META keywords

MJohansson · September 4, 2009

I would like to add meta keywords to my bio box. I have code for putting it into the box:

<*meta name*="keywords" content="portrait photography, headshots, creative photography, professional photography, location photography, Monica, Johansson, Monica Johansson, Connecticut, digital photography, photo restoration" />

I'm hoping this is correct, but my question is, what code do I put into CSS to keep this from being visible?

Thanks.
Monica
www.monicajohansson.com

thaKing · September 4, 2009

so you put that in the bio box as html, enclosed within html tags? if so, then i'm confused when you say hide it...do you mean, you don't want to be able to "view source" and see these tags? if so, that defeats the purpose of having keywords...

what do you mean hide them?

photokandy · September 4, 2009

While you can put them in your Bio, I'd think the better place would be the Head Tag area in the Advanced Customization. That way your keywords are kept separate from your bio.

As far as "seeing" them -- meta tags should never be visible to the end user unless they "view source" (which is the point). If you're seeing the meta tags, view your source and make sure they are in the <*HEAD*> tag, otherwise you might have some problems.

Andy · September 4, 2009

photokandy wrote:

While you can put them in your Bio, I'd think the better place would be the Head Tag area in the Advanced Customization.

You'd be wrong

Please, descriptive words in your Bio are pickedup as META Description info.

photokandy · September 4, 2009

Andy wrote:

You'd be wrong

Please, descriptive words in your Bio are pickedup as META Description info.

I stand corrected. But what if we want to emit keywords as well? I don't think the bio lets us do that: it strips all tags for the description, so there's no way that I know of to get a meta keyword tag in there and have it work. (It will work for the home page, since the bio emits regular html in the body. But it wouldn't work anywhere else the bio is not displayed.)

So, correct me if I'm wrong, but since the bio seems to only affect the meta description tag, and not the keywords, if we want to generate our own meta keywords, we'd have to put them in the "Head Tag" under Advanced Customization.

That said, I have no idea how a search engine will react to seeing two meta keyword tags... as SM already emits one that would be visible above what is in the "Head Tag" section. Actually I'm not sure it is really, truly worth it -- a good search engine is usually going to look at the description + content, not the keywords, but even so, it'd be nice to have a field on the control panel somewhere that would let us directly specify the meta keywords to be emitted, but that's a totally different post...

MJohansson · September 4, 2009

photokandy wrote:

I stand corrected. But what if we want to emit keywords as well? I don't think the bio lets us do that: it strips all tags for the description, so there's no way that I know of to get a meta keyword tag in there and have it work. (It will work for the home page, since the bio emits regular html in the body. But it wouldn't work anywhere else the bio is not displayed.)

So, correct me if I'm wrong, but since the bio seems to only affect the meta description tag, and not the keywords, if we want to generate our own meta keywords, we'd have to put them in the "Head Tag" under Advanced Customization.

That said, I have no idea how a search engine will react to seeing two meta keyword tags... as SM already emits one that would be visible above what is in the "Head Tag" section. Actually I'm not sure it is really, truly worth it -- a good search engine is usually going to look at the description + content, not the keywords, but even so, it'd be nice to have a field on the control panel somewhere that would let us directly specify the meta keywords to be emitted, but that's a totally different post...

Thanks to all. What I tried to do was put meta keywords into the bio box using the HTML, but it was appearing on my homepage - the keywords were there, but not my slideshow. I've added bio text to the page, which I was able to "hide", so I thought I could do the same with the keywords. I was just looking for the CSS code to do that. But, if it's better to just use more descriptive words in my Bio, then I won't use the keywords.

JoeSalmi · September 9, 2009

Andy wrote:

You'd be wrong

Please, descriptive words in your Bio are pickedup as META Description info.

I have had my keywords in my bio for months now and when I google at least 5 of the keywords my name does not come up in at least the first 500 links. Isn't that a bit odd?

Even if I start typing in my name Joseph Salmi, and I finish it, it doesn't auto finish my name so to me I would think that it's not finding it. Although when I hit enter my site does come up it's the first one on the list and my bio text is in the description of the site.

