Meta Keywords
Meta keywords are a type of HTML tag that was once used to list the main keywords or phrases that a webpage targeted. They were added to the <head> section of a webpage’s code to tell search engines what the page was about.
In the early days of SEO, search engines relied on meta keywords to understand a page's content. However, this led to keyword stuffing and abuse, so today, major search engines like Google and Bing ignore the meta keywords tag entirely.
That means meta keywords no longer play any role in modern SEO and should not be used as part of your optimization strategy.
Why meta keywords are obsolete
Meta keywords fell out of favor for several reasons:
- Easy to spam: Website owners could add dozens or hundreds of keywords, even unrelated ones
- No value for users: The tag was invisible on the page and didn’t improve user experience
- Better alternatives: Search engines now analyze visible content, links, and structured data
- Google officially ignores them: As of 2009, Google announced that it does not use meta keywords for rankings
HTML example of a meta keywords tag
<meta name="keywords" content="SEO, search engine optimization, keywords, website traffic">
This tag was intended to show search engines the key topics of the page — but today, it has no real effect.
Should you use meta keywords today?
The short answer: No.
Including meta keywords on your site won’t help your SEO, and in some cases, it might even be a security risk — you could be revealing your keyword strategy to competitors.
Instead, focus on:
- Writing high-quality, keyword-rich content
- Using proper title tags, headings, and structured data
- Building authoritative backlinks
- Improving page speed and user experience
What to use instead of meta keywords
Here are better ways to optimize your site:
| SEO Element | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Title tag | Defines the page topic and appears in SERPs |
| Meta description | Summarizes page content to attract clicks |
| H1 and subheadings | Organize and highlight important keywords |
| Body content | Includes relevant keywords naturally |
| Alt text | Optimizes images for SEO and accessibility |
In summary, meta keywords are an outdated and deprecated SEO tool. Search engines no longer use them to rank pages, so it’s best to focus your efforts on content, structure, and user experience instead.