Google Does Not Use Keyword Meta Tags!

By Garrett Blanton posted on Thursday, January 7, 2010 - (SEO)

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As professional website designers we are always conforming to the latest techniques in SEO (search engine optimization) in order to be successful in the SERP’s (search engine result page’s). We found that our new customers are now doing their history before choosing a web design firm to make sure their final product will perform correctly in all search engines. The term used mostly by our new customers is “keyword meta tags”. They want to make sure we include these meta tags, in hopes their website will increase in the SERP’s. They then pass us a huge list to embed into their website header. At JVF Consulting we do include keyword meta tags to all of our custom websites, but we really hate to break the news, Google does not use keyword meta tags!

Next time you’re reading an article on SEO and it tries to convince you to optimize the keyword meta tags to your website remember this. Googlebot does not even bother to index or interpret those keyword meta tags, but rather extract the keywords from the content of your website. When Matt Cutts the famous Google SEO software engineer was asked, “Does Google ever use the keyword meta tags in its web search ranking?” His response was, “In a word, no. Google does sell a Google Search Appliance, and that product has the ability to match meta tags, which could include the keywords meta tag. But that’s an enterprise search appliance that is completely separate from our main web search. Our web search (the well-known search at Google.com that hundreds of millions of people use each day) disregards keyword metatags completely. They simply don’t have any effect in our search ranking at the present time.”

If you still do not believe us, here is a Google Webmaster video explaining it all. This is not breaking news by any means, but there are still people out there who are putting too much thought and effort into their meta tags.

Tags:

Keywords, Meta Tags, Matt Cutts, Google, SEO, Search Engine Optimization

Comments (26)

By Jeanette posted on Friday, January 8, 2010 @ 11:53 AM

Interesting! Good to know where they focus their scans so we can put effort where it counts. I wonder if this is/will be the case for other search engines?

By Back Links posted on Friday, January 8, 2010 @ 12:32 PM

I suspected such from the reports i was hearing. Thanks.

By Everything SEO posted on Friday, January 8, 2010 @ 1:30 PM

This is something i've known for a while now, but I still see clients who spend more time optimising their keywords tag, than their page title. Old habits really do die hard don't they?

By Rushawi posted on Friday, January 8, 2010 @ 1:48 PM

This is really very useful information. We all are giving lots of importance to meta tag keywords. After watching the video it is now clear there is no need to waste time on them. Thanks JVF!

By Health posted on Friday, January 8, 2010 @ 2:44 PM

Yes, but i think it is still important.

By sane posted on Saturday, January 9, 2010 @ 1:54 AM

Its good to know that the meta tags are no longer effective , I guess a lot of stuffing went around and it did not make sense for big G to index it any more?

By Bobcats for Sale posted on Sunday, January 10, 2010 @ 2:54 PM

This has been a pretty well known fact (or at least commonly suspected) amongst most SEOs for some time now. With all of the keyword stuffing and irrelevant keywords people put in their meta tags it makes since that Google would ignore it. One thing to keep in mind, however, is that some other search engines still use meta keyword tags. Therefor, they should still be utilized on your site for best results and maximal traffic. Google is now looking more at the keywords in the on page content as well as the anchor text of the back links as the dominating factors in their ranking algorithm.

By Zombie Driver posted on Sunday, January 10, 2010 @ 3:20 PM

So, does it mean, I have to use my keyword in content for several times??

By Andrew posted on Sunday, January 10, 2010 @ 8:20 PM

Interesting, but as Jeanette said, what about other Search Engines like Yahoo, Bing etc...? Do they still pay attention to the Keyword Meta Tag?

By HS AJ posted on Monday, January 11, 2010 @ 9:16 AM

cheers for that Garrett - makes you wonder when exactly they decided to implement this as the rumours have been circulating for ages

By Article Directory posted on Monday, January 11, 2010 @ 10:01 AM

Good post. Google has not used meta keywords for a long time now. It doesn't hurt to have it, and i would recommend that you spend a few seconds adding keywords to all your pages. Just my 2 cents.

