The <title> tag defines the page’s subject for users and search engines. It also affects how the page is indexed and ranked, making it a key component of on-page SEO.
HTML tags for search engine optimization (SEO)
Key takeaways
Ensure the most relevant keywords are placed naturally in the
<title>tag to boost visibility. They define the webpage’s subject and affect the search rankings by ensuring the inclusion of appropriate keywords.A well-written
<meta>tag encourages users to engage with your page in search results hence improving click-through rates (CTR)—the percentage of users who click on your link after seeing it in search results.Using
<h1>for your main topic and subsequent headings (<h2>to<h6>) for subtopics enhances readability. Search engines prioritize pages with well-structured headings, aiding content discovery through passage indexing.Using descriptive image
altattributes can enhance image SEO and user accessibility. They describe images to visually impaired users, provide context for search engines, and ensure your images appear in search results.Canonical tags prevent duplicate content issues. They consolidate multiple URLs into a single authoritative page, improving search rankings.
HTML5 semantic tags provide additional meaning to web content, making it easier for search engines to understand context and relevance.
HTML tags for SEO help search engines identify, understand, and rank your webpage content effectively. These tags help the search engine to find and read the contents of the page and make them available during a search. Optimizing HTML elements such as titles, meta descriptions, and images enhances user experience and accessibility.
HTML tags for SEO
Now let's discuss the semantic HTML tags that help in search engine optimization of a webpage.
1. Title tags (<title>)
The <title> tag serves as the main headline for search engines and users. It appears on the browser tab and in search engine result pages. This tag must contain the primary keyword relevant to the content, improving your page’s visibility and ranking. It is the text that shows up on the tabs of the browser.
Title tags in browser tabs
Title tags also appear on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP). When a search matches the top keywords in the title, that page is likely to appear on the search results. The <title> tag is placed in the <head> tag in the HTML structure of the page.
Meta tag descriptions in search results
Let's look at the code below that shows how to use the <title> tag:
<html><head><title>Grokking the Coding Interview Patterns</title></head><body><div id="content"/></body></html>
In the code above, you see a properly set-up title tag that is used to create clickable headlines in the SERPs.
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2. Meta descriptions (<meta>)
Meta descriptions summarize your page for search engines and appear under the title in SERPs. Well-crafted descriptions aligned with the title improve click-through rates and drive more organic traffic.
Meta tag descriptions in search results
You can use the <meta> tag to write these descriptions. It allows you to describe in a few words what the reader can expect to see on the page. If the right keywords are present in the meta descriptions and they correspond with the title of the page, then there is a high chance of ranking in SERP.
Let's look at the code below that shows how to use the <meta> tag, which is also placed inside the <head> tag:
<html><head><title>Grokking the Coding Interview Patterns</title><meta description="name" content="With thousands of potential questions to account for, preparing for the coding interview can feel like an impossible challenge." /></head><body><div id="content"/></body></html>
In the code above, you can see that we have used the meta tag after the title tag, which provides a summary of what the course is about.
3. Heading tags (<h1> to <h6>)
The heading tags (<h1> to <h6>) structure the contents of the page for the search engine and the reader. They place the contents in a hierarchy or order of importance. The break content into digestible sections and convey the importance of different topics. You should use <h1> for the main heading and use <h2> to <h6> organize subheadings hierarchically.
When your headings are properly written, the search engine can present different parts of your page in search results and thus generating traffic. In the code example below, you can see how we hierarchically structure the heading tags:
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4. Image alt attribute
The alt attribute is used to describe the images on a web page. It improves accessibility by providing meaningful descriptions for visually impaired users who rely on screen readers, ensuring they can understand the context of the images. Additionally, it enables search engines to interpret visual content, so it is important to use keyword-rich and descriptive alt text.
When a search is made, the images on the webpage are found under the images category. The alt attribute is placed within the <img> tag that renders an image. In the code example below, you can see how we use the alt attribute inside an <img> tag. For demonstration, an invalid image path is passed to the src attribute so that the alt text can be displayed.
5. HTML5 semantic tags
HTML5 semantic tags provide meaning to the structure of web pages and allow search engines to understand the purpose of different sections on the page. They improve SEO by enhancing accessibility and content indexing.
Before HTML5, developers primarily used <div> tags to structure web pages, which led to inconsistent code and made it difficult for search engines to interpret content. With HTML5 semantic elements, developers now have standardized, meaningful tags—like <article>, <nav>, <header> and <footer>—to describe different sections of a web page clearly. These elements improve readability and accessibility and also help search engines categorize content more effectively.
HTML5 semantic tags
6. The canonical tags
Canonical tags help avoid duplicate content issues by indicating the preferred version of a web page when multiple pages have similar or duplicate content. The canonical tag tells search engines which page should be considered the “primary” version, combining SEO value (like backlinks) and avoiding potential penalties. While the canonical tag doesn’t directly affect rankings, it signals to search engines which page is the authoritative one for indexing, thus improving SEO.
In the example below, you can see how to use the canonical tag:
The code above specifies that https://examplewebsite.com is the preferred or canonical version of the page. This ensures that search engines consolidate the SEO benefits of similar pages and prioritize the authoritative version for indexing.
7. The no-follow link attribute
A no-follow tag is an attribute that tells the search engine not to consider inbound links when ranking the linked page. This is often used to stop spammers from posting irrelevant links just to get SERP points. Simply add an no-follow attribute to the inbound links.
In the example below, you can see how to use the no-follow attribute:
Frequently asked questions
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