Meta tags are useful. However, be cautioned that they are not the best, or the only method you should use. Search engines still use them to some degree, but not as much as the methods below. That said, you should still have them in your site.

Meta tags are information that you put in the “Head” area of your web pages’ HTML, including important keywords and a brief description of your site. Learn more about meta tags and how to use them.

Search Engine Optimization of key elements of your site:

• The "titles" of your site’s pages are created by a tag in your HTML. They display in the very top of the browser’s menu bar. This is one of the most important elements that search engines consider when indexing your site, so choose the wording well. A good example of a title: Temple Sinai, New Orleans, LA – New Orleans’ First Reform Congregation. The keywords in this title: “Temple, New Orleans, Reform, Congregation” will ensure that the site will be found by those seeking a Reform congregation in the New Orleans area.
  
  
• Keywords in the body of your page: just as the title contains keywords that visitors might use to locate your site, the body of your pages should include as many of these keywords as well.
  
  
• “Alt” tags for your images: Not only are these helpful for access to your pages by the handicapped, but they will help in getting your site indexed.

Getting linked from other sites
The more sites on the Internet that link to yours, the more search engines will end up crawling your site, and the better your ranking will be. Make sure to get listed in relevant directories for your community, and that your site is listed in the Union's Directory of Congregations. If you don’t see it there, please notify us by email.

For a thorough and up-to-date understanding of how search engines work, and how to best get your site indexed, we recommend a great site called Search Engine Watch.