Meta data is actually one of the most important aspects of SEO work. If you are serious about your SEO efforts, metadata optimization should be a permanent part of your SEO strategy.
But what exactly is meta data? And why is it so important for your SEO work? And how can you optimize your meta data to benefit your SEO efforts?
What is meta data?
Meta data, also known as meta tags, is data in the source code that provides information about the content. This type of data is used to describe the content of a website, image files, videos, etc.
Meta data can also be used to improve the searchability and accessibility of the file or URL in question. Particularly in SEO, meta data helps search engines understand your content and index it correctly.
What does meta data contain?
When talking about metadata in SEO, it primarily refers to meta data in the HTML code of a specific URL. A web page mainly contains the following meta data:
- Title tag (Page title)
- Meta description
NB In the past, you also had to include meta keywords in your meta data. You did this to tell Google what your website was about. This is no longer the case! Google has downplayed the importance of meta keywords, making them almost completely insignificant, which is why we don’t recommend using them.
What is the importance of meta data?
Meta data helps search engines understand and rank your content. By using the right meta data, you can help Google display your website in relevant SERPS.
But meta data is not just reserved for search engines.
In fact, you can think of meta data as a kind of traffic sign in Google, telling road users what the “exit” to your website is about. This means that your meta data serves two purposes:
- Telling Google what your content is about
- Telling and enticing users to visit your website
When metadata is used correctly, it can please both search engines and users. This kills two birds with one stone. You will typically see significant increases in search rankings when you are rewarded. But this leads us to the next question, how to use metadata correctly?
Correct use of meta data
There’s a lot more to meta data than just filling in the various sections with text and hoping for the best. In 2015, Google introduced one of their most important algorithms, RankBrain, to their search engine, according to them.
The goal of the algorithm is to improve the search experience by delivering more relevant results in SERPS. To better understand search intent, RankBrain uses semantic context analysis, looking at LSI keywords and user satisfaction.
That is to say:
- A user types a search term into the search bar
- RankBrain transforms the keyword into concepts
- The user is shown some results for the concept
- If the user interacts with a result, it is prioritized.
- If not, the user will be shown different results next time
Triple distilled, this means that RankBrain specifically looks at interaction metrics that validate the algorithm’s assumptions about relevance and a good user experience. The following SEO KPIs are good indicators of this:
- CTR % => meta data
- Bounce rate => content
- Time on page => content
By ‘proper use of meta data’ we mean that you work with your meta data to improve your URL’s CTR%. Of course, you should also work on improving your website content through data-driven copywriting, Core Web Vitals, video graphics, etc.
How to optimize your meta data for hero status
Meta data optimization can involve many different things and depends on whether you need to improve title tags or meta descriptions. We recommend that you always have well-written titles and descriptions in your meta data.
Tips for good title tags
- The title is under 561 pixels and over 200 pixels
- It is unique.
- Is relevant to the context of the page
- Calls to action / creates interest
- Contains year if the website is time-specific (e.g. SEO Guide 2025)
- Optionally 1-2 relevant LSI keywords, if possible
- Contains your focus keyword on the left side separated by either a hyphen ( – ), vertical bar ( | ), or quotation marks like ( » )
Tip: Be aware of the use of different emojis, characters and symbols, as not all CMS solutions support them. Google also does not include all emojis and symbols, which is why we recommend that you always double-check your metadata directly in the SERPS via Google Search Operators.
Tips for good meta descriptions
- The description is over 400 pixels and under 985 pixels.
- Is relevant and unique
- It reflects the content of the website
- Supports meta title
- Calls to action / creates interest
- Contains 1-2 relevant LSI keywords, if possible
NB Please note that Google may change meta titles and especially meta descriptions if they are considered to be incomplete, incorrect or do not reflect the content on the web page.
Finally, be extra careful about using emojis in meta descriptions, as Google may not necessarily include them.
11 general tips for metadata success
- Preferably use 1 CTA in your metadata either in the description or title
- Never keyword stuff
- Always written for people
- Always double-check your meta data directly in SERPS
- Sikre at både titler og beskrivelser er opdaterede
- Use the same language as your visitors (customer segment)
- Always have meta data on the front page and your money pages (including products and product categories in e-commerce)
- Avoid missing metadata on your website as much as possible.
- Make sure the H1 and title tag contain the same focus keyword
- Always keep your metadata up to date
- Adapts your metadata to your website’s funnel level (Top, mid & bottom)
Tip: When working with metadata optimization, we highly recommend that you use a metadata tool. It will make your work significantly easier. You can use paid tools like Storybase’s CTR Tool or free solutions like the SERP Snippet Optimization Tool.
Meta data optimization points that create top-notch meta data
By following the general recommendations, you can be sure that you have meta data that works. But your journey doesn’t end there. Even if you have well-written metadata on all your pages, it doesn’t necessarily guarantee you effective success in SER in terms of RankBrain rating points.
