The Meta Keywords Tag is an HTML meta element that was previously used to provide search engines with a list of keywords or phrases relevant to the content of a webpage. This tag was part of the <head> section in the HTML source code of a webpage. It was intended to help search engines understand the primary topics or themes covered within the content of a webpage, and consequently, assist in indexing and ranking the page for those keywords.
However, the Meta Keywords Tag has lost its significance and is no longer considered a ranking factor by major search engines like Google. Over time, it became prone to misuse, with some website owners engaging in “keyword stuffing” – the practice of loading the tag with excessive and irrelevant keywords in an attempt to manipulate search rankings.
Search engines evolved and developed more sophisticated algorithms to determine the relevance and quality of web content beyond the presence of specific keywords in the Meta Keywords Tag. Consequently, search engines now primarily rely on the actual content of a webpage, its structure, user engagement metrics, backlinks, and various other factors to determine its ranking in search results.
As a result, major search engines such as Google, Bing, and others no longer consider the Meta Keywords Tag as a ranking signal. In fact, Google announced officially in 2009 that they don’t use the tag for ranking purposes. It is, however, still a good discipline to identify and work with the keywords in your content.