Tinterweb terminologies

Right then a ramble coming on but I feel the friendliness within this forum may well come to my aid.

Sooo, I won't repeat my details but suffice it to say, redundancy followed by starting up in private practice =webbysite.

This I have done and it is a freebie through Heart costing me a whopping 33 for two years worth of domain name. Now comes the dense bit.

I hear many of you refer to 'meta-tags' SEO (search engine hoptimization) layouts, coverage, .com, .co.uk and so on.

I was just reading (can't contribute cos of me posting number) the 'wad e fink of me webbysite?' And some very interesting information from peeps that clearly know what they is chewing the fat over.

Mine right now is basic and probably way too much on the 'ome' page, but hey-ho, how else do you learn. I see software progs that you can make a site yourself with the see what you type style, which has to be a good ting.

I have only just been picked up by the faceless bots and now I can be seen when searched for. best results though have been through Clive's UK directories site, this is getting me consistently on the first page of Googly, and near the top on 'hevery-hoccasion' (been watching too much Larkrise to Candleford).

Whilst I try to get my bonce around what you say (and I appreciate the recommendation to 'PR for dummies) so much of it soars across the top. Google maps for instance, that seems to be at the top every time, above the yellow one and displays the names of competitors (not me yet, I did register a free one).

So what are these 'meta-tags?' (don't yell, I'm new to this) and where do they go, what information should be on a home page? Is it important (search wise I mean) oh so many questions...obvious I realise to others, but any help would be gratefully appreciated. Oh and what does it mean I can 'add a tag or a trackback to this thread???'

Mike