A Brief Overview of Meta Tags

Meta Tags

Meta tags are a specific kind of HTML tag that contain metadata. Metadata is information not normally displayed to the user. Metadata is information about the information available on the page, hence the name ("meta" means "about this subject").
Typical uses of tags are to include information for search engines to help them better categorize a page.

Meta Description

The meta description gives a description of the document or website. The meta description provides a short, plain language description of the document, usually consisting of 20-25 words or less. Search engines that support the meta description tag will display that information on their search results page, normally displaying below the title of your site's listing.
It is recommended to always use the meta description tag. Make your meta description is as compelling and concise as possible. Your description often is the difference that gets your listings clicked in the search results. The Meta Description tag is particularly important if your document has very little text.

Meta Keywords

Meta keywords are used to list keywords that define the content of your site. Keywords are used by search engines to properly index your site, in addition to words from the title, document body, and other areas. The meta keywords tag is typically used for synonyms and alternates of title words, as well as words related to relevant services and regional identifiers.
It is recommended to always use the meta keywords tag, but with caution. Make sure to only use keywords that are relevant to your site. Search engines are known to penalize or blacklist your site for abuse of the meta keywords.

Title Tag

The title tag is used to declare the title of the page or website. This is the text that search engines use as the primary link when your website is displayed in search results. It is also displayed in the title bar or browser tab when viewing the page.
It is recommended to always use the title tag. It is one of the most important components in how your website is perceived. The title should be short (50-60 characters), include only the most important keywords, and your brand or company name. Each page should have a unique title.