What meta tags do and do not do
Meta tags sit in the head of an HTML document and describe the page to machines rather than to visitors. Some influence how your page appears in search results and on social media; others are widely misunderstood and do very little.
The title tag is the single most important. It appears as the clickable headline in search results, it is what a browser shows in the tab, and it is a genuine ranking signal. Around 50 to 60 characters displays reliably; beyond that Google truncates it, usually mid-phrase.
The meta description does not directly affect ranking, which surprises people. What it affects is click-through rate, and that matters enormously — a compelling description on a result ranked fourth can outperform a dull one ranked second. Around 150 to 160 characters is the practical limit. Note that Google frequently ignores your description entirely and generates its own from page content when it judges that a better match for the query.
The meta keywords tag, which this generator deliberately omits, has been ignored by Google since 2009. It offers no benefit and only tells competitors which terms you are targeting.
Open Graph tags
Open Graph controls how your page appears when shared on Facebook, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Slack and most messaging apps. Without these tags, the platform guesses — usually badly, pulling the first image on the page and an arbitrary snippet of text.
The image tag matters most, since a shared link with a proper image occupies far more space in a feed and attracts substantially more clicks. Use an absolute URL, not a relative path, and aim for 1200 by 630 pixels. Images below 200 pixels wide are often ignored entirely.
Twitter Cards
Twitter uses its own tag set, though it falls back to Open Graph when Twitter-specific tags are absent. Specifying both is more reliable. The summary_large_image card type produces the prominent full-width preview rather than a small thumbnail.
Canonical URLs
The canonical tag tells search engines which version of a page is authoritative when the same content is reachable at multiple addresses — with and without a trailing slash, with tracking parameters attached, or across HTTP and HTTPS. Without it, ranking signals split across duplicates. Always use the full absolute URL.
The robots tag
This controls whether a page may be indexed and whether its links should be followed. Use noindex for thank-you pages, internal search results, and anything thin that would dilute your site quality. Be careful: a stray noindex on an important page removes it from search entirely, and this mistake is more common than you would expect.
Generated locally
Tags are built in your browser and nothing is transmitted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the meta description affect ranking?
Not directly. It affects click-through rate, which matters a great deal. Google also frequently replaces it with its own snippet drawn from page content.
Should I include a meta keywords tag?
No. Google has ignored it since 2009. It provides no benefit and reveals your targeting to competitors.
What size should the social share image be?
1200 by 630 pixels works across all major platforms. Always use an absolute URL rather than a relative path.
Why do I need both Open Graph and Twitter tags?
Twitter falls back to Open Graph when its own tags are missing, but specifying both gives more reliable control over how each platform renders your link.
What does the canonical tag do?
It nominates the authoritative version of a page when the same content is reachable at several URLs, preventing ranking signals from splitting across duplicates.