Can someone please assist here?

astockwell · September 14, 2009

I ran a website grader today on my site, and these were the Meta keywords it came up with:
online photo albums,photo sharing,photo hosting,photo storage,video,videos,online video,video sharing,albums,photo albums,photo,sharing,picture sharing
,share photos,photo galleries,photo gallery,photos,photographs,online gallery
,picture gallery,picture galleries,online galleries,smugmug gallery,smugmug
,smug mug,smugmug photos,images,image galleries,image gallery,gallery hosting
,galleries hosting,hosting

I never put any of these in, so all I can think is that these are Smugmug default meta data. Is there anyway I can get rid of this, as none of it pertains specifically to my website. I want to enter my own meta keywords, so where can I do this, and how can I hide it?

-Andy

Andy · September 14, 2009

astockwell wrote:

. I want to enter my own meta keywords, so where can I do this, and how can I hide it?

-Andy

In your bio. http://www.smugmug.com/help/search-engines

JoeSalmi · September 16, 2009

JoeSalmi wrote:

I have had my keywords in my bio for months now and when I google at least 5 of the keywords my name does not come up in at least the first 500 links. Isn't that a bit odd?

Even if I start typing in my name Joseph Salmi, and I finish it, it doesn't auto finish my name so to me I would think that it's not finding it. Although when I hit enter my site does come up it's the first one on the list and my bio text is in the description of the site.

Can someone please assist here?

Andy, Can I get a response to my post?

My problem is, search engines aren't picking up my keywords.

astockwell · September 16, 2009

Also, the code that is typed into the bio box for the Flash Slideshow continues to show up in google search results, even though I have added more words to my bio box. You cannot take care of it by throwing in more returns into the bio box to seperate the description and the flash slideshow code. Is there any way at some point, a flash slide show can be a default thing if you want it, that is seperate from teh BIO box itself? Photoshelter does this, and it works very well. The flash slideshow is seperate from any other text be it code or meta tags or description on the front page.

-Andy

jfriend · September 16, 2009

astockwell wrote:

Also, the code that is typed into the bio box for the Flash Slideshow continues to show up in google search results, even though I have added more words to my bio box. You cannot take care of it by throwing in more returns into the bio box to seperate the description and the flash slideshow code. Is there any way at some point, a flash slide show can be a default thing if you want it, that is seperate from teh BIO box itself? Photoshelter does this, and it works very well. The flash slideshow is seperate from any other text be it code or meta tags or description on the front page.

-Andy

One thing you could do is to put this part of the slideshow definition into your top javascript (without script tags around it). Then, it will still be available for the insertSlideshow function, but won't get stuffed into the metadata by Smugmug. You will still be left with the insertSlideshow line, but at least it won't be as much.

var ssConfig = {
    AlbumID: '8452212',
    newWindow: 'false',
    transparent: 'true',
    showLogo: 'false',
    clickUrl: 'http://www.northeastlightphotography.com/gallery/6982587_Jbeij',
    showThumbs: 'true',
    showButtons: 'true',
    imgAlign: 'top',
    crossFadeSpeed: '350'
};

I'm with you. The whole meta data thing is a giant hack the way it is now (trying to use one field for two purposes). Smugmug ought to just let us define our own metadata keywords in the control panel and if we put something there, stop grabbing junk from the bio.

Andy · September 16, 2009

jfriend wrote:

Smugmug ought to just let us define our own metadata keywords in the control panel and if we put something there, stop grabbing junk from the bio.

It's logged on the list (has been for a while) I just dunno when we'll get to it

astockwell · September 16, 2009

jfriend wrote:
One thing you could do is to put this part of the slideshow definition into your top javascript (without script tags around it). Then, it will still be available for the insertSlideshow function, but won't get stuffed into the metadata by Smugmug. You will still be left with the insertSlideshow line, but at least it won't be as much.
var ssConfig = {
    AlbumID: '8452212',
    newWindow: 'false',
    transparent: 'true',
    showLogo: 'false',
    clickUrl: 'http://www.northeastlightphotography.com/gallery/6982587_Jbeij',
    showThumbs: 'true',
    showButtons: 'true',
    imgAlign: 'top',
    crossFadeSpeed: '350'
};
I'm with you. The whole meta data thing is a giant hack the way it is now (trying to use one field for two purposes). Smugmug ought to just let us define our own metadata keywords in the control panel and if we put something there, stop grabbing junk from the bio.

