{
  "schema_version": "1.1",
  "id": "google-does-not-use-keywords-meta-tag",
  "slug": "google-does-not-use-keywords-meta-tag",
  "url": "https://groundedkit.com/claims/google-does-not-use-keywords-meta-tag/",
  "api_url": "https://groundedkit.com/api/claims/google-does-not-use-keywords-meta-tag.json",
  "claim": "Google doesn't use the keywords meta tag in web search ranking",
  "commonly_cited_as": "\"Do meta keywords help SEO?\"",
  "verdict": "verified",
  "verdict_definition": "Primary source found; it says the same thing, the scope matches, and it is reasonably current.",
  "confidence": "high",
  "rating": {
    "value": 5,
    "best": 5,
    "worst": 1
  },
  "origin": {
    "publisher": "Google Search Central Blog (Matt Cutts)",
    "title": "Google does not use the keywords meta tag in web ranking (Sept. 21, 2009)",
    "year": "2009"
  },
  "quote": "Google doesn't use the keywords meta tag in our web search ranking. ... However Google still doesn't support the keywords meta tag.",
  "method": "Official Google statement.",
  "drift": [
    "None"
  ],
  "interest": "Google operates Google Search.",
  "safe_rephrasing": "Google has said since 2009 that it doesn't use the keywords meta tag for ranking, and its current note says it still doesn't support it.",
  "sources": [
    {
      "title": "Google Search Central Blog — keywords meta tag",
      "url": "https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2009/09/google-does-not-use-keywords-meta-tag",
      "primary": true
    }
  ],
  "kind": "reference_fact",
  "as_of": "Published Sept. 21, 2009; Google's current note says it still doesn't support the tag",
  "last_checked": "2026-10-16",
  "stale": false,
  "date_reviewed": "2026-10-16",
  "license": "CC BY 4.0",
  "license_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"
}