Utilizing SEO: Definitions and Fundamentals of Search Engine Optimization (Part 1)

SEO Definitions | Web Shop Manager

SEO Definitions: Meta Information & Keywords

When planning to do SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for your site, it is important to note that there are some basic SEO techniques to follow in order for your efforts to maximize their effects. This week, let’s start with SEO definitions of common words you will see used often in the SEO world:

What is a Keyword?

A keyword is a word or phrase that you choose to match what you believe users are searching for and are relevant to your site and its content. It is important to choose keywords for your SEO strategy that will have the most impact on searchers and are as relevant and descriptive as possible. For example, if your store sells running shoes, it is against your best interest to attempt to rank for keywords such as “shoes” or “running” and it would not make much sense to attempt to rank for keywords such as “clothes” or “sandals”. These are too vague and general, and the search volume for such keywords is often in the hundreds of thousands to millions of searches per month. Choosing the right keywords is one of the best basic SEO techniques you could implement into your SEO strategy!

But more people searching for a keyword is better for my visibility isn’t it? The short answer to this is no.

When targeting keywords, focusing only on broad, general terms is inefficient. For example, industry giants like Nike, Adidas, and Zappos will likely dominate the Search Engine Results Page (SERP) for generic searches due to their established brand authority. A better approach is to target “long-tail” keywords—longer, lower-volume, and lower-competition phrases—which account for over 70% of all searches. Crucially, the modern strategy for selecting these long-tail keywords centers on understanding user intent. Keywords are now about determining what the user is trying to accomplish (e.g., are they seeking information, looking to complete a transaction, or navigating to a specific site?). Aligning your content with this specific user intent is key to capturing valuable traffic.

A good example of a long tail keyword that is related to running shoes would be “outdoor running shoes” or “yellow outdoor running shoes”. Although less people may be searching for these keywords, they are more likely to be ready to purchase as they are searching for specific types of running shoes as opposed to the more general “shoes” search which may be to simply browse shoes.

What are Meta Tags?

Meta Tags are what can be found within the coding of your site. Also known as Meta Elements, they are HTML elements used to provide structured data about what can be found within a web page. These elements are placed as tags in the head section of an HTML document which is what a website is comprised of. This includes the Meta Title, H1 Tag, Meta Description, Meta Keywords, and Alt Tags.

Meta Title – is the most critical on-page SEO element, as it appears at the top of the browser tab and is the first element Google uses to understand your page’s topic. While it carries significant ranking power, its primary function on the SERP (Search Engine Results Page) is to serve as compelling ad copy designed to maximize the Click-Through Rate (CTR).

Therefore, the title must be crafted not just for search engines, but to entice user clicks. Due to modern SERP display constraints, it’s essential to keep the title concise, typically within the recommended 50–60 character range, to avoid truncation (being cut off) by Google.

H1 Tag – serves as the main on-page heading and is the single, most descriptive title for the page’s content, clearly communicating the page’s topic to both users and search engines.

While the H1 is an important element used by search engines to understand and structure a page, the widely accepted best practice is to use only one H1 tag per page. This ensures the page has a clear, singular focus and a well-defined main heading.

Meta Description – is the small block of descriptive text that appears beneath the Meta Title on the SERP (Search Engine Results Page). It is important to note that the Meta Description is not a direct ranking factor for search engines like Google. Despite this, it is an essential component for driving clicks.

The description should be crafted as a compelling, keyword-inclusive summary of the page’s content, effectively serving to entice the user to click through to your site, thereby maximizing your Click-Through Rate (CTR).

Meta Keywords – was historically used to list the specific keywords chosen for an individual webpage, serving as a non-visible way to describe the page’s content to search engines. However, it is crucial to understand that the Meta Keywords tag is no longer used or considered by Google (and most other major search engines) for ranking purposes and is now effectively obsolete.

While the definition provides historical context, modern SEO strategy requires that you do not rely on this tag for visibility or ranking.

Alt Tags – Used to describe to Google what an image on the page looks like. Unlike you and me, Google cannot see an image – it only sees a blank area when an image is posted on a web page. Because of this, we use the alt tag on images to utilize text to describe to Google what the image is about, allowing Google to index it and allow it to appear in search engine results for images.

To begin understanding SEO it is important to have a general knowledge on the basic elements of what SEO’s work with. The above definitions will help begin your journey into the SEO world and get a handle on what exactly happens behind the scenes of a website!

By: Dana Nevins

Next Week: Continue to Part 2: Learn How to Conduct Strategic Keyword Research!