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Meta keywords and meta descriptions play an important role in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) by helping search engines understand the content of your website. While meta keywords are less commonly used by search engines today, meta descriptions still play a crucial role in click-through rates on search engine result pages (SERPs).
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to add meta keywords and meta descriptions to your WordPress site, primarily using an SEO plugin like Yoast SEO or Rank Math.
Method 1: Using Yoast SEO Plugin
Yoast SEO is one of the most popular WordPress plugins for managing SEO settings, including adding meta descriptions and meta keywords.
Step 1: Install and Activate Yoast SEO
- Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
- Navigate to Plugins > Add New.
- In the search bar, type Yoast SEO.
- Click Install Now, and after installation, click Activate.
Step 2: Enable Meta Keywords (Optional)
By default, Yoast SEO doesn’t include a meta keywords option since most search engines no longer use them for ranking. However, if you still want to add meta keywords:
- Go to SEO > Search Appearance in your WordPress dashboard.
- Click on the Content Types tab.
- Scroll down to the Meta Keywords section and toggle on the option for meta keywords (if available, as this feature is sometimes deprecated in newer versions).
Step 3: Add Meta Description and Keywords to Posts or Pages
- Edit the post or page where you want to add meta keywords and meta descriptions.
- Scroll down to the Yoast SEO box below the content editor.
- In the Meta Description field, enter your custom meta description.
- Aim for 150-160 characters.
- Make it concise and compelling, with relevant keywords.
- (Optional) If you enabled the meta keywords feature, you’ll see a Meta Keywords field. Enter your keywords here, separated by commas.
Step 4: Save or Publish the Post
Once you’ve added the meta description (and keywords, if applicable), click Update or Publish to save your changes.
Method 2: Using Rank Math SEO Plugin
Rank Math is another popular SEO plugin for WordPress that allows you to easily add meta descriptions and keywords to your site.
Step 1: Install and Activate Rank Math
- In your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New.
- Search for Rank Math SEO and click Install Now.
- Once installed, click Activate.
Step 2: Set Up Rank Math
After activation, Rank Math will guide you through a setup wizard to configure basic SEO settings. Follow the steps to complete the setup.
Step 3: Enable Meta Keywords (Optional)
By default, Rank Math hides the meta keywords option, but you can enable it if you wish to use it.
- Go to Rank Math > General Settings.
- Under Titles & Meta, find the option for Meta Keywords.
- Enable Use Meta Keywords Tag.
Step 4: Add Meta Description and Keywords
- Edit the post or page where you want to add a meta description and keywords.
- Scroll down to the Rank Math SEO meta box.
- In the Snippet Editor, click on Edit Snippet.
- Add your Meta Description in the designated field. Keep it concise, engaging, and within the recommended character limit (150-160 characters).
- (Optional) If you enabled meta keywords, add your keywords in the Meta Keywords field.
Step 5: Save or Publish Your Changes
Once you’ve added the meta description and keywords, click Update or Publish to save your post.
Method 3: Manually Adding Meta Tags Without a Plugin
If you prefer not to use a plugin, you can manually add meta keywords and meta descriptions by editing your theme’s header.php file or by using custom fields.
Step 1: Access Your Theme’s header.php
- In the WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Theme Editor.
- On the right side, locate and click on the header.php file under your active theme.
- Be cautious while editing this file, as incorrect changes can break your site.
Step 2: Add Meta Tags
Add the following meta tag for your keywords and description inside the <head> section of your header.php file:
Replace “Your meta description here” with your actual meta description, and “keyword1, keyword2, keyword3” with your relevant keywords.
Step 3: Save Changes
After adding the meta tags, click Update File to save the changes. However, this method is less efficient, as it applies to every page on your site and doesn’t allow for per-page customization.
Best Practices for Meta Descriptions and Keywords
- Meta Descriptions:
- Keep them between 150-160 characters.
- Include your primary keyword naturally within the description.
- Make it engaging and informative to encourage click-through rates (CTR) from search engine results.
- Avoid keyword stuffing, as this can hurt your SEO performance.
- Meta Keywords:
- Although Google no longer uses meta keywords for rankings, other search engines (like Bing) may still reference them.
- Use 3-5 relevant keywords and separate them by commas.
- Don’t overuse keywords or make them too similar to each other.
Conclusion
Adding meta keywords and meta descriptions to your WordPress site is an essential step in optimizing your content for search engines and increasing visibility. Plugins like Yoast SEO and Rank Math make it easy to manage these fields without editing code. Whether you use a plugin or manually add the meta tags, focusing on well-crafted, relevant meta descriptions will improve click-through rates and boost your SEO performance.
