Do I have to put Meta Tags on each Page?

As I get questions about all sorts of webmaster related topics, I’d like to share my answers with you.

Do I have to put meta tags on each page? –asked by B.C.

Search engines have come a long way since the days of meta tags. It’s not necessary to put meta tags on all (or any) of your pages to improve search engine rankings. Meta tags were used a great deal in the early days of search engines, but now, search engine algorithms are more sophisticated in determining which sites should rank high. Now, Google, Yahoo and other search engines place more weight on criteria like on page text and inbound links. Search engines no longer have to rely on hidden tags inserted in HTML pages to determine what pages are about and what their importance should to searchers. Many webmasters like myself still habitually include meta tags on each page (it’s hard to stop once you’ve started). It’s a good habit but don’t expect a great rankings boost.