I definatly dont want to start a flame thread, but so many times I hear people say that meta keywords are useless!!! But, when you check out the links in their signature, and veiw their source, what do you see? Meta keywords prominatly used. Now, for the record, I dont know either way if they help or not, if they are used or not and want to state this fact, the sites in my signature were gave away to an aspiring webmaster (who I think is doing good, and is trying hard). Also, all of my sites have meta keywords just for the "what if". Maybe they help maybe they wont, but I see so many people down play meta keywords, that I would have to think most of these people have them on their own websites. I know that not always the links in there own signatures are sites owned by them, but I have never found a webmaster who says they are useless, have sites in his signature that doesn't use them.. Any input? And, no arguing, just wondered if anybody else analyzed and wondered the same thing.
They are for the other search engines that do use meta keyword tag silly, you should just optimize for one specific search engine.
i have one site that I accidently left the meta tags out completly and it ranks extremly well - so i have never added them. I have other sites I felt like I did a better job on content and meta tags and those sites don't get near the traffic? all are centered around similair niches I'm a "what if" person - I normally make it a point to add them just in case
I add meta tags, but they are generally CONSIDERED to have little to no effect. I add them simply because at one time they where VERY important, I just think over the years they have been abused so much that the major SERPs don't count them or give them value.