Thanks for re-enforcing my comments. Programmers are you listening to this? There are reasons I am considering not renewing next year, this is one of them. Stop using something intended for one purpose, and trying to use it for multiple purposes. It bugs the hell out of me that you guys live by the answer that meta tags aren't that big of a deal. I should be able to change these, and not have to use the default smugmug meta tags, that have nothing to do with my website. If meta data wasn't important then why would website graders care about it. It is what it is. Data about data. That is meta data in it's rawest definition, and if I can use it to my advantage for SEO, then I want it available to me, and I want to be able to change it as I see fit.

[rant]
Andy, I understood that I can enter that into the bio. My point being you are using on function for multiple things. So basically it is choose the function to do one thing, and give up stuff, or you can have ridiculous code in your search engine hits, and have all the stuff you would like in your website. This looks very un-professional. Looks like your website (not smugmug, but mine) was constructed by a bunch of hacks when someone sees a bunch of code in the website description. So it bugs me. It bugs me that everytime I have a question, or suggestion, I commonly get referred to the FAQ, or a link to some other piece of data that gives no definative answer, thanks I can read. I am not trying to flame you, but it is starting to wear on me. To the point I am probably outta here next year. I pay more for photoshelter yes, but maybe it is worth it. I didn't realize the amount of way I needed to go with SEO until I went to PS. They really push SEO, and smugmug for the most part doesn't or the answers are so spread out amongst this board, the FAQ, and other places, that it becomes to difficult to find what you want. I know someone will say it....search. Great. Welcome to the answer that is given on every internet forum since the dawn of time. What I want is a SEO FAQ..... Or SEO sub forum. I have tried to take a lot of the stuff I have learned over on PS, and integrate it into my SM page, but there are things I am still limited to, and cannot change. If I am a pro user, paying what I do, I should have almost full ability to change stuff as I see fit. I am not asking to change the architecture of the website, but let me edit things that will drive more people to my site. You don't have to give it to everyone. Maybe just the power and pro users. Sorry to be so long winded. [/rant]

I also realize that SM probably doesn't make their money off pro users, because we are the minority. But we are going to gripe about things the most because this in most cases is the face of our business. And we want it right from the start. Basic account users are probably never going to complain about this stuff, because they are using the site for family pics, and snapshots, and putting on facebook.

Thanks,

Andrew

Andy · September 16, 2009

astockwell wrote:

It bugs the hell out of me that you guys live by the answer that meta tags aren't that big of a deal.

Where'd we ever say this?

We agree. They are a big deal.

I should be able to change these,

you can, by adding descriptive info to your bio. It should be in a separate box/ input gui, we'll get to that.

and not have to use the default smugmug meta tags, that have nothing to do with my website. If meta data wasn't important then why would website graders care about it. It is what it is. Data about data. That is meta data in it's rawest definition, and if I can use it to my advantage for SEO, then I want it available to me, and I want to be able to change it as I see fit.

[rant]
Andy, I understood that I can enter that into the bio. My point being you are using on function for multiple things. So basically it is choose the function to do one thing, and give up stuff, or you can have ridiculous code in your search engine hits, and have all the stuff you would like in your website. This looks very un-professional. Looks like your website (not smugmug, but mine) was constructed by a bunch of hacks when someone sees a bunch of code in the website description. So it bugs me. It bugs me that everytime I have a question, or suggestion, I commonly get referred to the FAQ, or a link to some other piece of data that gives no definative answer, thanks I can read. I am not trying to flame you, but it is starting to wear on me. To the point I am probably outta here next year. I pay more for photoshelter yes, but maybe it is worth it. I didn't realize the amount of way I needed to go with SEO until I went to PS. They really push SEO, and smugmug for the most part doesn't or the answers are so spread out amongst this board, the FAQ, and other places, that it becomes to difficult to find what you want. I know someone will say it....search. Great. Welcome to the answer that is given on every internet forum since the dawn of time. What I want is a SEO FAQ..... Or SEO sub forum. I have tried to take a lot of the stuff I have learned over on PS, and integrate it into my SM page, but there are things I am still limited to, and cannot change. If I am a pro user, paying what I do, I should have almost full ability to change stuff as I see fit. I am not asking to change the architecture of the website, but let me edit things that will drive more people to my site. You don't have to give it to everyone. Maybe just the power and pro users. Sorry to be so long winded. [/rant]

Thanks for being so passionate! We've put a ton of energy into SEO of late, and people are reporting huge jumps in google relevance.

