Description tags are very important for google and yahoo Keyword tags are no good for the main search engines but they are useful for some of the less popular search engines.
I've never seen two high-reputation members go at it like this before. But seriously, minstrel, can you link to the page where you point out the flaws? I'm actually on your side, I don't think meta description has anything to do with rankings, but my mind is open and maybe mvandemar is right. I want to know!
I don't think google nessesarily uses the meta description tag as your description. However if you have that same, or similar text on the actual page google WILL use that as your description an example. On my site, learn-poetry.com google was showing the description as my navbar links and my footer, so it would show as: Learn to Write Poetry Home, elements, forms, about, shoutout, forums, sean pollock I copied the description on my homepage into my meta description tags and when google crawled my site again the description showed up as that description (which was previously there). Though the text was a little too big so it was somewhat cut of with an ellipsis . So Homepage Introduction text (first few lines): Thanks to the web and annonimaty online, a mass of poetic talent has appeared. The problem with that though, is that most of that talent, is raw, and undefined. Learn Poetry aims to fix that. META Description: Thanks to the web and annonimaty online, a mass of poetic talent has appeared. The problem with that though, is that most of that talent, is raw, and undefined. Learn Poetry aims to fix that. Read through our awesome lessons and learn how to write poetry like a pro! SERP Description: Thanks to the web and annonimaty online, a mass of poetic talent has appeared. The problem with that though, is that most of that talent, is raw, ... PS: Im sorry if I seem like Im promoting my site, it's just that I have only really done seo and monitored this site so it was easier for me to create an example
It's okay, I notice a lot of people here try to speak in generalities instead of referencing their own site. If referencing your site makes describing the situation easier, then do it! I do.