How much do I need key word meta tags?

[sisterearth]

Hi, this is Dianne at sisterearthstore.com,
I'm working on my meta tags, I have pages published for testing the look of image links but the tags are not ready to go because I am confused by all this metatag stuff.

I plan to read the book by Bethers but I have a reading disability so I'm kinda slow with absorbing things in print. For now I want to ask a few questions.

Is there one place I can see all the rules for meta tags & SE related stuff.
One that is not in print...audio or video perhaps?

I was reading today & saw that Bethers said that SEs aren't really looking at key word tags. So how much should I worry about key word tags??

In some of my tags I have short phrases written once with comma & then repeated with - between each word. Example: (see-space-live-on-your-computer) Is this a bad idea?

The shopping plaza section of my site is all links to other sites using banners & images. Some are affiliate links some are info. links. I plan to use a sentence at the bottom of each page to describe the category. Is this a good idea?

I also I know I need to use generic descriptions in my SE stuff so I don't encroach on copyrights or URLs that are not mine. Any other advice for the tags in this section ?

Much thanks,
Dianne

[Bethers]

Re: How much do I need key word meta tags?

My replies are within your message below:

Hi, this is Dianne at sisterearthstore.com,
I'm working on my meta tags, I have pages published for testing the look of image links but the tags are not ready to go because I am confused by all this metatag stuff.

I plan to read the book by Bethers but I have a reading disability so I'm kinda slow with absorbing things in print. For now I want to ask a few questions. Please try to read the book - it's VERY short - and if you have questions, I'll help you.

Is there one place I can see all the rules for meta tags & SE related stuff.
One that is not in print...audio or video perhaps? Sorry, I don't know of a good one in audio or video.

I was reading today & saw that Bethers said that SEs aren't really looking at key word tags. So how much should I worry about key word tags?? I would do these last, if at all.

In some of my tags I have short phrases written once with comma & then repeated with - between each word. Example: (see-space-live-on-your-computer) Is this a bad idea? No, that isn't good. First, if you use meta keywords, they have to the be phrases exactly how people would use them, without the - And I doubt anyone is searching for what you typed here, so those really aren't good keywords.

The shopping plaza section of my site is all links to other sites using banners & images. Some are affiliate links some are info. links. I plan to use a sentence at the bottom of each page to describe the category. Is this a good idea? You would be better making a headline (not a sentence) at the top of the page. You could also put some sort of sentence at the bottom of the page describing what you've got - but the headline is more important.

I also I know I need to use generic descriptions in my SE stuff so I don't encroach on copyrights or URLs that are not mine. Any other advice for the tags in this section ? The important tags are your title tag and your meta description. These are the ones I would concentrate on. And again, please try to read my book - it's got shorter explanations than you will imagine - and if you have trouble with it - ask me here or email me - I'll try to keep examples and explanations as simple for you as possible.

Much thanks,
Dianne

[sisterearth]

Re:Thanks agian Bethers, you are fab!!

Thank you for your generous offer of help. I will try to read the book as soon as my toddler gives me a little free time. It may take a while but I'll be in touch if I need help. You are Fab!!
Dianne

[lovethatbluegrassmusic]

Re: How much do I need key word meta tags?

Bethers is the 'hands down' expert!

The tags are needed for when others are searching for information
related to your site.

[sisterearth]

Re:Betheres, I have read SEO book, can you help

Bethers,(from Dianne @ sisterearthstore.com)

I have read your SEO book.
Please help, clarify some things:
I’m confused about title & headline, how are they different?
Is the text in bold at the top of each page a title or a head line or neither?
What is an “h tag”? is this the header tag that is in the menu with the key word meta tag stuff?

What is a bullet list, when should I use one? How do I make one? (I bet there is a tutorial huh?)

My site is based on images of art and poems but I have written a bio at the top of each page that is original. Will this be unique enough or should I be writing a review of the art as well?
Here is a link to some art & poetry examples (again the tags are not finished I need to do some page linking but you can still see it) Thanks,
Dianne

http://www.sisterearthstore.com/gallery_brian_exton_art.html

http://www.sisterearthstore.com/gallery_directory_bio_poetry_by_xl_woo.html

[Bethers]

Re: How much do I need key word meta tags?

Hi Dianne,
First, the title: This isn't on the page at all -it is what is seen in the top of the browser window (look up right now and it will be the name of your thread here and the category it's in. This is very important.