We'll get to these other things, too, I hope sooner rather than later.

Andy · September 16, 2009

astockwell wrote:

I also realize that SM probably doesn't make their money off pro users, because we are the minority.

You'd be wrong... Our pros are hugely important to us.

photokandy · September 16, 2009

I agree - bio box for slideshow is not ideal. So I figured out a way to get my bio back to what it was supposed to be (about my site) and the slideshow kept separate. This isn't ideally the way I'd like it to be done forever, but it will have to do until SM makes it a feature to have bio / slideshow separate.

So here's what I've got:

function slideShow ()
{
 var e = document.getElementById('bioBox');
if ( e )
{
   var ss = document.createElement ("div");
   ss.setAttribute ("id", "homepageSlideshowContainer");
   e.appendChild ( ss );
   ss.innerHTML = "<div id='homepageSlideshow'><object width='100%' height='100%' align='middle'><param value='/ria/ShizamSlides-2009073001.swf?noTagBacks=true&feedURL=http://api.smugmug.com/hack/feed.mg?Type=nicknameRecentPhotos%26Data=photokandy%26ImageCount=25&newWindow=false&bgColor=000000&showLogo=false&captions=false&clickToImage=true&showThumbs=true&showButtons=false&crossFadeSpeed=750&showSpeed=false&' name='movie'/><param value='transparent' name='wmode'/><embed width='760' height=' 570' allownetworking='all' allowscriptaccess='always' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' wmode='transparent' src='/ria/ShizamSlides-2009073001.swf?noTagBacks=true&feedURL=http://api.smugmug.com/hack/feed.mg?Type=nicknameRecentPhotos%26Data=photokandy%26ImageCount=25&newWindow=false&bgColor=000000&showLogo=false&captions=false&clickToImage=true&showThumbs=true&showButtons=false&crossFadeSpeed=750&showSpeed=false&'/></object></div>";
  }
}

YE.onDOMReady ( slideShow );

It's ugly, and forces a specific version of the slideshow, which I'm not happy with at the moment (I tried to get script to execute during the assignment to innerHTML, but it didn't work, so I went this route), but it does work -- and it keeps my bio what it is supposed to be -- my bio. ;-)

Is it ideal? No. The perfect solution will be when Smugmug gives us something like a slideshow widget that we can enable on our homepage -- just like lists of galleries and such. Or even just a big html box where we could put whatever we wanted (i.e., some people don't do slideshows - they do splash images with image maps and such), just as long as it didn't intrude on the bio text.

BTW - if you do copy the code above - be sure to replace all the relevant parameters -- otherwise you'll end up with my images on your site. Great for me -- not so much for you ;-)

photokandy · September 16, 2009

As to your meta tag problem -- while keywords are important to some search engines, others (i.e., Google) tend to weigh the description and content over the keywords. Not much help there, though!

Even so, I want the ability to lose the meta keyword SM inserts and push my own instead (in addition to the description that comes from the bio). I've added my own keywords into my site's head tag, but they'll come second to the SM keywords, so I have no real idea how a search engine that does care about those tags will react. Hopefully the search engine will take care of that by looking more at the description and content...

Andy · September 17, 2009

photokandy wrote:

but it will have to do until SM makes it a feature to have bio / slideshow separate.

Stay tuned

MMW · October 14, 2009

Andy wrote:

Stay tuned

Glad to hear this is being addressed.

Will there be some form of an announcement when this change has been implemented?

Mike

Andy · October 14, 2009

MMW wrote:

Glad to hear this is being addressed.

Will there be some form of an announcement when this change has been implemented?

Mike

You'll want to subscribe to our Release Notes blog, so that you don't miss a single update from SmugMug

http://blogs.smugmug.com/release-notes/ at the bottom, there's a link for Entries (RSS) - put that in your favorite feed reader.

MMW · October 15, 2009

Andy wrote:

You'll want to subscribe to our Release Notes blog, so that you don't miss a single update from SmugMug http://blogs.smugmug.com/release-notes/ at the bottom, there's a link for Entries (RSS) - put that in your favorite feed reader.

Excellent, thank you Andy.

Mike

META keywords

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