What are meta tags?
Meta tags sit in the <head> of a web page. Visitors never see them on the page, but search engines read them to understand what the page is about and how to show it, and social networks read them to build the preview card when someone shares your link.
The tags that matter
- Title: the blue headline in search results and the text on the browser tab. Keep it under about 60 characters, with the main topic first.
- Meta description: the snippet under the title. It does not change rankings directly, but a clear one earns more clicks. Aim for 70–160 characters.
- Canonical link: tells search engines which address is the main one when the same page can be reached in several ways.
- Open Graph and X (Twitter) tags: control the title, description and image of the card shown on Facebook, WhatsApp, LinkedIn and X.
- Robots: “noindex” keeps a page out of search results; use it for thank-you pages, internal search results and test pages.
How to use the meta tag generator
- Write the title and description — the counters turn green when the length is right.
- Add the page address and a share image of 1200 × 630 pixels for a large preview card.
- Copy the HTML and paste it inside the <head> of your page, replacing any older versions of the same tags.
Frequently asked questions
Does Google still use the meta keywords tag?
No. Google has ignored it for many years, and some other search engines treat it as a sign of spam when it is stuffed. It is safe to leave it out.
Why does Google show a different description from mine?
Google rewrites the snippet when it thinks another passage of the page answers the search better. A specific, accurate description is used more often.
Why is my share image not showing on Facebook or WhatsApp?
The image URL must be a full https address that is publicly reachable, ideally 1200 × 630 pixels and under 5 MB. Social networks also cache previews, so changes can take a while to appear.