Metadata consists of code elements within your web pages that provide information to search engines about your content. While invisible to visitors, these elements help search engines better understand and categorize your pages.
What you’ll learn:
- What metadata is and how it affects SEO.
- The most important types of metadata.
- How to optimize metadata for better search visibility.
- How to implement metadata on WordPress.com.
When search engine crawlers visit your site, they analyze both visible content (text, images) and behind-the-scenes metadata. This information helps them:
- Understand what your page is about.
- Determine how relevant your content is to search queries.
- Display helpful information in search results.
Note: Well-optimized metadata makes it easier for search engines to properly categorize your content, potentially improving your rankings.
Title tags appear in two important places:
- At the top of browser tabs:
- As the clickable headline in search results:
Title tags should:
- Include your primary keyword near the beginning.
- Be descriptive but concise (typically 50-60 characters).
- Accurately represent your page content.
On WordPress.com, title tags are automatically created using your post or page title followed by your site name. For your homepage, the site title and tagline are used. On higher level plans, you can customize the title tags.
Meta descriptions provide summaries of your pages in search results:
- While not a direct ranking factor, they influence click-through rates.
- They should be compelling and accurately describe your content.
- Ideal length is about 150-160 characters.
- Including relevant keywords can help them appear in bold when they match search queries.
On WordPress.com, you can write meta descriptions in the Excerpt field when editing posts or pages.
Alt text describes images for both accessibility and SEO purposes:
- Helps screen readers describe images to visually impaired users.
- Provides context if images fail to load.
- Gives search engines information about image content.
Best practices:
- Be specific and descriptive rather than generic.
- Include relevant keywords naturally where appropriate.
- Keep descriptions concise but informative.
Example: Instead of alt="pizza", use alt="Young woman eating a slice of pepperoni pizza".
Review the content you selected earlier and improve its metadata:
- Check your title tag to ensure it includes your primary keyword.
- Write or revise your meta description in the Excerpt field to be compelling and include relevant keywords.
- Review all images to ensure they have descriptive alt text.
By optimizing these metadata elements, you make it easier for both search engines and potential visitors to understand and engage with your content.
