Run TeamOnline Metatags

Metatags can be found in the SEO Report spreadsheet.

In the 'metatags' spreadsheet tab, we show you your current metatags. Metatags are just one component of SEO, but it is usually the quickest way to make meaningful changes to your traffic when there are noticeable opportunities.

The recommendations we make on current pages should be a guide for how to write metatag copy for future pages.

Here is a view of TWO of the THREE vital elements of metadata.

Meta Description

Meta descriptions do not directly impact the search engine algorithms significantly, unless they are sloppy, duplicating, too long or too short. Rather, meta descriptions are the text that users see in search queries.

Write unique meta descriptions for every page! They should be short and punchy and attempt to lure the searcher to the page. They should never duplicate, and they should be written with a high level of editorial quality.

Lets look at the patterns in the metadata spreadsheet for both titles:

- Are there patterns of missing meta descriptions?
- Are there patterns of too short meta descriptions?
- Are there patterns of too long meta descriptions?
- Are there patterns of poorly written or boring meta descriptions?

SEO Title Tag or Browser Title

It is very important for SEO that meta titles and meta descriptions ALWAYS be unique. No page can duplicate another page's meta tags!

Meta titles should be about 55-70 characters or less, but this is not a hard rule. Use those characters to their fullest, making it rich and detailed about the content on that page.

The SEO Title is the most important single element for on-page SEO. This element should massage in the central keyphrase that you are targeting to rank for in search. Often, you can cleverly massage in variations of the core keyphrase to make it more likely that you will rank for multiple variations of the term. The SEO Title dictates the content to follow on the page.

We'll look at some specific SEO Titles, but for now, looking at the overall patterns:

- Are there duplicating SEO Titles?
- Are there SEO Titles that aren't setting a keyword tone for the page?
- Are there SEO Titles that are bland and uninteresting to a human searcher?

The H1 Tag

The H1 tag is the headline that you see on the page. The way that it relates to the meta title and the body copy on the page is very important. Currently, some pages have no H1 tag, and the headlines tend to be non-descriptive.

The title of the page that you see on the page is called the H1 title. Search engines value this version of the title as well. How it relates to the title tag, the body copy of the page and the subheadlines is very important for how that page ranks.

Search engines like pages that are packed with content, and so if you organize that content further by including subheadline HTML, called "H2" tags, you are providing more richness to the page that also describes to the search engines more about the page. Having keyword-rich H2 tags that support the theme of the page as well as the H1 tag is very helpful.

In fact, think of pages on the web that want to rank well in search as aspiring to be like wikipedia pages. They have lots of links to related content, they have headlines, subheadlines, photos, maps, special content boxes, etc. All the reasons that wikipedia pages tend to rank well in search is because wikipedia pages tend to act as authority pages on very specific topics.

Where do we edit these fields in the CMS?

If Metatags can be improved, where do we start?

Podium Runner

Since January 2019, the top 10 organic search landing pages account for 13% of all organic traffic.
The top 100 pages accounted for 42% of all organic search traffic.
The top 200 pages account for 55% of all organic search traffic.

Women's Running

Since January 2019, the top 10 organic search landing pages account for 16% of all organic traffic.
The top 100 pages accounted for 21% of all organic search traffic.
The top 200 pages account for 58% of all organic search traffic.

Despite the fact that there are thousands of pages on the Run Team sites, a relatively small number of pages are responsible for most organic search traffic. This means that we can impact traffic heavily by changing/updating/optimizing a limited set of pages.

However, in addition to the top pages, it is clear that the lowest quality metadata on Podium Runner and Women's Running are on category/navigational pages. These pages actually represent key opportunities for traffic, and I recommend updating category page metadata first. However, we'll focus on such examples on the following page. For now, lets look at a few article pages for each title.

Women's Running

womensrunning.com/training/10-ways-to-rejuvenate-your-fall-training/

Current SEO Title: 10 Ways to Rejuvenate Your Fall Training - Women's Running
Current Meta Description: Follow these tips if your running is stuck in a rut.
Current H1: 10 Ways to Rejuvenate Your Fall Training

A quick improvement to this page's metadata for SEO might be:

Suggested SEO Title: Fall Running Training (10 Tips to Rejuvenate your Training)
Suggested Meta Description: For many runners, the end of summer means dialing back training. These 10 practices help keep runners on track through the fall season.
Suggested H1: 10 Ways to Rejuvenate Your Fall Training

https://www.womensrunning.com/health/rising-popularity-fasted-running/

Current SEO Title: The Rising Popularity Of Fasted Running
Current Meta Description: The Rising Popularity Of Fasted Running
Current H1: The Rising Popularity Of Fasted Running

A quick improvement to this page's metadata for SEO might be:

Suggested SEO Title: Running while Fasting- The Rising Popularity of Fasted Running
Suggested Meta Description: Running while fasting is trending. But is it safe, or worth it? A registered dietitian explains the rising trend of fasted running.
Suggested H1: The Rising Popularity Of Fasted Running

Podium Runner

podiumrunner.com/gear/apparel-accessories/runner-friendly-face-coverings/

Keyword theme: face masks for running, runner face mask reviews

Current SEO Title: Runner-Friendly Face Coverings - Podium Runner
Current Meta Description: 15 face masks reviewed for running ease and comfort.
Current H1: Runner-Friendly Face Coverings

A quick improvement to this page's metadata for SEO might be:

Suggested SEO Title: Best Face Masks for Running (15 Runner-Friendly Masks)
Suggested Meta Description: Runners demand comfortable, re-usable, exercise-specific masks. We review 15 face masks with specific benefits for runners.
Suggested H1: Runner-Friendly Face Masks and Coverings

podiumrunner.com/training/core-challenge-how-to-execute-a-proper-plank/

Current SEO Title: Core Challenge: How To Execute A Proper Plank – PodiumRunner
Current Meta Description: Article demonstrating how to perform a proper plank.
Current H1: Core Challenge: How To Execute A Proper Plank

A quick improvement to this page's metadata for SEO might be:

Suggested SEO Title: How to Do a Plank Properly (The Best Plank Form)
Suggested Meta Description: The plank is an important exercise for improving runner's core strength. But it's essential to learn the proper plank form.
Suggested H1: How To Execute A Proper Plank