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Google uses meta description?

Discussion in 'Google' started by Kaabi, Jun 22, 2007.

  1. mvandemar

    mvandemar Notable Member

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    #121
    How can you not see the flaw in what you said.

    You claimed that the one site was ranking only because it also had a link pointed to the page with the phrase in proximity to the link, and that's what made that page different.

    All three phrases have that. It should be readily apparent to someone not suffering from wet brain that the only phrase that ranked is the one with the phrase in the meta description.

    -Michael
     
    mvandemar, Jul 9, 2007 IP
  2. Kaabi

    Kaabi Well-Known Member

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    #122
    Mvandemar is giving some good points. This is getting interesting. 7 pages, aye? I like starting long topics.
     
    Kaabi, Jul 10, 2007 IP
  3. mvandemar

    mvandemar Notable Member

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    #123
    mvandemar, Jul 10, 2007 IP
  4. kevinzhang

    kevinzhang Peon

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    #124
    whatever google if use, just use it. there is no bad.
     
    kevinzhang, Jul 10, 2007 IP
  5. sysop

    sysop Peon

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    #125
    Meta keyword is still one of the key tool used by many search engine including Google and Yahoo.
     
    sysop, Jul 10, 2007 IP
  6. Web Gazelle

    Web Gazelle Well-Known Member

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    #126
    Yes it is still used and I personally would not stop including it on my web pages.
     
    Web Gazelle, Jul 11, 2007 IP
  7. Kaabi

    Kaabi Well-Known Member

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    #127
    KEY TOOLS? No way is meta keywords a "key tool" of Google. I doubt it is used at all, but saying it is a "key tool" implies it is more, as, or almost as important as content or links.
     
    Kaabi, Jul 13, 2007 IP
  8. mvandemar

    mvandemar Notable Member

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    #128
    Almost a month later, and the test is still holding up. None of the other terms ever ranked.

    The only one that did is the one that was included in the meta description.

    -Michael
     
    mvandemar, Jul 27, 2007 IP
  9. vickyiori

    vickyiori Well-Known Member

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    #129
    Google does uses Meta description. But then it makes sense for them to use it. Using a good meta description increases the chances of getting that click from the search engines. For the rest I'm not sure. :D
     
    vickyiori, Jul 28, 2007 IP
    Web Gazelle likes this.
  10. Web Gazelle

    Web Gazelle Well-Known Member

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    #130
    Exactly! That is why I always have a good meta description on my pages.
     
    Web Gazelle, Jul 28, 2007 IP
  11. Kaabi

    Kaabi Well-Known Member

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    #131
    I still don't believe that meta description has any influence over search results, I just think it's the description.
     
    Kaabi, Aug 12, 2007 IP
    minstrel likes this.
  12. minstrel

    minstrel Illustrious Member

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    #132
    You're right.

    I previously pointed out the flaws in mvandermar's little "test". He has difficulty accepting that his little "experiment" just didn't "prove" what he wanted it to show.

    I've also previously advised him to do a little reading into experimental design and sampling but apparently he's too busy defending his little "tests" to follow through on that.

    Expect him now to pop in and try to insinuate that one or both of us has a drinking or drug problem. That's his typical response to people who don't accept his statements at face value.
     
    minstrel, Aug 12, 2007 IP
  13. LoriVa

    LoriVa Peon

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    #133
    Re how to tell Google to not use the ODP description when their description no longer matches the content of your website, use this meta tag:

    <meta name="googlebot" content="noodp">
     
    LoriVa, Aug 12, 2007 IP
  14. mvandemar

    mvandemar Notable Member

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    #134
    No, you didn't. When asked why the only one of the three phrases gained rankings, you replied it was because it was the only one that also had the phrase in proximity of a link to the page.

    All three phrases were used as anchor text, and all three phrases were in close proximity to all three links.

    Additionally, there is now another site with one of the other phrases "in proximity" to a link pointing at the same page. Doesn't matter. To date the only phrase that is ranking is the one used in both the anchor text and the meta description combined.

    You also said that it was just because it hadn't been "long enough" yet:

    What about now? Long enough for you?

    -Michael
     
    mvandemar, Aug 12, 2007 IP
  15. minstrel

    minstrel Illustrious Member

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    #135
    Sorry, no. It still doesn't prove what you claim it proves. Follow my suggestion to read up on experimental design - you might learn something.

    The only clear way to demonstrate that Google uses the meta description tag for indexing and ranking would be to show me a page that ranks for a term that ONLY appears in the meta description tag. And as I said elsewhere, tests using that approach in the past have been negative. Learning a little about experimental design will help you to avoid the problem of confounding variables and intervening variables.
     
    minstrel, Aug 13, 2007 IP
  16. mvandemar

    mvandemar Notable Member

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    #136
    As I've already stated, that's not what is being proved here. It takes X amount of a certain factor in order to appear in a query for a given phrase. We already know that having the phrase in either on-page text, in the title, or in the url automatically meets that threshold, but just having it in meta description or in the anchor text is not enough.

    However, as I have shown, when you have it in both the anchor text and the description, it suddenly meets that threshold. It bypasses the new anti-link bombing measures that they put into place. It actually is one of the factors that they use to determine whether or not to show the page.

    I'm not saying that it's a huge factor that will make you outshine all of your competitors, and my guess is that if having the phrase in the title gives you a ranking factor of say, oh, 3, and having on-page a couple of times gave you a factor of 1.2, then having it in the description is probably somewhere in the .01 range... I was just saying that it exists.

    -Michael
     
    mvandemar, Aug 13, 2007 IP
  17. minstrel

    minstrel Illustrious Member

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    #137
    If it does, you have failed to prove that.

    One more time: Do some reading in experimental design and confounding variables. That's not what you demonstrated at all. All you've managed to show us is what we already knew - that anchor text works. If you don't isolate the variable/factor, you've proven nothing.
     
    minstrel, Aug 13, 2007 IP
  18. mvandemar

    mvandemar Notable Member

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    #138
    One last time... if it's just because of the anchor text, then why is only one phrase ranking?

    -Michael
     
    mvandemar, Aug 13, 2007 IP
  19. minstrel

    minstrel Illustrious Member

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    #139
    *sigh*

    I don't think you get it and I don't think you want to get it, vandermar. Go do the reading I suggested. That may help, although I'm beginning to doubt it.
     
    minstrel, Aug 13, 2007 IP
  20. aaron_nimocks

    aaron_nimocks Im kind of a big deal Staff

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    #140
    SEO aside....

    Google does use it and it shows up in the SERPs. People searching the internet do read them before clicking on the site. The more attractive the meta description the more clicks.

    To solve this test theory why not just change one of your homepages meta description and add a phrase that returns 0 results on Google. Wait a few weeks and if it shows up then you know it does count it for SEO purposes.
     
    aaron_nimocks, Aug 13, 2007 IP