Master SEO for your Blogger blog! Learn how to add custom meta tags to boost search engine rankings and attract more readers.
Do you want your Blogger blog to rank higher in search engine results? Custom meta tags are a powerful tool to help you achieve that goal. Meta tags provide search engines with vital information about your content, influencing how your blog posts appear in search results.
This article will guide you through everything you need to know about meta tags for Blogger, including:
- What are meta tags and their role in SEO?
- Different types of meta tags for Blogger
- How to add custom meta tags to your Blogger blog
What Are Meta Tags?
Meta tags are snippets of code embedded in your webpage’s HTML. They provide search engines with information about your content, even though they are not directly visible to visitors. Think of them as informative labels for your blog posts. They help search engines understand your content and display it effectively in search results.
Meta Tags for Blogspot SEO
Here are some of the most important meta tags for Blogger SEO:
- Description Meta Tag: This tag summarizes your blog post content. It’s displayed as a snippet beneath your page title in search results, enticing users to click through.
- Title Tag: This tag defines the title of your webpage for search engines. It’s crucial for both SEO and user experience, so craft clear and concise titles relevant to your content.
- Robots Meta Tag: This instructs search engines on how to index your pages. You can use it to specify whether a page should be indexed (shown in search results) or not.
Open Graph Meta Tags
Open Graph data allows social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter to display rich snippets when your content is shared. This can significantly increase click-through rates (CTR) from social media. Here are some key Open Graph meta tags:
- Open Graph Type: This specifies the content type, such as “article” or “website.”
- Open Graph Image: This defines the image used for social media sharing. Choose an attractive and relevant image to grab attention. Social media platforms typically recommend image sizes around 1200×628 pixels.
- Open Graph Title: This is the title used for social media sharing. While it can be similar to your title tag, you can optimize it for social media by using emojis and keeping it concise (around 70 characters).
- Open Graph Description: This is a brief description of your content for social media sharing. Similar to your meta description, keep it engaging and under 200 characters.
- Open Graph URL: This specifies the URL of your blog post on your Blogger site.
By incorporating these Open Graph meta tags, you can significantly enhance how your Blogger content appears when shared on social media. This can lead to increased website traffic and engagement from a wider audience.
How to Generate and Add Meta Tags to Blogger Blog
Blogger allows you to add custom meta tags by editing your blog’s template. However, it’s recommended to be comfortable with the code before making any changes. Here’s a general overview of the process:
Access Blogger Template:
- Log in to your Blogger dashboard.
- Navigate to the “Theme” section and click on “Edit HTML.” This will open the blog theme code in a new window.
Locate the <head> Tag:
- Within the code editor, look for the
<head>Tag. This tag marks the beginning of the header section in your blog’s HTML. It’s usually located near the top of the code.
Paste the Code:
- Carefully copy the code snippet you want to add (refer to the guide text for details). This code snippet will contain the meta tags you want to use for your Blogger blog.
- Paste the copied code snippet just below the
<head>tag in the code editor. Be mindful not to accidentally paste it within another HTML tag, as this could cause errors.
