| name | meta-tag-optimizer |
| description | Optimizes title tags and meta descriptions for a batch of pages with character counts and CTR optimization. Use when improving your site's search appearance. |
| allowed-tools | Read Write Glob |
| metadata | {"author":"matthewhitcham","version":"1.0"} |
Meta Tag Optimizer
When to Use This Skill
Use this skill when you need to:
- Optimize title tags and meta descriptions across multiple pages
- Improve click-through rates from search engine results pages
- Audit existing meta tags for length, keyword inclusion, and effectiveness
- Batch-write meta tags for new or under-optimized pages
DO NOT use this skill for on-page content optimization, technical SEO audits, or schema markup. This is specifically for title tags and meta descriptions.
Core Principle
TITLE TAGS AND META DESCRIPTIONS ARE YOUR AD COPY IN SEARCH RESULTS — THEY MUST INCLUDE THE TARGET KEYWORD, FIT THE CHARACTER LIMITS, AND MAKE SEARCHERS CHOOSE YOUR RESULT OVER THE OTHERS.
Phase 1: Brief
Required Inputs
| Input | What to Ask | Default |
|---|
| Pages to optimize | "List the pages (URLs or titles) that need meta tag optimization." | No default — must be provided |
| Target keywords | "What keyword should each page target?" | No default — must be provided |
| Brand name | "What is your brand name for title tag formatting?" | Business name |
| Title format preference | "Do you append your brand name to title tags?" | Yes — "Page Title |
| Current meta tags | "Can you share the existing title tags and meta descriptions?" | Will audit if URLs provided |
GATE: Confirm the page list and keywords before optimizing.
Phase 2: Meta Tag Audit
Current State Assessment
For each page, evaluate:
## Meta Tag Audit
| Page | Current Title | Chars | Current Description | Chars | Issues |
|------|--------------|-------|--------------------|----|--------|
| [Page 1] | [Title] | [X] | [Description] | [X] | [Issues] |
| [Page 2] | [Title] | [X] | [Description] | [X] | [Issues] |
Common Issues to Flag
- Title over 60 characters (gets truncated)
- Title under 30 characters (misses ranking potential)
- Meta description over 160 characters (gets truncated)
- Meta description under 120 characters (wastes SERP space)
- Missing target keyword in title
- Missing target keyword in description
- Duplicate titles across pages
- Generic descriptions ("Welcome to our website")
- No CTA or benefit in description
GATE: Present the audit before writing optimized versions.
Phase 3: Write Optimized Meta Tags
Title Tag Rules
- Length: 50-60 characters (hard limit: 60 to avoid truncation)
- Keyword placement: Target keyword as close to the beginning as possible
- Brand name: Append at the end with a pipe separator (| Brand Name)
- Format: [Primary Keyword Phrase] — [Benefit or Modifier] | Brand
- Uniqueness: Every page gets a unique title tag
Meta Description Rules
- Length: 150-160 characters (hard limit: 160)
- Keyword inclusion: Target keyword appears naturally (Google bolds it)
- Structure: [Hook/benefit] + [What the page covers] + [CTA or value prop]
- Action words: Use "Learn," "Discover," "Get," "Find out" — not passive language
- No quotes or special characters that might cause truncation
Output Format
## Optimized Meta Tags
### Page: [Page Name/URL]
**Target keyword:** [keyword]
**Title tag (XX chars):**
[Optimized title tag here]
**Meta description (XXX chars):**
[Optimized meta description here]
**Notes:** [Any specific recommendations]
---
### Page: [Next Page]
...
Before/After Examples
Show the improvement for at least 2-3 pages:
**Before:** Home | My Company Website (27 chars — too short, no keyword)
**After:** Email Marketing Tools for Small Business | [Brand] (52 chars)
**Before:** We offer many great services for your business needs (too generic, 52 chars)
**After:** Save 10+ hours/week with email automation tools built for solopreneurs. Free trial available. (93 chars — add more)
Phase 4: Polish
1. Implementation Checklist
2. CTR Optimization Tips
- Use numbers when possible ("7 Ways to..." or "Save $500")
- Use current year for time-sensitive content ("2026 Guide")
- Test parenthetical additions: (Free Template) (Step-by-Step) (With Examples)
- Analyze Search Console CTR data monthly — low CTR + high impressions = rewrite the meta tags
3. Ongoing Process
- Review meta tags for top 20 pages monthly
- Update title tags when targeting changes
- Refresh descriptions seasonally or when offers change
- Check Google Search Console for pages with high impressions but low CTR
Anti-Patterns
- Keyword stuffing in titles — "Email Marketing Email Tools Email Software" is unreadable and hurts rankings.
- Same meta description on every page — duplicate descriptions are treated as missing descriptions by Google.
- Writing for search engines, not humans — the meta description must make a human want to click, not just contain keywords.
- Ignoring mobile truncation — mobile SERPs show fewer characters. Front-load the most important words.
- Set and forget — meta tags should be reviewed and updated as keyword strategies evolve.
Recovery
- Hundreds of pages to optimize: Prioritize by traffic and impressions. Start with the top 20 pages in Google Search Console.
- No target keywords defined: Run keyword research first. Each page needs a primary keyword before meta tags can be optimized.
- Google rewrites your meta tags: Google sometimes generates its own snippets. Ensure your tags accurately reflect page content — this reduces rewrites.
- CMS doesn't support custom meta tags: Recommend Yoast SEO (WordPress) or similar plugins that add meta tag fields to every page.
