Meta-Tag Optimization Tips

A long time ago, stuffing the meta-tag description with keywords often resulted in a top ranking in Infoseek listings (remember that search engine?). Today, this strategy no longer works. Very few search engines use meta-tag content to determine relevancy.

So why are meta tags important for search engine visibility? Because meta-tag descriptions are often used in SERPs - BY Shari Thurow
Meta-Tag Optimization Tips