Meta tags are text snippets in HTML that describe the content of a web page. They are not displayed on the page, but are used by browsers and search engines to correctly display and understand the website. They are located in the
part of HTML documents, and common types include: 1. Charset meta tags (set character encoding); 2. Viewport meta tags (affect mobile devices' responsive design); 3. Description meta tags (affect page summary in search engine results); 4. Open Graph/Twitter Cards (controls the sharing display of web pages on social media). Meta tags have an auxiliary role in SEO, such as improving click-through rates and improving mobile display, but some tags such as keywords have been ignored. Despite this, using accurate meta tags is still an effective way to optimize web display and dissemination.Meta tags in HTML are snippets of text that describe a page's content. They don't appear on the page itself but are used by browsers and search engines to understand and display your site correctly in search results or when shared on social media.

What Do Meta Tags Look Like?
They're placed inside the section of an HTML document. A basic example looks like this:

<meta charset="UTF-8"> <meta name="description" content="This is an example webpage explaining meta tags.">
Some are required for basic functionality, while others help with SEO, social sharing, and mobile performance.
Common Types of Meta Tags You Should Know
Here are a few you'll see or use most often:

Charset meta tag – Sets the character encoding for the page. This one should always be included near the top of your
<head>
:<meta charset="UTF-8">
Viewport meta tag – Important for responsive design. Tells mobile browsers how to scale the page:
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
Description meta tag – Used by search engines in the snippet showed under your page title in results:
<meta name="description" content="A clear explanation of what meta tags are and why they matter.">
Keep it concise (around 150 characters) and include keywords people might search for.
Open Graph / Twitter Cards – Control how your page looks when shared on Facebook, Twitter, etc. These aren't standard meta tags but follow the same pattern:
<meta property="og:title" content="Understanding Meta Tags in HTML"> <meta property="og:description" content="Learn what meta tags are and how they affect SEO and social sharing."> <meta property="og:image" content="https://example.com/image.jpg">
How Meta Tags Help With SEO
While meta tags alone won't get you to the top of Google, some play a key role in how your site appears and performs in search results.
The
description
tag may not directly impact rankings, but a well-written one can improve click-through rates from search results. Similarly, using Open Graph tags ensures your pages look good when shared, which can boost visibility and referral traffic.Also, the
viewport
tag is cruel for mobile SEO — without it, Google might mark your site as non-mobile-friendly or render it poorly on phones.When Meta Tags Get Ignored
Search engines don't always use your meta description, especially if it doesn't match the user's query. Also, some tags like the
keywords
meta tag are mostly ignored these days due to past abuse.Still, providing accurate, relevant meta tags is a solid practice. It gives you more control over how your page is seen across the web.
Basically that's it.
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