Search Engine Optimization Uncovered
Meta Rating Tags Explained
by Jerry West
Updated: February 14, 2008

Note: If you are looking for a comprehensive list of Meta Tags and how to use them properly in your pages, please see my comprehensive article: Meta Tags Explained.

Meta Rating: This tag was invented to work in conjunction with parental control software for websites. The Meta Rating Tag would categorize the site with a text rating similar to the movie rating system. Below is a rough comparison of the text rating system and the movie rating system.

Example: There is not a set form of this tag, nor is there any official statement from the W3C.

Some sites give the following as an example, however, it is just ficticious as the governing body of HTML has no reference to it, and according to our testing, has no merit.

<meta name="rating" content="insert rating here">

As an example, your tag could be:

<meta name="rating" content="general">

With the creation of the PICS Meta Tag, the Meta Rating tag is becomming more and more obsolete. Unfortunately the PICS Meta Tag is not as easy to use as the Meta Rating as there are multiple rating systems that one can choose to use.

Recommendation: Do not use. The fact that there is not a set form of this tag suggests you would be better off getting a rating from the International Content Rating Association.

Back to Meta Tags Explained & Uncovered.

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Jerry West is the Director of Internet Marketing for Web Marketing Now. He has been consulting on the web since 1996 and has assisted hundreds of companies gain an upper-hand over their competition. Visit Web Marketing Now for the latest in marketing tips that are tested and proven.

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