Meta Data Questions

Discussion in 'Search Engine Optimization' started by vikingraider, Sep 11, 2009.

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  1. #1
    Hi
    Have come across a website that uses the following set up for its meta description tag

    <meta id="ctl00_Description" name="Description" content=""

    the content is placed in the content ".."

    I wondered what the point of set it like this is?

    The site is returning different descriptions in the google serps for the same page on different searches but both are lifts from the page text not the content of the tag. Does that mean that google is ignoring the description tag because of the way it is set up?

    :confused:

    Thanks in advance :confused:
     
    vikingraider, Sep 11, 2009 IP
  2. Canonical

    Canonical Well-Known Member

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    #2
    I'm pretty sure that is getting ignored since the name attribute is NOT "description". I would bet the value of the content attribute NEVER shows in the SERPs at Google as it should when the URL shows up and the description contains all of the keywords from the search phrase.
     
    Canonical, Sep 11, 2009 IP
    vikingraider likes this.
  3. vikingraider

    vikingraider Greenhorn

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    #3
    You right that exactly what it returns. It searches the page for the keywords and then displays that as the description.

    I can't see that this has an value as the description are then something they have little control over and they read very very badly.

    The click through rate (well gap analysis between searches and traffic) is poor for the positions they have obtained in SERPS.

    It shows that the description tag as more than a pure SEO function - that it also has a marketing function that is often forgotten.

    Thanks and REP added.
     
    vikingraider, Sep 11, 2009 IP