look at the overall picture of the content and tend to evaluate the content of the page as a whole. However, the "book cover," the title, still matters – especially when it comes to interaction with searchers in the results.

Recommended Practices:

• Give each page of your website a unique title. It should briefly and accurately describe the content of the page.
• Keep titles within the range of 50-60 characters (to avoid being cut off in search results). Remember that long titles are shortened to approximately 600-700 px in SERP.
• Place important keywords at the beginning, but in a natural way. You are writing primarily for your visitors, so the title should be clear and understandable.
• Use your brand name in the title. Even if it doesn't appear in the search results, it will still have an impact on the search engine.

Meta description tag

The meta description is located in the head section of the web page and commonly (though not always) appears in the search result snippet (SERP) along with the title and the page URL.

For example, this is the meta description for this article:

<meta name="description" content="Overview of the most important HTML tags and meta tags for successful SEO activities. Recommendations on where, when, and how to use them on your website."/>

Even though the meta description is not a direct ranking factor, it definitely requires your attention during optimization, primarily due to its influence on user attention (and Google).

The meta description is what people see in the search snippet along with the title, so it is one of the aspects that help them decide if your page is worth clicking on. The description affects the number of clicks you get and can also improve CTR and reduce bounce rates if the page content fulfills the promises made. Therefore, the description should be truthful, realistic, and appealing. It should clearly reflect the content of the page that the visitor is about to access.

If your description contains keywords that the user used in their search query, they will be highlighted in bold in the SERP. This significantly helps you stand out and informs the user about what exactly they will find on your page. If Google considers your description inappropriate for your page content, it may generate its own. Therefore, make sure your meta description contains the main keyword and is thematically relevant.

It is not possible to include every keyword you want to rank for in the meta description, and it is not necessary. Instead, write a few coherent sentences describing the essence of your page with some included keywords. A good way to determine what to write in your meta description and what works best for your specific segment is to conduct competitive research.

Look at how your top-ranking competitors fill out their own descriptions to get an idea of the best uses in each specific case.

Be creative and definitely add a call to action (CTA) to encourage action if relevant, use variations of keywords (i.e., not just the keyword you used in the title), and keep the search intent in mind.

For example, if you have an informational page about the keto diet, it’s good to make your meta description a definition of the keto diet. If your page talks about how to properly follow the keto diet, then come up with a more detailed description filled with information about the ideal duration of the diet, the weight and calorie content needed for a daily portion. Numerical values in the search results (SERP) attract attention.

If you are a seller of baby clothes (onesies), describe the dimensions of the various cuts, the age range for which they are intended, and encourage people to buy them as soon as possible with a call to action, such as for a limited time period.

Recommended Practices:

• Give each page a unique meta description that clearly reflects the value and content of the page.
• Google typically indexes around 150-160 characters (including spaces) from the descriptions.
• Include your most significant keywords in the description to be highlighted in the SERP results. However, be careful not to overstuff with keywords.
• Do not create your description just from a combination of keywords you are targeting.
• Alternatively, use an engaging call to action, a unique offer you provide, or additional hints about what to expect after clicking the result – such as "Learn more," "Buy now," or "Call at +421 000," etc.
• Avoid using quotation marks, as Google will truncate the snippet there.

Headline Tags (H1-H6)

HTML headline tags are used to identify different sections of a page's content. They serve as mini-headlines for various parts/blocks of text.

The use of headline tags remains a topic of professional debate. While tags H2-H6 are considered less important for search engines, the proper use of H1 tags has been emphasized in many studies within the SEO community.

The H1 headline, after the Google update on September 17, 2021, lends its weight to the <title> tag, making its use crucial not only in terms of placement but also regarding the phrase used within it.

Tags H2-H6 were originally used for UX purposes. The introduction of passage indexing announced on October 15, 2020, added value to them. This allows Google to index and rank a part of your page (a passage) if the search query matches, for example, an H3 headline and the related paragraph found as a block of text beneath it.

It's essential to realize that headlines are crucial for organizing text and content, and their importance in content creation should be taken seriously. Ultimately, the use of headline tags significantly contributes to the content architecture.

For search engines, it is easier to read and understand well-organized content than to navigate issues in an unorganized structure. For readers, headlines act as anchor elements within large amounts of text, guiding them through the page and facilitating content comprehension.

These factors increase the importance of careful optimization, where even small details contribute to desired results through meticulous content processing and the use of headline tags.

