Meta tags can make the difference between a click given by a potential customer to your site and a lost one, which goes to your competition, if they are not written properly.
What are meta tags?
Meta tags are HTML elements, inserted into the site’s code and intended to provide information or instructions. They are used by search engine bots for the purpose of describing the content of the page and to indicate to them how to index it.
Basically, meta tags tell search engines, such as Google, but also to your potential customer what the page or website contains and which are the most relevant words in relation to the content on each page. Since they are found in the head> section <of the site, they are among the first information read by search engines.
What are the most important meta tags?
The most important meta tags are: Meta Title, Meta Description and Meta Language. Although Meta Keywords is very well known, it has lost some of its influence when it comes to optimizing a site (from an SEO point of view).
Meta Title
Meta Title is, in fact, Page Title. It doesn’t have to be longer than 65-70 characters, as Google only displays 65 characters. It is very important that it has unique content, includes the keyword representative of the page and is suggestive. Meta Title may contain in addition to the page title the brand name or other information relevant to the user.
Meta Description
Meta Description is the most relevant description for web pages. This appears under Meta Title in search results on Google (or other search engines). For this reason, it is recommended that the Meta Description be a continuation of the Meta Title, be as suggestive as possible and, possibly, contain a CTA (call to action).
It is also advisable that the text contains information that will prompt the reader to react. These can be: benefits, strengths or advantages of the product or service sold.
It is important to note that the text of a Meta Description must be between 155 and 160 characters, since Google does not display more than 155 characters.
Meta Language
Meta Language is used, in particular, within sites that have their content translated into several languages. Its purpose is to inform search engines about the language in which the content of the site is written, but also to help them display relevant results depending on the location.
References about the importance of meta tags, but also other technical information can be found on the support provided by Google, by accessing the link here.
How to declare meta tags to an online store?
Usually, an online store is structured like this:
- Home (main page);
- Category page;
- Subcategory page;
- Product page (detail);
- Tags/Attributes;
- Static pages (e.g.: “About Us”, “Warranties”, “Terms of Delivery”, “Contact”, etc.);
- Other specific generated pages.
In order for the texts used in the writing of meta tags to be as relevant as possible for a potential customer, but at the same time also for Google, they must be made according to the following aspects:
- Analysis and definition of the target audience, in order to identify the messages and keywords to which they react;
- Analysis and identification of the specifics of products or services, in order to highlight the strengths and benefits they offer;
- Analysis and identification of the specificity of the product categories, in order to differentiate the description texts on each category;
- Defining the advantages and benefits that the supplier offers (e.g.: free shipping, 20% discount on the first order, certified products, products in stock, etc.).
We will use as an example a fictitious e-commerce that deals with the sale of food products “Yummy Food”. The examples below are designed to cover as wide a range of readers as possible. Let’s get started!
Example: Grocery store
- Home (home)
- Meta Title: It must contain the main keyword or field of activity. It is recommended to contain a main asset and brand name.
- Example: Japanese Food Online Shop – Yummy Food
- Meta Description: For the homepage, the Meta Description must provide general information about the products, information that attracts the visitor and arouses his interest. It is recommended to contain exact figures, benefits offered to customers or specific strengths.
- Example: Choose from the range of over 200 traditional Japanese ingredients and spices. All products are in stock and delivered in 2 days anywhere in the country!
- Category Page
- Meta Title: The category title is used as the Meta Title, to which you can add a few words related to the category to help the reader understand what is in that section. At the end, you can also add the brand name.
- Example: Traditional Japanese dishes – Yummy Food
- Meta Description: It is advisable that the description text of a category contains only information about that category and its keywords. They can be accompanied by information that attracts the reader, such as: advantages offered by the products in that category, shipping data (free shipping), warranty data or other category-specific information.
- Example: Here you can find traditional Japanese ready-made or semi-prepared food to make your work in the kitchen easier. With Yummy Food you get free shipping!
- The Subcategory Page
Although the declaration of metas is done in the same way as in the case of categories, the content of the texts must be avoided in the subcategories, so the text made must relate only to the specifics of the subcategory.
- Example of Meta Title: Traditional Japanese Sweet Dishes – Yummy food
- Example of Meta Description: Numerous traditional Japanese desserts and sweet snacks are waiting for you here that you must try. Yummy food offers you the best delicacies.
- Product page (detail)
- Meta Title: In the case of products, Meta Title uses the name of the product, accompanied by the brand name.
- Example: Mochi – Japanese dessert – Yummy food
- Meta Description: The Meta Description of a product is made by emphasizing the characteristics of the product, the benefits it offers to the potential buyer, but also other assets that can be offered by the store upon purchase. If the products in a category are similar, in order to avoid duplication, emphasis is placed on the differentiating elements between the products (color, smell, size, etc.)
- Example: Mochi is an extremely delicious Japanese dessert. It is made from sticky rice, filled with red bean paste or green tea.
- Tags/Attributes
For sites that use attributes or tags, they generate specific links that sort products based on those attributes. For example, the link for the (colored) attribute “red” should only show products that contain the color red or are red.
- Meta Title: In this case, the Meta Title contains the product domain and tag name, followed by the brand name.
- Example: Mochi with green tea – Japanese dessert – Yummy food
- Meta Description: The description text will be similar to that of the categories, only that attribute will be referred to as a differentiator between other categories or subcategories.
- Example: The Japanese Mochi dessert with green tea is made of sticky rice, filled with green tea, which gives it a different but extremely tasty taste.
- Static pages (“About Us”, “Warranties”, “Terms of Delivery”, “Contact”, etc.)
In the case of static pages, the relevant information contained in these pages must be reflected in the Meta Tags.
- Meta Title: Must be Page Name and Brand Name
- Example: “Terms and Conditions of Delivery and Returns – Brand/Website Name”
- Meta Description: For Meta Description, text shorter than 160 characters must be a summary of what the page or action contains.
- Example: “See the delivery and return terms of the products offered by Yummy Food”.
Writing meta correctly plays an important role because, most of the time, it helps a client make the choice between your website and that of your competitors. Help your customers make a choice in your favor, make sure that the metas are well and correctly written.
If you want a review of the metas in your online shop, contact us here and together we will find the best solution.
