How to Insert Meta Tags and Why

If your web page says Home, Default or the url of your website, THAT is what the search engines see and what YOUR prospective customers see when looking for your web page. Here's how to fix it....

What is a Meta Tag?

A meta tag is special coded text that goes into the part of a web page referred to as the head. It allows search engines and, depending on the tag, visitors to read about your web page before even clicking on the link to your web page.

Why are Met Tags Important to Me?

If you've read the first paragraph you already know why. You have 30 seconds or less to keep someone on your web page once the prospect gets there. You have even less time to get them to click on your link in the search engines while they're surfing. This is important for you to realize. It's not just competing products, it's competing web sites as well. If your competitors' web sites don't say Home, Default, or your web page address for a title or have gibberish for a web page description, your future customer will never visit your page.

Okay, My Web Page Says Home. How Do I Fix It?

Let's assume (yes I know) your web page is on your hard drive. Okay if you're a total newbie I mean let's assume it's on your computer. If it's not open up your web page editor on your web server in html code mode so you see what may appear to you as a bunch of gibberish

Find your local web page on your computer

PC users right mouse click on your local web page

Left mouse click on Open with

Left mouse click on Notepad

If your successful there's that gibberish I discussed with you earlier.

Okay, The Web Page is Open. I See The Gibberish What Now?

Now, for the purposes of this article ( will actually be < . If I don't do it that way this web page will think I'm adding meta tags.

If you see a line of text that says

(Title)(/Title)

Then simply place the title of your web page. If not then type those tags in yourself below a tag that says

(Head)

Okay Rick. I Added My First Title Tag! What Now?

Now look for your description tag. You'll find it between

(Head) and (/Head)

It should say

(Meta Name = "Description" Content = "My keyworded sales type description for search engines and prospects")

Many search engines still use this tag. As you can see from my description above it's an important sales and informational tool. If you can't find this tag, write it yourself or alter the content if you do find it. Place it between

(Head) and (/Head)

Got It Rick! My Description Tag is Done. What Now?

Although not that important any longer, a keywords tag wouldn't hurt. Follow the exact same procedure as above replacing the word description with Keywords

In the content section use commas to separate your keywords and keyword phrases.

(Meta Name = "Keywords" Content = "keywords, keyword phrases")

All Done Rick! I Have a Keyword Tag. What Now?

Left mouse click on the word file in the upper left hand corner

Left mouse click on Save

Left mouse click on file

Left mouse click on Exit

Now double left mouse click on your local web page. Look up on top at the title bar. If you remember to use < instead of ( you can now see the title of your web pate and the title's not "Home"!

Conclusion

Congratulations on making your first meta tags! There's really quite a bit more to it than that. There's adding keywords to your title and description that prospects may search for in the search engines. There's finesse and sales techniques to improve your click through ratios, but your on the way!