By custom promotional products posted on Monday, January 11, 2010 @ 11:13 AM

great post... im sick of people saying google still uses this.. THEY DONT... other search engines might...some programs do but at least we know for sure that google does not.

By performance parts posted on Tuesday, January 12, 2010 @ 1:37 PM

I have seen many keyword stuffed meta keywords tags. I agree that they are useless. Google says so!

By private villas bali posted on Wednesday, January 13, 2010 @ 12:01 AM

I don't care to see the keywords tag influence Web search but it would be helpful to Webmasters if you used it in your Custom Search Engine solution and/or site-specific searches.

There are still people in the SEO community who wrongly say that none of the major search engines use the keywords meta tag. Both Ask and Yahoo! still seem to look at it, but of course they don't allow it to have significant influence in competitive queries.

By Elle posted on Friday, January 15, 2010 @ 9:57 AM

Good information in this post! I agree with Article Directory that it can't hurt to add your keywords anyway!

By Facebook Marketing posted on Saturday, January 16, 2010 @ 12:42 AM

That's old news. Really. Nevertheless, other search engines might still be using the tag, so I try to incorporate them if there is spare time, but it's not essential.

By Affiliate posted on Saturday, January 23, 2010 @ 5:11 PM

Hello Garrett,

Google doesn't take the meta tag keywords into account for a long time (I guess for a few years). In fact, other search engines probably doesn't care about this tag too, even though some of them never talked about that.

The problem of this meta tag is simple -- it can be manipulated by the website owners. Looking at the keywords in the website body is more accurate and together with off-page factors works very well.

By Zara posted on Tuesday, January 26, 2010 @ 9:51 AM

As has been posted before, this is old news really. I mean they are officially clarifying it now, but it has been well known in the internet marketing world for a good few years now that the meta tag has lost its' relevance.

By Network Marketing Training Resources posted on Tuesday, January 26, 2010 @ 11:25 PM

Good to know but I have one question still. Keyword density is commonly used as a ranking factor – does the meta keyword tag still affect keyword density on page or does it skip it?

By Engagement rings posted on Friday, February 5, 2010 @ 10:22 PM

Yeah thats true, Mattcutt reveals the secreat but you never know he is really revealing the secret, no doubt he always gives nice and really informative words, well now when i know google doesnt use meta keywords but still am using this tag as it is still relevant to other search engines

By Debt Management posted on Wednesday, June 23, 2010 @ 7:47 AM

I think that it is good that google is not supporting meta keywords, because other wise all irrelevant sites could have appeared on top of search results just for picking up right keywords.

By Houston Roofing Contractor posted on Monday, November 29, 2010 @ 12:58 AM

Google stopped using meta keywords because you all stuffed your tags with so much garbage it made them useless.Keywords Meta Tags might still be used my other search engines for indexing.It is well known for quite some time. In fact forums.site-reference does not use keywords meta tag at all.

By Crumblrr posted on Thursday, December 23, 2010 @ 8:01 PM

as Jeanette said, what about other Search Engines like Yahoo, Bing etc...? Do they still pay attention to the Keyword Meta Tag?

By aluminium windows posted on Monday, June 13, 2011 @ 10:44 PM

Google webmaster video you have shared is unbelievable. I mean that is a very shocking information.

By white label seo posted on Monday, July 4, 2011 @ 12:02 AM

I agree. Meta Keywords can be foregone. Google does not mind at all. Meta keywords also reveal to the competition on what keywords you are targeting to rank.

By Fixtro posted on Monday, July 11, 2011 @ 11:21 PM

Its not shocking at all. It make sense. When googlebot can find the "keyword" in content than why bother looking at metatag for keyword. Saves time for SEO guys. Google wants show whats on the page, not whats in keyword meta tags.