How to Write Meta Tags

How to write Meta Tags
by Kimberly Kopp Krause of Cre8pc.com
http://www.linkleads.com/metatags.html

(When in doubt about length, read the FAQ for the engine or directory you are submitting your URL to.)

<META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="keyword keyword keyword">

(For keywords, list from the most important word the least. Start with the one word you think people will type in to find your website. Remember to offer various ways of spelling your top keywords if there are several.)

Note: - The "old" style was to separate keywords with commas. Today's engines no longer require them. Simply put a space between each word.

<META NAME="keyphrases" CONTENT="keyphrase, keyphrase, keyphrase">

(Key phrases are sets of words like "Search Engines", or even a sentence, such as "How to construct meta tags" listed by importance.)

Note: - This meta tag is rarely used anymore. It's part of the "old" way of building meta tags. The thinking used to be that people typed in more then one word, ie. groupings and phrases. Webmasters forsaw this and wanted a way to make their page come up when a phrase was entered. Today, with the elimination of commas, engines can combine all keywords into an infinite array of possible combinations. Therefore, the keyphrase option is no longer necessary. Using it will not hurt as long as you keep within the proper amount of keyword density.

Your title tag needs keywords in it too!

Note: - Today, title tags are still critical to rank. Avoid using "hype" words, marketing language and "Welcome to". Directories can refuse submissions with "hype" words. Since most directories list alphabetically (I know, it's unfair!), it's wise to begin the title tag with a word that begins with a letter near the beginning of the alphabet. Using symbols in the beginning of the title tag, another "old" trick, is considered SPAM now. Even more important is to pack as many of your top keywords as possible into your title tag. Don't go past 63 characters.