On-Page SEO

Meta Keywords (deprecated)

Quick Definition

The meta keywords tag is a legacy HTML element where SEOs once listed target keywords; it has been ignored by Google since 2009 and by Bing since 2014.

In context

Meta keywords are a useful diagnostic of low-quality SEO advice when you find them on a 2026 site (a sign the site has not been audited recently or is following outdated guidance). They have no positive effect on rankings; they have a small negative effect in that they expose your keyword strategy to competitors who view source. Best practice: remove them. There is no engine that uses them in 2026.

Example

A Toronto enterprise audit found meta keywords on every page from a 2017 SEO project; removing them simplified the templates and removed the (small) competitive intelligence leak.

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Related terms

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