What Is A Meta Description?
A Beginner’s Guide to Meta Descriptions
and How To Write Them
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Meta descriptions are a key element of on-page SEO, and they serve as a concise summary of a webpage’s content.
While they do not directly affect search rankings, meta descriptions are crucial for improving click-through rates (CTR) and enhancing overall SEO. A well-written meta description is an opportunity to persuade users to visit a website by providing a compelling preview of the page’s content.
These descriptions appear as part of the search snippet on search engine results pages (SERPs), and they are also often used by social media platforms when content is shared.
What is a Meta Description?
A meta description is an HTML attribute or HTML element that provides a concise summary of a webpage. This tag describes the content of a webpage. It is also known as a “description tag”.
The meta description is found in the <head> section of the HTML code. Here is an example of what a meta description tag looks like in HTML:
<meta name=”description” content=”This is an example of a meta description. This will often show up in search results.”>
It is important to note that there should only be one meta description per page.
Why Are Meta Descriptions Important?
It is important to reiterate that meta descriptions are not a direct ranking factor. However, they indirectly impact SEO by influencing click-through rates (CTR).
A higher CTR can signal to Google that the page is a valuable result, which may affect its position in search rankings. Meta descriptions act as “advertising copy” or an “elevator pitch” to attract clicks. Additionally, meta descriptions can be used for social media snippets, providing a preview of the content when shared.
They also help search engine bots to understand page content, which may influence how a page is indexed.
What Is The Optimal Meta Description Length?
Google does not have a specific limit for meta descriptions. However, search engines will truncate descriptions to fit device widths.
A typical meta description length should be between 100 to 160 characters, or 70-155 characters, or approximately 680 pixels. Google may display between 120 to 156 characters. Longer descriptions will get cut off, so it is important to stay within the length limits.
Using pixel width is more precise, but a character count is easier to manage. It is recommended to front-load important keywords and information to ensure they show in the search results before any potential truncation.
How to Write an Effective Meta Description
To write an effective meta description:
Use benefit-driven copy that clearly communicates the value of the page to users. The benefit should be tailored to the specific page type, such as an e-commerce product page or service page.
Use an active voice and an actionable tone.
Incorporate a call to action (e.g. “Learn more,” “Get it now”).
Include your target keyword(s), so Google can bold them in the search snippet. Google may also highlight synonyms of the keywords.
Ensure the description matches the content of the page.
Make sure meta descriptions are unique for each page, rather than duplicates, and are relevant to the content of the page. If the content is time-sensitive, consider including the current year or month.
Use a tone of voice consistent with the brand.
Consider using technical specifications where they are relevant.
Avoid keyword stuffing.
Do not use filler words.
Do not mislead users.
Avoid using generic, sales-driven phrases.
Avoid making them too short, as they will look unfinished in SERPs.
Google’s Use of Meta Descriptions
It is important to know that Google may choose to rewrite meta descriptions. Google rewrites meta descriptions for a number of reasons:
Despite these rewrites, it is still important to write good meta descriptions.
Meta Descriptions vs. SERP Snippets
The meta description is the HTML tag, whereas a search snippet is what Google displays in search results. The search snippet may or may not be the meta description and is not always under the site owner’s control.
Meta Descriptions and Social Media
Meta descriptions are often used in link previews on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. If social media tags are not specified, the platform will use the meta description. Open graph tags and Twitter card markups can be used for better control of social media posts.
Tools for Managing Meta Descriptions
Several tools can help you analyse and optimise your descriptions:
SEO crawlers like Screaming Frog’s SEO Spider, help with identifying issues such as duplicate, missing, or over-length descriptions, as well as pixel width.
Yoast SEO Plugin (for WordPress) is a tool for writing and analyzing meta descriptions, which also features AI-powered meta description generation, and checks for keyphrase usage and length.
SERP Snippet Preview tools can be used for previewing how descriptions will appear in search results.
Keyword research tools such as Google Keyword Planner, Moz Keyword Explorer, and Ahrefs Keyword Explorer, can help identify relevant keywords.
Moz Pro includes a site crawl feature to identify poor or missing meta descriptions.
Google Search Console is useful for monitoring performance.
Quality Control and Refreshing Meta Descriptions
It is important to audit a website regularly to address issues with meta descriptions.
Refreshing meta descriptions for older content is recommended to get more traction. Meta descriptions can also be updated to reflect revised content.
Meta descriptions are a crucial component of SEO. Writing effective meta descriptions will improve CTR, enhance online visibility, and attract targeted traffic. It is important to follow best practices, avoid common mistakes, and test and optimize meta descriptions. A good meta description provides a clear preview of what to expect on the page and is an opportunity to persuade users to visit the site.
Now you can create epic Meta descriptions, it’s time to look at the next part of your seo journey: