If you look at the source code of sites today you still see extensive use of the Meta Tags. Specifically, I mean the Meta Keywords tag in this case.
You’ll find that someone, acting on SEO conventional wisdom, has stuffed that tag full. They’ve included every keyword and keyphrase related to their industry. And then some.
It’s SEO, circa 1998. Yet, somehow the belief persists that this is still key to SEO. It isn’t.
It’s just one of those SEO ghosts that won’t go away. Here’s the reason why it doesn’t work in today’s Google dominated search world:
REASON 1 – Google and the other major search engines pay no attention to this tag today. They roll right over it without even a glance. Like it’s not even there. All that work for nothing.
REASON 2 – Those search engines that do even look at it have a rule. And that rule is this. Any keyword or keyphrase you have in that meta keyword tag must also appear in the page. Again, people are doing extra work for no payoff. They add all kinds of extra keyphrases they want to appear in the search engines for, despite the fact that those keywords aren’t actually on the page.
Even those keywords that are on the page – if you haven’t optimized the page well enough for them, it doesn’t matter that they are in the tag.
Their appearance in the meta keywords tag gives no boost to you for them. It just tells the search engines to ‘consider’ the page for cataloging under those keyphrases.
Again, effort for no payoff. So what SHOULD you do?
It’s the same story as always. Do quality SEO on your pages and off. Choose targeted keywords and then use them wisely on the site. But don’t waste your time on the meta keywords tag.
And if an SEO you’re considering suggests doing it, you’ll know to put their number in the round file.
Bad SEO is often worse than no SEO. Sometimes A LOT worse.