If you want to take your metadata game a step further, it is crucial that you continuously experiment with your meta data via A/B split tests. This means that you adapt and test your meta data based on:
- Power words (Types, numbers and combinations)
- Use of prices, years, etc.
- Product/service features
- Product/service benefits
- CTA variations
- Open questions in the meta description
- Customer language (phrases, expressions, phrases & word choice)
- Any value propositions
- Use of brand name or not
Keeping your finger on the metadata pulse with A/B split tests
A/B split testing, also known as A/B testing, is a method of comparing two versions of something to see which version performs best. This can be anything from email subject lines to website changes, etc.
This type of test is designed to help you improve your conversion rate, which in meta data optimization terms is click-throughs to your web page.
NOTE: Please note that SEO tests typically last longer than split tests performed in Google Ads. Depending on your niche and current rankings, we recommend running your tests at intervals of 2 to 3 months.
The classic A/B test approach
You can do this type of test in 2 different ways. The classic method is that you have a control group and a test group. For example, you can have roughly the same products, which could be T-shirts in different colors or sizes.
- Set up a relevant hypothesis
- Change the meta data on 50% of your T-shirt product pages
- Running the test for 2 to 3 months
- Keep the results up to date with the pre-change version
However, there are two challenges with this approach. First, it requires that your products are indexed in Google. Second, it requires the same rankings for the same keywords, which is technically impossible. Finally, it also presents problems with content cannibalization.
Currently, the best solution is to go into Google Search Console and do a comparison. It will be interesting to see if one day it will be possible to do meta data split tests in Google Optimize, which we definitely recommend for your website split tests.
Practical setup of split tests in Google Search Console
Unlike a regular A/B test, where you create a control version and share the traffic with a test group, it works a little differently in Google Search Console (GSC).
- First you access ‘Efficiency‘
- Next, you select the country and website.
- Select all 4 options (Clicks, Exposure, CTR & Position)
- Click on date and select compare
- You can choose to compare with a previous period or other years.
- Select the ‘Custom‘ option
- At the top, you insert the start date and end date (before change to change)
- At the bottom, insert the start date for your change and for testing, the end date for testing.
NOTE: It is important that both sections run over the same number of days. This means that if the test has run over 3 months, you will of course also choose a 3-month previous period.
Select max 1 thing that you want to change and test.
In the example above, we have chosen to use one of our customers, PostNord Strålfors A/S as an example. We did a meta data split test that lasted approximately 2 months. The test started on 17-8-2022, where we updated the metadata on the URL, and ended on 19-10-2022.
We tested whether our title tag change would lead to a higher click-through rate. As can be seen in the example, the change resulted in significantly more clicks and a higher CTR. To see if our A/B test results are statistically significant, we perform a significance test.
In this example, we have taken the liberty of using the A/B testing tool from SurveyMonkey, but you can easily use another statistical tool for significance testing.
We fill in the ‘Visitor’ fields with our numbers from ‘Total impressions’ from GSC. We do the same in ‘Conversion’, where we enter the number of clicks measured in GSC. Next, we choose a 95% confidence interval, which means we only have 5% statistical uncertainty.
Then we click on the green ‘Calculate‘ button.
According to our significance test, our metadata change is significant. This means that we include the change, create a new hypothesis, and retest. Our meta data change contributed to an increase from 4th to 3rd place on our focus keyword.
If our change was not significant, we will reject our hypothesis for the change and possibly do a new experiment.
NB You should be aware that some rare niche searches and long-tail keywords may have limited traffic. In such cases, it may make sense to extend the duration of your test or change the search (your focus keyword).
Most often, you will get enough data to confirm your hypotheses – so don’t worry!
Remember to document your changes and results.
When working with meta data optimization, it’s important to always document your changes and results. This way, you can track the effects of your A/B tests and ensure you’re always moving in the right direction.
Without documentation, it can be difficult to know if your efforts are paying off.
We recommend that you use Google Sheets or Excel to document your meta data changes. You can also use our meta data optimization template to get a clearer start.
Success criteria for meta data split tests
- Your changes (tests) are statistically significant
- Documents historical changes and subsequent results
- Same maturity from period to period
- Running your tests with a 95% confidence interval
- Do more tests Just like brushing your teeth once isn’t enough to get a toothpaste smile
- Test 1 new element each time
- Test max 1 element at a time i.e. only 1 test per URL per period
Discover the full potential of your meta data
Meta data optimization is often an overlooked aspect of SEO, but it can be a crucial factor in your SEO success. By taking the time to understand and use meta data correctly, you can give your website the edge it needs to rank higher on search engine results pages.
Because the higher your CTR, the greater your chances of ranking higher in the SERPS.
And don’t forget that A/B split testing is key to finding out what works best for your site. So start optimizing your meta data title tags and descriptions today. It’ll pay off in the end.