Recommended Practices:

• Keep your headlines relevant and related to the section of text they describe. In other words, click-bait headlines can be too misleading.
• Always ensure headlines reflect the sentiment of the text they are above. It's best to avoid headlines like "Chapter 1" and "Chapter 2."
• Do not overuse desired keywords in them. Keep them understandable and readable for users.
• According to Google's recommendations, it is quite appropriate to match the title of your page with the H1. You can, of course, adjust their order or styling.

Canonical Link Tag

The tag rel="canonical" is a way to inform search engines which version of a page you consider to be the main one and want to be indexed by search engines and visible in the SERP to searchers.

<link rel="canonical" href="https://gymbeam.sk/blog/8-recepty/">

It is commonly used in cases where the same page is accessible under multiple different URLs or when multiple different pages have very similar content covering the same topic. Internal duplicate content is not considered as significant a problem as copied content, because copied content usually has a manipulative intent behind it. However, it can still be a source of confusion for search engines. In other words, if you do not specify which URL you prefer, search engines may choose one for you.

The preferred URL will be crawled more frequently. Another benefit is that canonicalization of a page makes it easier to track performance statistics associated with the content.

According to Google, using rel=canonical for duplicate content helps Google consolidate all your efforts and transfer link signals from all versions of the page to the preferred one. This is where using the canonical tag can help direct your SEO efforts in one, correct direction.

Recommended Practices:

• Use rel="canonical" for pages with similar content on the same topic.
• Use the canonical link tag for duplicate pages available under multiple URLs.
• Or for versions of the same page with variations in session IDs or other parameters in the URL that do not affect the content change.
• Use canonical tags for nearly duplicate pages cautiously. The reason is that if two pages linked by a canonical tag differ too much in content, the search engine may simply ignore this tag.

HTML5 Semantic Tags

HTML5 semantic tags are part of the latest HTML standard and are essential for helping Google and other search engines better understand the content of a page.

Here is an example of what HTML5 tags look like in the source code of a page:

<article>
  <h1>5 Useful HTML Elements and Meta Tags for SEO</h1>
  <p>When it comes to making changes to a website for the benefit of SEO, on-page SEO or the technical parameters of the website itself come into play. HTML elements and Meta tags are closely related to this.</p>
</article>

There are many HTML5 tags that are widely used by SEO specialists today. If you look closely at these tags, you will see that their names reflect the most common elements found on any page, such as videos, menus, etc.

Selection of HTML5 Tags

• <article> Defines a large and significant piece of content (article, forum post, etc.) that functions as a standalone unit.
• <audio> Displays embedded sound or audio stream.
• <details> Describes a widget from which the user can obtain additional information or controls upon request.
• <embed> Embeds a piece of multimedia content such as videos, sounds, or any external applications.
• <footer> Defines the footer content of a page, document, or section.
• <header> Defines the header content of a page, document, or section.
• <main> Defines the most important and significant part of the content on the page or within an <article> (<main> can be placed inside an <article> section).
• <nav> Defines a section of the page with navigation links.
• <picture> Defines a container for multiple image sources.
• <source> Displays alternative sources for embedded media elements like <audio> or <video>.
• <summary> Along with <details>, this element provides a visible summary to the user.
• <svg> Embeds an SVG file into an HTML document.
• <time> Encodes dates and times (birthdays, events, meetings, etc.) in a machine-readable format.
• <video> Embeds video content into an HTML document without the need for any additional video playback plugin.

Recommended Practices:

• The truth is that HTML5 tags replace the endless <div> elements that we all know and use.
• Nevertheless, HTML5 tags can help your content get indexed faster and better assess the type of content because Google can clearly see and understand what an <article> is, what a <video> is, and where to find the navigation links <nav>.
• One of the best practices related to HTML5 tags is to use them on your pages and apply them correctly. Simply use the specific tag for the specific part of the content.
• Attempts to manipulate and label, for example, text content with the <video> tag will lead nowhere.

Why Use HTML Elements and Meta Tags

HTML elements and meta tags remain a current SEO optimization technique. Only a few were mentioned in the article, but there are, of course, many more. The reason is that HTML is the foundation of every website. These are simply basics that should never be neglected in your on-page SEO. Sometimes it is these “basics” that are the problem preventing you from reaching the highest ranks because Google cannot recognize your content.

As SEO itself constantly evolves, so do HTML and meta tags. New ones appear, and not only browsers but also the search bots themselves get updated for their dynamic and active processing.