Why We Don’t Use Meta Keywords (And Why You Shouldn’t, Either!)

When we launched our new Find the Needle B2B trade directory website in June 2023, one notable change was the removal of meta keywords from our platform’s code. You may wonder why we did this and whether other businesses should do the same. Here’s a closer look at why we chose to leave meta keywords behind and why, in today’s digital landscape, they’re not only outdated but can even be counterproductive to your SEO efforts.

What Are Meta Keywords?

The meta keywords tag was once a staple of early search engine optimisation (SEO). Website owners could include a list of keywords in the HTML code of a page, invisible to users but visible to search engines. In theory, this tag helped search engines understand the main topics covered on a page, allowing it to rank for relevant searches.

Why Meta Keywords Are No Longer Useful

In the early days of the internet, search engines heavily relied on meta keywords to determine a page’s relevance. But as SEO techniques evolved, so did search engines. Here are a few key reasons why meta keywords have fallen out of favour:

1. Excessive Abuse: Meta keywords were easy to manipulate, leading to widespread keyword stuffing and spammy practices. Websites began overloading their meta keywords with irrelevant terms to artificially boost rankings, which harmed user experience and made search engines less effective.

2. Google’s Decision to Ignore Meta Keywords:
   As of 2009, Google officially stopped using meta keywords as a ranking factor. This had a profound impact on the SEO landscape as Google is the most widely used search engine. Meta keywords no longer influence Google’s ranking algorithms, making them irrelevant for SEO purposes on the world's largest search engine.

3. Increased Focus on Content Quality: Modern SEO practices prioritise high-quality, relevant, and valuable content. Search engines now analyse on-page elements like title tags, headings, and body content to assess the relevance of a webpage. The meta keywords tag simply doesn’t hold weight compared to the more advanced ranking signals now in use.

4. A Focus on User Intent, Not Keywords Alone: Search engines today aim to satisfy user intent more than match specific keywords. This shift means that understanding the user journey and addressing their needs with genuinely useful content has become far more important than simply listing keywords.

Why Find the Needle Removed Meta Keywords

As a B2B trade directory, our goal is to connect businesses efficiently with the products and services they need. Maintaining outdated elements like meta keywords would not have helped our mission. Instead, we have opted to focus our efforts on optimising content and user experience elements that genuinely improve search rankings, such as:

• Optimised On-Page Content: By focusing on well-structured, informative, and relevant content for each business listing, we’re ensuring that visitors find what they’re searching for—without relying on outdated tags.
• Advanced SEO Strategies: From keyword research that matches user intent to better title tags, headers, and meta descriptions, our SEO approach centres on tactics that actually impact rankings.
• User-Centric Website Experience: We designed our new website to be user-friendly, fast, and easy to navigate. These factors are not only vital for user satisfaction but are also recognised ranking factors for search engines.

Risks of Using Meta Keywords in 2024 and Beyond

Continuing to use meta keywords in your website’s HTML code might not directly harm your SEO, but it could open your site up to unnecessary risks:

• Competitor Scraping: By listing your target keywords in meta tags, you’re essentially giving competitors insight into the terms you’re targeting. Since the tag is visible in your website’s HTML code, it’s easily accessible to anyone who views your source code.

• Wasted Resources: Allocating time and resources to manage and optimise meta keywords diverts focus from more valuable SEO strategies. Businesses today benefit far more from optimising the content that’s visible to users, rather than hidden meta data that search engines ignore.

Alternatives to Meta Keywords That Boost SEO

Instead of using meta keywords, here are some SEO tactics that bring more impact:

1. Title Tags and Meta Descriptions: These elements are still essential in influencing search rankings and improving click-through rates (CTR) from search engine results pages (SERPs).

2. Content Optimisation: Conduct thorough keyword research and incorporate those keywords naturally within your page content. High-quality content that directly answers user queries is invaluable.

3. Schema Markup: Adding structured data helps search engines understand the content and context of your pages, which can enhance your visibility in search results.

4. Page Speed and Mobile Optimisation: A fast-loading, mobile-friendly website is now a crucial factor for search engines, impacting both rankings and user experience.

5. Internal Linking: Creating a solid internal linking structure helps search engines understand the hierarchy and importance of pages on your site, ultimately boosting rankings.

The Takeaway: Focus on What Works Today

Meta keywords are a relic of the past, and holding onto them does nothing for your SEO. By moving away from them, Find the Needle can continue to focus on tactics that genuinely add value for users and enhance visibility on search engines.

If you’re still using meta keywords, consider making the switch to more modern SEO practices. By focusing on the right ranking factors, your business can enjoy a far stronger digital presence—one that’s built to last in today’s ever-evolving SEO landscape.