What role do meta tags play in web pages?

Meta tags provide essential information about a webpage's content to search engines and browsers. They are not visible to users directly when they view a webpage, but they play a critical role in SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and the performance of a website. These tags can include descriptions, keywords, and author information that help search engines index the page correctly and determine how relevant the page is to search queries.

For example, a meta description tag offers a brief summary of the webpage content that can appear in search engine results, influencing the click-through rate. Additionally, the keywords meta tag, though less significant in modern SEO practices, indicates the primary terms that relate to the content. By effectively utilizing meta tags, web developers and content creators can enhance how their content is ranked and displayed in search results, leading to increased visibility and traffic.