Using fathead page keywords for directories and as a red herring to competitors

[Zoolander]

I'm fairly new to SEO and I have been reading a lot on here and the SEOmoz guides over the last few days, finding it very interesting.

I am wondering about page keywords, I read that the engines no longer use them.  In this thread they say they still use them because of directories.

http://www.seomoz.org/ugc/why-i-still-use-meta-keywords#new-comment

So I was wondering, because directories are always smaller scale than search engines would keywords that are normally high competition have more clout in them? If so then using them could be misleading to competition if they think they are the actual keywords?  or might this contradict between your actual chosen keywords in the directories backlink anchor text or something?

[Audiohype]

I understand where you're coming from, but I would personally spend as little time as possible focusing on the keywords tag. If there is any benefit to come from these directories it's going to be minute compared to the return from quality link building.

Competitors aren't going to be led astray by incorrect meta keywords, as most of the time you can tell what people are trying to target anyway.

[Zoolander]

Thanks for your reply.  I'll put in a few relevant ones (3) without too much thought, can't do any harm.