How often should you update your meta descriptions and keywords?

Skip meta keywords. Meta keywords are no longer used by most of the major search engines and many of the lesser known, so focusing any time on creating or updating those on your website is likely time wasted. Meta descriptions are used less often now by Google and Bing, and where those two go the others are likely to follow. Google shows a snippet from your page that their algorithm deems relevant to the search query, which may not be what you chose at all. Some other platforms may display some of this content though, so it can still be valuable. Be sure to write it for PEOPLE, not search engines.

This article is completely inaccurate. Meta descriptions and meta keywords do not matter for rankings. If you spend time optimizing for these two, you are focusing your time on the wrong things. Focus on creating helpful and useful articles for the reader with a good SEO title.

Did you know it could cost you as much as $15 mill USD every month by choosing the wrong meta title? Or leaving it to the default settings like “homepage?” We did a study on what Amazon did to its homepage title. https://www.electriqmarketing.com/blog/how-important-is-your-homepages-title-tag-for-seo

Meta content in SEO, primarily meta titles and descriptions, is pivotal for several reasons: CTR Enhancement: Well-crafted titles and descriptions can increase click-through rates from search results. Keyword Relevance: Including keywords highlights content relevance to both search engines and users. Search Ranking: Optimized meta titles can influence search rankings. Controlled Descriptions: Setting your own meta description prevents search engines from generating one, ensuring content accuracy. Social Sharing: Tags like Open Graph define content appearance on social platforms, influencing shareability. Rich Snippets: Additional meta content can lead to enhanced search results and better SERP visibility

- Don't bother with meta keywords: Major search engines and even many smaller ones no longer rely on them. Spending time on creating or updating them is usually not worthwhile. - Meta descriptions have reduced importance, especially on Google and Bing. They may display a snippet from your page that matches the search query, which might not align with your intended choice. However, some other platforms may still use this content, so it can hold value. Ensure your meta description is written with people in mind, not just search engines. Keep it user-friendly and engaging.

At this point I think we can call these AI "articles" a failure. This information is woefully out of date. It's practically useless at best, and likely to misguide you into wasting time and money at worst. Meta descriptions DO NOT influence rankings. That's just the start of how terrible this is.

From my experience meta data does matter but not to the extent people really think it does. Google relies on search intent. For example you don't necessarily need to have a specific keyword on your website to rank for it! Meta data however can be the difference between a potential customer clicking verse continuing to scroll pass you! I'd say listen to this with a grain of salt.

Another bad example of SEO being done in an outdated way that would cause more harm than good and shows that there are too many companies and individuals out there using defunct methods! And who suffers? The client. AI-generated content is created by what it learns from the masses, and this is a classic example of misinformation that has been collated from all the 'SEO Bad Guys' out there that don't take pride in ongoing education and understanding of best SEO practices.

Keep an eye on how social media channels use meta descriptions - the character limits change. As they change the important words in your description can get cut off. Always write your descriptions for humans, put the most important stuff first and be succinct without losing meaning.

In my experience, updating the page title is the most critical metadata you should be updating. These tags are what users and search engines use to determine what a piece of content is about or how it could be helpful to the search query. Easy example: If your business is an auto shop in Chicago, you want your page title to be something like "Chicago Auto Repair | John's Auto Shop" vs "Home-John's Auto Shop" which is sort of the default of any website.

Do not bother updating meta keywords. For meta descriptions, even though search engines aren’t using those as often, some other platforms do, so it’s a good plan to update this information any time you make major updates to the page. In my case, we have content for ourselves and clients on a 3-6 month schedule to review and refresh, and we refresh meta descriptions when needed when we refresh the content.

Competitive Analysis: Update when competitors change their meta content, emphasizing new keywords or value propositions. Keep an edge by ensuring your meta content uniquely showcases your offerings. SERP Analysis: If you notice changes in how search engines display results, such as new rich snippet formats, adjust meta content to capitalize on these opportunities and match evolving SERP trends. CTR Analysis: Review your Click-Through Rate (CTR) regularly. If there's a decline or if it's below industry standards, tweaking meta titles and descriptions can boost appeal and clicks. User Behavior Analysis for Content Feedback: Monitor user engagement on your page. check intent of the user and optimize content and meta for them.

The most important tip for writing meta descriptions, or any content for your website, is to write it for your visitors first. This becomes even more critical as the search engines use the set meta tags less often. Optimize for people, carefully and strategically, and the optimization for any algorithms will naturally follow if done well.

Focus most of your energy on title tags. These have a direct ranking benefit and, along with the H1, are two key elements taken into account for ranking. Meta descriptions, whilst beneficial for user engagement & assistive to CTR, are more of an indirect ranking factor and more often than not, are rewritten by search engines.

When it comes to upadting your meta content, there is no hard and fast rule for it. It largerly depends on the goal you have in hand, if the goal doesn't change, there is no point in changing the content. However if it contains outdated and vague information, you should change them immediately.

To write effective meta content: Check Intent of the User: Understand the primary intent behind users' searches. Are they seeking information, looking to purchase, or exploring? Tailor your meta to resonate with this intent. Check Competitors: Analyze competitors' meta content for the same topics. Determine what they emphasize and identify gaps you can exploit. What Can You Offer to Users: Highlight unique value propositions or exclusive content in your meta. Are you offering a solution, a unique perspective, or an unbeatable deal? Align Your Goals with User Needs: Ensure your meta reflects a mutual benefit. Always sync your objectives with user benefits.

To optimize your meta content, start by conducting thorough keyword research to identify the most relevant and valuable keywords for your business. Incorporate these keywords into your meta titles and descriptions, but make sure to do so in a way that sounds natural and compelling to human readers. For example, let's say you run a bakery in New York City. Instead of a generic meta title like "Bakery in NYC," try something more specific and engaging like "Delicious Cupcakes and Pastries in the Heart of NYC - [Your Bakery Name]." This not only incorporates your location and keywords, but also highlights your unique offerings and brand. 😎

Why in the hell would you spend time tracking and testing something that Google rewrites most of the time anyway? This entire article is a dangerous red herring. Just write something that summarizes the value and topic of the page as best you can and move on. You've got way more important things to worry about.

Is this a test to see if peer review will catch egregious errors in AI-created content? Meta keywords have not been relevant since 2015. The common wisdom on meta descriptions is that they might hurt SEO if they are missing or duplicate, but regularly updating them is not going to improve your Search Engine Optimization (side note: previous comment about social media was spot on). Meta titles are the only meta content any SEO has time to worry about these days, and this article doesn’t mention them. @linkedin, can you tell us which AI you used for this? So we can avoid it?

Out of the thousands and thousands of clients we have worked with over the years, of all sizes, the ones who have experienced the most success with search results (moving up in SERPs, increasing traffic, increasing conversions) are those who have not focused on any meta anything. We focus on the audience, providing them the information that they need and in the way they need it, do this strategically, making sure their site is structured well, include an integrated approach to the rest of their digital presence, and because of that, their search results naturally improve.

How can I tell if my meta descriptions and pages are not optimized enough? If your pages are not generating enough clicks, you may want to experiment with different meta descriptions and different content to see if you can improve your click-through rate (CTR). A high CTR means that more people are clicking through to your website, which can lead to increased traffic, and more conversions. On the other hand, a low CTR can indicate that your website is not effectively targeting the right audience or that your content is not compelling enough to attract clicks. To sum up: monitor your website CTR to determine if your meta descriptions and pages are optimized enough, thus, you can tweak it and drive more targeted traffic to your website.