SEO Meta Tags: The Complete Guide for 2026

Meta tags tell search engines about your page content. While not all meta tags affect rankings directly, they play a crucial role in how your pages appear in search results.

Title Tag

The title tag is the most important on-page SEO element. It appears as the clickable headline in search results. Keep titles between 30-60 characters. Include your primary keyword near the beginning. Make each title unique across your site. Our Title Checker helps you optimize length and preview appearance.

Meta Description

The meta description appears below the title in search results. While not a direct ranking factor, a compelling description improves click-through rate. Keep descriptions between 120-160 characters. Include a call to action. Use your target keyword naturally.

Open Graph Tags

Open Graph tags control how your page appears when shared on Facebook, LinkedIn, and other platforms. Include og:title, og:description, og:image, and og:url at minimum. Use our OG Preview tool to see exactly how your page will look when shared.

Twitter Cards

Twitter Card tags work similarly to Open Graph but are specific to Twitter. Choose between summary and summary_large_image card types. Large image cards tend to get more engagement.

Canonical Tags

Canonical tags prevent duplicate content issues by telling search engines which version of a page is the original. Use our Canonical URL Builder to generate the correct tags for your pages.