<b:if cond='data:view.isSingleItem'> <meta content='article' property='og:type'/> <else/> <meta content='website' property='og:type'/> </b:if> <b:include data='blog' name='all-head-content' /> <title> <b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == "index"'> <data:blog.title/> <b:else/> <b:if cond='data:blog.pageType != "error_page"'> <data:blog.pageName/> <b:else/> ERROR 404 - <data:blog.title/> </b:if> </b:if> </title> <b:if cond='!data:view.isHomepage and !data:view.isSingleItem'> <meta content='noindex,follow' name='robots'/> <else/> <meta content='max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1' name='robots'/> </b:if> <meta content='https://www.facebook.com/myfburl' property='article:publisher' /> <meta content='https://www.facebook.com/adminurl' property='article:author' /> <b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == "item"'> <meta expr:content='data:blog.pageName' property='og:title' /> <meta expr:content='data:blog.canonicalUrl' property='og:url' /> <meta content='article' property='og:type' /> </b:if> <b:if cond='data:blog.postImageUrl'> <meta expr:content='data:blog.postImageUrl' property='og:image' /> <meta expr:content='data:blog.postImageUrl' property='og:image:secure_url' /> <b:else/> <b:if cond='data:blog.postImageThumbnailUrl'> <meta expr:content='data:blog.postImageUrl' property='og:image' /> </b:if> </b:if> <b:if cond='data:blog.metaDescription != ""'> <meta expr:content='data:blog.metaDescription' name='og:description' /> </b:if> <meta expr:content='data:blog.title' property='og:site_name' /> <meta expr:content='data:blog.homepageUrl' name='twitter:domain' /> <meta expr:content='data:blog.pageName' name='twitter:title' /> <b:if cond='data:blog.postImageUrl'> <meta content='summary_large_image' name='twitter:card' /> <meta expr:content='data:blog.postImageUrl' name='twitter:image' /> <b:else/> <meta content='summary' name='twitter:card' /> <b:if cond='data:blog.postImageThumbnailUrl'> <meta expr:content='data:blog.postImageThumbnailUrl' name='twitter:image' /> </b:if> </b:if> <meta expr:content='data:blog.pageName' name='twitter:title' /> <b:if cond='data:blog.metaDescription'> <meta expr:content='data:blog.metaDescription' name='twitter:description' /> </b:if> <!-- Social Media meta tag need customer customization --> <meta content='Your Google Webmaster Verification Code' name='google-site-verification' /> <meta content='Your Bing Verification Code' name='msvalidate.01' /> <meta content='Your facebook ID' property='fb:app_id' /> <meta content='Facebook Admin' property='fb:admins' /> <meta content='Twitter Page' name='twitter:site' /> <meta content='Twitter Admin' name='twitter:creator' /> <meta content='your country' name='geo.placename' /> <meta content='Your Name' name='Author' /> <meta content='general' name='rating' /> <meta content='IN' name='geo.country' />
Replace Placeholders and Save:
- The code snippet you copied might contain placeholders represented by keywords or bracketed phrases. These placeholders need to be replaced with your information. For example, a placeholder
[YOUR_FACEBOOK_PROFILE_URL]would need to be replaced with the actual URL of your Facebook profile. - Once you’ve carefully replaced all placeholders with your information, save your changes to the blog theme.
Verify Changes:
- After saving your changes, it’s recommended to preview your blog to ensure everything looks and functions as expected. You can usually do this by clicking a “Preview” button within the code editor.
FAQs About How to Add Custom Meta Tags for Bloggers to Optimize SEO
1. Do I need to add meta tags to every blog post?
While description meta tags are ideal for every post, some Blogger functionalities can automatically generate them. However, customizing these descriptions is highly recommended for optimal SEO.
2. Is there a character limit for meta tags?
Yes, there are recommended character limits for meta tags. Aim for:
- Description: Around 155-160 characters.
- Title: Around 50-60 characters.
3. Can I use the same meta tags for all my blog posts?
It’s best to create unique and relevant meta tags for each post. This improves SEO relevance and entices users with specific descriptions.
4. How often should I update my meta tags?
There’s no set frequency. Update your meta tags whenever you significantly modify your content or target keywords.
5. Where can I find free tools to check my meta tags?
Several free SEO tools like MozBar or Ahrefs offer meta-tag analysis features.
6. Can adding too many meta tags hurt my SEO?
While it won’t directly penalize you, excessive meta tags can clutter your code and make it harder for search engines to understand your content. Stick to the essential tags mentioned above.
7. What are schema markup structure data and how do they help?
Schema markup provides additional information about your content in a structured format at search engines can understand. This can lead to richer search results with features like star ratings or event snippets.
8. After adding meta tags, how long does it take to see results?
Search engines revisit and re-index websites periodically. It can take some time (weeks or even months) to see the full impact
