Using meta keywords

[mirel]

Hello,

I've read conflicting opinions regarding the use of meta keywords. I know Matt Cutts stated a few years ago that Google does not use them as a ranking signal but many still use them.

This raises a few questions:

1. Is there any reason to still use meta keywords?

2. Isn't it just a way to let your competitors know what you're optimizing for?

3. How do other search engines treat meta keywords?

Thanks!

[TommyTan]

Hi,

1. Yes/No, it is true the meta keywords are not used by the BIG search engines such as Bing, Google, Yahoo, Ask but what do we know about the smaller engines?  People are still using them for small engines that still uses meta keywords and might still be passing them traffic. For example, I believe Baidu (China search engines) still uses meta keyword.  I may be outdated on that.

2. Yes, true but even without the meta keywords, competitors can tell from your URL, Title tag, and content of the page.  Nothing to hide in the SEO world.

3. Like what I said in #1, BIG engines don't use it or just ignores it.  Actually, for News websites, Google allows them to use meta keywords; however, with certain restrictions.  You can read more about here http://searchengineland.com/google-announces-news-keywords-metatag-133759

Hope this helps.

[CleverPhD]

Answers

1. Not really.

2. Yes. Actually, competitors can just ignore your KW field and look at your title tag to see what you are focused on or see what you rank for. So the answer is actually No, or maybe sort of, but not really.

3. Like a red headed step child

Yahoo uses Bing results, Bing back in 2011 stated

http://searchengineland.com/the-meta-keywords-tag-lives-at-bing-why-only-spammers-should-use-it-96874

"Duane Forrester, senior product manager for Bing webmaster outreach, provided this advice about the tag: I’ll make this statement: meta keywords is a signal. One of roughly a thousand we analyze. Getting it right is a nice perk for us, but won’t rock your world. Abusing meta keywords can hurt you."

Cheers!