The headline - is what I suggest you put in h1 tags - on the top of each page.

A bullet list would be a bulleted list of items of importance. They work well on some sites and in some places. No you don't necessarily need one - unless it will work well with your site and what you're talking about.

On your site - you don't have a header for your own site anywhere - it was/is confusing to me - when I click the links in your signature, the pages look like they are THEIR sites. The info in bold at the top looks more like a header - not like a headline - although it can be a headline done as you have. (I know this is probably confusing you - but you have no header for "Sister Earth" which is what I expected - then the headline would be after the header.

The bio should work - but you have to carefully look at what you write and make sure it's using the keywords for that artist that people will use to find them.

[sisterearth]

Re: How much do I need key word meta tags?

Bethers,
I'm a very slow learner and this is overwhelming to me but I'm trying to short it out.
So pretend I know nothing of the terms you use & you will be close to where I am. I think this is part of why it’s so confusing to me. For example: the links in your signature" What is my signature? Do you mean the button links on the art directory pages, or the image links on the shopping pages? Do I need to fill in the alt text to fix this or do you mean in the shopping plaza where you are leaving my site when you click a banner?
On the art & poetry pages it says Sister Earth Gallery at the top of the directory page are you saying it should also say it at the top of each art display and at the top of each poem? Do you mean it should be at the top of all pages? Or are you saying there is a box I need to type it into some where like the one in the page properties?

So the title is the thing you type in when you open page properties & it says untitled if you do not change it? And the h1 tag is in the html tabs?

So are you saying a header is a few descriptive words about what site you are on but a headline is a short narrative sentence about what is on that page? And a header goes in the h tag but headline is in a text box on the page?
Will the SE see the text that is on the nav. buttons? Like a poem title?

It seems like there are so many menus with little boxes to type into I get confused about what each one is for.
Could you perhaps make me a short check list of things I need to change and a short description of what they are & what to chick to find them & change them? Some thing like:

A header is......you click___ to enter this info.
A title is...you click___ to enter this info.
A headline is...you click___ to enter this info.

This would be a great help to me.

Then I can look at each of my pages & be sure they are correct.
Thank you soooooo much.
I am very glad you are here to help or I would give up.
Dianne

[Karen Mac]

Re: How much do I need key word meta tags?

Dianne..

The signature are the links under ones name in the forum.

A page title, you find when you right click on your web page in blue voda and select properties.

A headline is what you see in a newspaper : A Bolded Brief Caption of what the story is about. Same thing on a website.

A HEADER is what you see at the top of a page, usually a banner of some sort with the name of a site and slogan of sorts.

There are LOTS of glossarys, and I believe there is one in vodahost where u login for support tickets and the knowledge base, that will help you with terms, or just type it in google and im sure you will come up with some definitions and examples of clarification. No need for us to reinvent the wheel here.

Blue Voda has tutorials, and if you go thru those, you will learn what to click and why to click it, no need for a checklist.

Karen

[sisterearth]

Re: How much do I need key word meta tags?

Thank you for the suggestions.
I did not know there was a glossary and yes I have seen all the tutorials more than once.
I’m a slow learner and it is a lot of stuff for someone who just got their first computer last year. The Blue Voda demo made it look simple but for me its not. I've been building this sight for over a year now. My strength is really art & lay out not data entry type stuff.

I do not mean to be asking for reinventing the wheel, I just get frustrated because there is so much to read. I have a severe reading disability, I am always looking for ways to avoid loosing time on reading stuff that is not necessary, I spent a lot of time trying to figure out key word tags only to discover that they are not relevant in most cases. I was hoping Bethers would have time to answer my questions because she offered to help me. I guess I should email her instead.

In any case I still need to know if SEs will see the text on my nav. Buttons?or if it needs to also appear else where? Thanks Dianne

[Karen Mac]

Re: How much do I need key word meta tags?

Dianne

Im sorry, but theres no easy way to do it without reading and learning. There arent any shortcuts. If there were, There would be no more room on the internet for websites, because everybody could just do it in 30 minutes and be successful. Everybody gets frustrated, and everybody has to chose to proceed inspite of the frustrations, even those of us who can read 150 words a second and type almost as fast! Make your own list as you learn.

Yes the SE can read your nav buttons in bv, but your text also needs to appear elsewhere.

Beth is on the road, and not available currently and only checks mail for her store orders etc as she doesnt always have access to long term internet for a few days.

Karen