Metatags

A webmaster can use meta tags for various purposes, such as providing instructions to search engines (robots tag), specifying the canonical URL for social sharing (og:url), or verifying site ownership with a unique code. When implementing, ensure tags are accurate and placed within the <head> section of the HTML; for redirection, use a server-side 301 redirect instead of a <meta http-equiv="refresh"> tag. 

Core meta tags

  • meta name="description": Provides a brief summary of the page, used by search engines for snippets in search results, which can influence click-through rates.
  • meta name="robots": Instructs search engines on how to crawl and index a page. Use noindex to prevent a page from being indexed, but be cautious as misuse can be detrimental.
  • <title> tag: Not a true meta tag, but the most important for SEO. It’s the clickable title shown in search results and should be unique, descriptive, and concise.
  • meta name="google-site-verification": Used to verify site ownership with Google Search Console. 

Social media meta tags (Open Graph)

  • og:url: Specifies the canonical URL for the page, which is used to aggregate likes and shares.
  • og:title: The title of the article for social sharing, without branding.
  • og:description: A brief summary of the content to be displayed below the title on social platforms.
  • og:image: The URL of an image that will be shown when the page is shared on social media.
  • fb:app_id: The app ID from Facebook, which enables features like Facebook Insights to track traffic.

Important considerations

  • Placement: All meta tags should be placed within the <head> section of your HTML document.
  • CMS: If you are using a Content Management System (CMS) like WordPress, check the CMS’s settings for options to edit meta tags instead of editing the HTML directly.
  • Redirects: Avoid using the <meta http-equiv="refresh"> tag for redirects, as it is deprecated and can be confusing for users and browsers. Use a server-side 301 redirect instead.
  • Verification: Ensure you do not delete the HTML verification tag once your site is verified in tools like Google Search Console.