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October 7, 2009
This Breaking News Just In - The Meta Keywords Tag is Still Dead!
At SMX East this week, Cris Pierry, the Senior Director of Yahoo! Search, surprised everyone by saying that Yahoo! had stopped supporting the Meta Keywords Tag several months ago.
Google has never supported the Meta Keywords Tag and Bing doesn't support it, either.
So, I think I can safely say, "The Meta Keywords Tag is still dead."
Actually, the first to notice that it had died was Andrew Goodman of Traffick, who declared way back on my September 2, 2002, "An End to Metatags (Enough Already, Part 1)". He observed, "If somebody would just declare the end of the metatag era, full stop, it would make it easier on everyone."
On October 1, 2002, Danny Sullivan, provided a second opinion in Search Engine Watch in "Death of A Meta Tag." He declared, "In my opinion, the meta keywords tag is dead, dead, dead."
Nevertheless, Inktomi and then Yahoo! Search continued to support the meta keywords tag, so some search engine optimizers continued using it, although it didn't have significant impact.
Time passed, Sullivan left Search Engine Watch to start Search Engine Land and Search Marketing Expo, and way too many search engine optimizers continued using the Meta Keywords Tag because there's a big difference between mostly dead and all dead.
But, now Pierry has officially notified the next of kin.
So, I think the entire search industry can stop using the Meta Keywords Tag -- just as Chevy Chase has stopped saying, "This breaking news just in - Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead!"
I can't wait to tell the public relations agencies and PR departments that don't want to include keywords in their headline or lead paragraph. They mistakenly think that their newswire can automatically sprinkle Meta Keywords Tags over an unedited press release like pixie dust and magically optimize it for Google News or Yahoo! News.
I've long recommended using top search keywords in headlines and at least the first 100 words of optimized press releases. However, since Yahoo! News paid even minor attention to the Meta Keywords Tag, just as Yahoo! Search did, it was hard to get some to change their behavior.
Even those who realized that top search keywords actually need to appear high up in very visible locations, had trouble dealing with the death of the Meta Keywords Tag. They would go through the five stages of grief described in the book by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, "On Death and Dying." They are:
1. Denial (This isn't happening to me!)
2. Anger (Why is this happening to me?)
3. Bargaining (I promise I'll be a better person if...)
4. Depression (I don't care anymore.)
5. Acceptance (I'm ready for whatever comes.)
But, now I can stay the meta keywords tag is dead, dead, dead.
And now, as a public service to those of our viewers who have difficulty with their hearing, I will repeat the top story of the day, aided by Senior Vice President of content for Search Engine Watch, ClickZ, and Search Engine Strategies, Mike Grehan.
Greg Jarboe: "Our top story tonight.."
Mike Grehan: [ screaming ] "Our top story tonight..!"
Greg Jarboe: "..The Meta Keywords Tag.."
Mike Grehan: [ screaming ] "..The Meta Keywords Tag..!"
Greg Jarboe: "..is still dead."
Mike Grehan: "..is still dead!"
Greg Jarboe: Good night, and have a pleasant tomorrow.
Mike Grehan: [ screaming ] Good night, and have a pleasant tomorrow!
Posted by Greg Jarboe on October 7, 2009 4:15 PM
Comments
Faris October 7, 2009 7:09 PM
I think this is a simple yet brilliant way to test whether keywords are still a factor in a sites rank. I will continue to use keywords even though some don’t think it is necessary. I don’t see how it could hurt my site in any way, only benefit it with the search engines that still use it. Something I found interesting was this page does not have any keywords in a meta tag. :-)
SeoNext October 8, 2009 5:36 AM
Hi Greg - thanks for remembering. LOL!!!
I like the shouting news announcement, good yuks.
In certain tactical business matters, I guess I just move to Stage 5 - Acceptance - as quickly as I possibly can.
Why many SEO's and would-be optimizers who work in related industry jobs treat highly specific tactics like a treasured loved one (or pet) escapes me, but hey, if you're one of those people who has a shrine room filled with keyword meta tags of days gone by, I guess I can't help you...
Andrew Goodman October 8, 2009 11:24 AM
There are still so many reasons for professionals to use this tag even if it will not bring in traffic directly.
It helps large organizations and development teams communicate SEO strategy throughout the dev process. Providing a reference for copywriters, pixel pushers, and other developers so they stay on course when naming asset and writing site copy.
In some cases, internal search will also use this tag (not all of course).
A professional SEO will always use this tag, it might not directly drive traffic but it will provide an internal reference to ensure computer to computer usability is maintained, provide a reference point for non SEO talent on the dev team and help keep your strategy intact.
I also remember about 2 years ago when this same conference announced SEO was dead. So before you go ripping out your Meta keywords, or take shortcuts, take a step back and consider the whole process, you might not need them, but those that come after you, and those people that work around you.... might.
John Goad October 8, 2009 1:24 PM
But still many are using keyword meta in their sites.But of No use.
robert October 9, 2009 12:21 AM
See, we all need grief counseling. But the Meta Keywords Tag was never a big part of the value added by search engine optimizers, so it's death doesn't diminish the benefits that SEOs offer. I know this sounds harsh. But the little critter is dead. Get over it. And, no, the death of the Meta Keywords Tag doesn't mean the dead of search engine optimization. Read Mike Grehan's New Signals to Search Engines: Future Proofing Your Search Marketing Strategy at http://www.acronym.com/new-signals-to-search-engines.html which tells you how to excel in this new environment and stay a step ahead of your competitors.
Greg Jarboe October 9, 2009 12:15 PM
Even if the meta keywords tag isn't been used anymore I'm still in the habit of using it and putting relevant keywords in it for each page. I don't think I would ever stop using it because I think it still has some importance, not necessarily for search engines but for other developers.
Oliver October 13, 2009 9:17 AM
There is no evidence that it hurts you to use the meta keywords tag. But like chimeras or grotesques, they do not work as waterspouts and only serve ornamental or artistic functions.
Greg Jarboe October 13, 2009 10:10 AM
1) It never hurts to cover all your bases... your competition is.
2) If you are using your own internal search solution on your site (Microsoft Indexing Service for example) there are dozens of configurations that allow that meta information help refine the search results you want/need when visitors are looking for things on your site.
Jeffrey Cody October 19, 2009 10:14 AM
So why in hell am I still worrying about using meta tags on my websites? It sure would help a lot of webmasters a lot of time if we were given the straight facts by those in "authority positions" in respect to search engines.