Almost all businesses at this point in time rely on SEO to maximize their digital marketing efforts and, in turn, generate new leads. There are many different tips and techniques that can work towards better SEO, but this blog’s focus will be on just one portion of this- metadata. Below I will discuss the importance of metadata for a website’s SEO as well as the best ways to finetune it.
What Makes Metadata Important?
In short, metadata describes how your pages will be read and indexed on search engines. Metadata can be broken down into two subsections, page titles, and meta descriptions.
These two elements work together to explain to users and search engines what data and information will be found on any page on your website. It is important that page titles and meta descriptions are clear and include any keywords that your website aims to capitalize on.
Page Titles
Page titles are used by search engines to show users applicable results based on their search queries. When writing page titles for your website, there is no complete formula to follow, but definitely guidelines. First, always include keywords that you are hoping to rank highly for and relate to your business. Next, consider what real users will actually search for, do not overcomplicate things! And finally, always include the name of your business and, if applicable, the location.
The one main rule when writing page titles is to keep their length shorter than 60 characters. Search engine pages will only display up to 60 characters; anything beyond this will be cut off to users. Keep page titles short and informative, avoiding any excess word use or punctuation.
Meta Descriptions
While page titles are the short, clickable link found on search engines, meta descriptions are the longer descriptive content found underneath. Meta descriptions function as long-form details of what a user will find on this specific page and the website as a whole. Think of meta descriptions as a synopsis for a specific page. Meta descriptions are not a ranking factor for Google but are still vastly important in that they give users an overview of what they can find on your page and website. Meta descriptions, too, have a character limit that must be followed; meta descriptions are cut off at 160 characters. Once again, always use keywords, your business name, and important information that will catch users’ attention.
Manage and Develop Your SEO with Boston Web Marketing
An understanding and implementation of metadata is just a tiny piece of the intricate SEO puzzle. Are you hoping to develop better SEO strategies and, in turn, improve your Google page rankings? Contact Boston Web Marketing today! Our team of experts is ready to help your website reach its full potential through robust SEO and digital marketing plans.