Optimizing Your Site for Yahoo! and Beyond: The Meta Tag Strategy

The Importance of Meta Tags Across Different Search Engines

While some search engines like Google prioritize inbound links, others focus on the site’s content and the use of meta tags for generating search results. Yahoo!, since its inception in 1994, has operated primarily as a hierarchical directory rather than a searchable database, categorizing websites into specific fields similar to a library’s collection or the Yellow Pages. This method allowed Yahoo! to quickly categorize websites, making it one of the most visited sites on the web. Despite a decline in its directory’s prominence and the acquisition of search engine technology from competitors, Yahoo! remains a key player due to its significant user base that relies on its portal services, including email and news.

Meta Tags and Their Role in Search Engines

Meta tags, crucial in the early days of the Internet, played a significant role in directory listings by organizing a website’s description and keywords. Although the importance of meta tags has diminished due to search algorithm improvements, certain tags like the title, page description, and keyword tags still hold value in structuring content and potentially gaining an edge in search results.

Viewing Meta Tags

You can easily view a website’s meta tags by checking the source code in your web browser. This action reveals meta tags at the top of the page’s code, providing insight into how webmasters use these tags to influence search engine indexing.

Tags That Still Matter

Despite the reduced importance of many meta tags, title tags remain crucial as they appear in the browser’s toolbar during page loading and often influence how your page is displayed in search results. The correct use of title tags involves prioritizing keywords and ensuring the site name follows these keywords, enhancing search engine relevance.

Page Description Tags

The page description meta tag often appears in search engine results, influencing how your site is described in these listings. Crafting a compelling page description can act as a call to action, drawing traffic from search engines to your website.

Keyword Meta Tag

Although the keyword meta tag has lost its impact on Google’s search results, it still provides a way to optimize your site for specific keywords. This tag should contain relevant search phrases, prioritizing keyword phrases over individual words to improve search relevance.

Choosing the Right Keywords

Selecting effective keywords is more of an art than a science, aiming for phrases that people actually search for and that face little competition. Utilizing tools like Overture’s free keyword tool or Wordtracker can offer insights into popular search phrases and their variations.

Page Optimization for Search Engines

When optimizing web pages, focus on the keywords your target audience is most likely to use. Incorporate these keywords into URLs, navigation labels, and throughout the page content, especially in the introductory paragraph and headings, to enhance search engine visibility.

The Keyword Content Balance

Avoid keyword stuffing and maintain a natural flow of content that is engaging for human readers. The goal is to create keyword-rich content that remains readable and informative, without resorting to deceptive SEO tactics.

Sponsored Results and Web Indexing

While Yahoo! now uses its own indexing tools, understanding the nuances of how it and other search engines like MSN prioritize results can help in fine-tuning your SEO strategy. Remember, a well-structured site with relevant meta tags and content optimized for both search engines and human readers is key to achieving online visibility and success.

© Image credits to Aurelius Wendelken