Matt Cutts - No Importance To keywords Meta Tags

[innominds]

Till now, everyone of us used to discuss about the importance of keywords in meta tags.
But as per the latest information provided by Matt Cutts, (Search Quality Team of Google). it is of no importance in web search results.

For more detailed information, please do visit:

Official Google Webmaster Central Blog: Google does not use the keywords meta tag in web ranking

[Peter]

Its nice to see Google actually finally confirming some "truths" that people have been saying for a long while.

What would be nicer, if they would post what they are actually looking for

[kgun]

Old subject.

Generally, it tells me that Google now use:

1. More advanced link analysis algorithms.
2. More advanced text analysis algorithms.
3. Most probably some (many) form(s) of AI / Neural Networks / Radial Basis Networks / Fuzzy Logic / Genetic Algorithmis and similar
4. that can be combined with human based intervention based on other filters, pop ups and alerts.

It will become more and more difficult to game Google and traditional scientific (semantic) citations and professional content production / services wil be more and more important.

Message:
Don't risk your online reputation and eProperty's credibility trying to game the Se's.

[wige]

Actually, in 2005, Google confirmed that the keywords tag was no longer used (see: Google Code: Web Authoring Statistics: Metadata) in their usual roundabout way ("Next we have two name values: keywords, which these days is mostly useless, ironically, and description, which is still somewhat useful.")

[notsoold]

Many of us have already known this. But it is good to let new webmasters know this too.

[innominds]

So by this confirmation, META description still plays an important role.

[nickoran]

Originally Posted by innominds

So by this confirmation, META description still plays an important role.

Yes and other search engines still use keywords so for the sake of a little time there seems no harm in still putting them in

[dharrison]

Despite meta keywords being completely useless, I still use it mainly for my own reference, beneficial for both developing and optimising a web page/site.

until G penalise the meta keywords altogether, I think its still good practice to include them.

[webhost1]

The circle will come full circle on this. Just a matter of time when they put meta back into what they look for.

[innominds]

Originally Posted by webhost1

The circle will come full circle on this. Just a matter of time when they put meta back into what they look for.

Why do you think so?
Did this happen in any other case?

[shakir]

Regarding keywords in meta tags...they anounced yrs before I thing.. and almost web masters knows it... I do not thing it a new information to discuss...

[innominds]

There has been discussions regarding it for years without any valid result.
But this time Matt Cutts has confirmed it.

[nichita2008]

Is clear for me about one year that Google don't use keyword tag for rankings. Anyway, is not Google in search engine business so is better to use these keywords for other search engines.

[sijugk]

Meta keyword tag has no importance now. But I think meta description tag is still useful

[innominds]

Originally Posted by sijugk

Meta keyword tag has no importance now. But I think meta description tag is still useful

This is what Matt Cutts says.

[thefandango]

"Till now" - nope, it was just you

[scot184]

I would continue to use them in the odd chance they are picked up by other engines or used again in the future...it only takes a few seconds to fill it in, so why not?

[Webnauts]

I also use the keywords meta tag. And you know why? Sorry, Yahoo, You DO Index The Meta Keywords Tag

[innominds]

That is the lie story of Yahoo ... You mean to say that Google also follows the same thing?

[midnightshow22]

Yea, this seems like old news to most of us. I mean, you could still debate it but we all knew that what it was.

[Webnauts]

Originally Posted by innominds

That is the lie story of Yahoo ... You mean to say that Google also follows the same thing?

1. Did you read what Danny Sallivan did? I think you just posted something without reading about his test.

2. I did not say that Google will follow. But my question is, shouldn't SEOs optimize sites for other search engines than just Google? I hope that s not what you want to tell us here.

[Webnauts]

Originally Posted by midnightshow22

Yea, this seems like old news to most of us. I mean, you could still debate it but we all knew that what it was.

Can you be more explicit? I do not understand what you mean.

- What are old news for most of us?
- Debate about what? What was what?

[midnightshow22]

Originally Posted by Webnauts

Can you be more explicit? I do not understand what you mean.

- What are old news for most of us?
- Debate about what? What was what?

I was talking about the "till now" part of the OP. Ahh, let me rephrase: Even though I had heard from credible webmasters over the years that metatags were useless with google, people could still debate it as I never saw someone post concrete confirmation from Google.

And apparently, it was there all along as Wige pointed out:
Google Code: Web Authoring Statistics: Metadata

As others mentioned, just another 'truth" confirmed.

[Hafsoh]

Yes its known that mpst search engines do not support this tag, but if you feel more comfortable using it, you can have about 15 important non-repetitive keywords in this Tag, separated by commas.

[zeruel]

How about other search engine like Bing and Yahoo. I guess they still use some of these tags specially the meta title and description. As for other SEs, I think we can still include these meta keyword tags if ever we have some free time to do it.

[Webnauts]

Originally Posted by Hafsoh

Yes its known that mpst search engines do not support this tag, but if you feel more comfortable using it, you can have about 15 important non-repetitive keywords in this Tag, separated by commas.

If we want to be clear here, you should not have more or less than 4 keywords. In the worse scenario you should not have less than 4, and not more than 8.

[Webnauts]

Originally Posted by zeruel

How about other search engine like Bing and Yahoo. I guess they still use some of these tags specially the meta title and description. As for other SEs, I think we can still include these meta keyword tags if ever we have some free time to do it.

About Yahoo click on the link I posted above here Matt Cutts - No Importance To keywords Meta Tags