The meta description is a snippet of upwards to 320 characters, a tag inward HTML, that summarizes a page’s content. Search engines demonstrate the meta description inward search results generally when the searched for phrase is contained inward the description. Optimizing the meta description is a really important aspect of on-page SEO.
What is meta description?
The meta description is a special HTML tag that is placed on the caput of a webpage that looks similar this:
<meta name=”description” content=”This is the page summary that is normally a couplet of sentences long too mightiness endure shown inward the search snippet of the page inward the search results.” />
Visit whatever page you lot want, correct click anywhere on the page too guide VIEW SOURCE to facial expression at the html contents of a page.
Search for meta name=”description” and you lot volition run across something similar this:
The text that appears inward the content=” “ is the custom description of the page.
For each too every entry shown inward the search results, Google is creating a snippet based on the following:
- The championship of the page
- The URL of the page
- The meta description provided yesteryear the user inward the caput (<head></head>) of the page or the dynamic meta description created yesteryear the search engine algorithm.
- Other links to the same website (these are called sitelinks).
Look at the instance below:
- Try unlike search queries inward Google too examine the results.
This is the simplest method. Open Google endeavour unlike searches too examine the length too content of the meta descriptions shown for your snippet.
How tin I modify the meta description?
This depends on the platform you lot are using. If you lot are on WordPress you lot tin either job an SEO optimized framework (like the Genesis framework shown inward the instance above) that provides for a special surface area to write your custom descriptions, or install Yoast SEO too brand the changes inward the meta description settings.
If you lot are non on WordPress too hence facial expression for a meta description box available inward the postal service or page settings.
Meta Descriptions too SEO
Before getting into the guidelines on how to write practiced meta descriptions, it is necessary to empathize what is the human relationship betwixt meta descriptions too SEO.
It should endure noted that from a theoretical betoken of view, optimizing the meta descriptions is business office of On-Page SEO which is 1 of the primary pillars of Search Engine Marketing.
Meta descriptions don’t receive got a straight touching on rankings
The commencement thing that needs to endure clear is that the meta descriptions don’t receive got a straight touching on rankings.
What you lot write inward the meta description is non used during the ranking procedure yesteryear the algorithms. What is to a greater extent than of import for rankings is page championship optimization.
Meta descriptions receive got an indirect touching on SEO too rankings (so they nonetheless matter)
Meta descriptions are nonetheless of import because this is what users run across inward the search results too this is related to SEO inward 2 ways.
First, a practiced meta description volition encourage users to click too see your website too this agency to a greater extent than traffic.
Second, Google is using CTR (click through rate) equally a way to discovery out what users are looking for a exceptional search query.
If users prefer to click on your entry inward the SERPS (regardless of your ranking position), too hence this is an indication to Google that your page tin satisfy the user intent better than the rest, too this volition eventually Pb to higher rankings.
To receive got wages of this for SEO purposes, you lot involve to brand certain that the content of your page is highly relevant to the meta description otherwise users volition expire dorsum to the search results later on visiting your page too this is non good.
This is known inward the SEO manufacture as pogo sticking.
How to SEO optimize your meta descriptions
You tin follow the uncomplicated rules below to optimize your meta descriptions:
First, brand certain that they are inward the proper length. Don’t brand your descriptions too curt or too long. Aim for 160-320 characters.
Second, brand job of the Performance Report that is available inward the novel version of Google Search Console and discovery out pages that receive got a depression CTR.
Login to the novel Google Search Console
Click OPEN REPORT to thought the Performance Report.
Click on AVERAGE CTR too PAGES to thought the average CTR of your pages. Click also on POSITION to thought the average seat of those pages inward Google Search.
Sort the results yesteryear depression CTRs too start analyzing the pages that receive got the lowest CTR but are inward the commencement page of the search results.
Click on a exceptional page to thought to a greater extent than details too and hence click on QUERIES.
What you lot run across forthwith is a study that shows for the exceptional page, the average CTR too seat for each search query.
Find out which search queries receive got a depression CTR too perform the same search inward Google to run across what description is shown inward your snippet for the exceptional query.
Review your meta descriptions too brand certain that they are highly relevant to the user query.
Important: You volition belike notice that Google is non ever using your custom meta description but sometimes it creates a dynamic description based on the content of the page.
Examine the extracted text too brand whatever changes to it hence that it becomes to a greater extent than relevant to the search queries.
In other words, when optimizing your meta descriptions, you lot don’t alone aid on what you lot write inward the meta description field, but you lot also involve to review too optimize pieces of your content that are chosen yesteryear the Google algorithms equally dynamic descriptions.
How to write practiced meta descriptions?
Here are the 10 close of import guidelines for writing optimized meta descriptions.
- Meta description Length – Keep it below 320 characters
As noted above, your meta descriptions should endure betwixt 160-320 characters. Try to rest inside this make too avoid making your meta descriptions too curt or too long.
- Each page should receive got a unique meta description
Each too every page or postal service of your website, including the homepage too category pages, should receive got a unique meta description.
- A practiced description accurately summarizes the page content
Meta descriptions should endure informative too interesting. Include all relevant information inward your meta description to assist users empathize if the exceptional page is useful too relevant to what they are looking for.
Don’t write descriptions that receive got no relation to the content on the page.
- Avoid auto generated descriptions
Some CMS automatically generate the description of a page based on what is written inward the commencement 160 characters of the content. This is a bad practise because you lot may destination upwards amongst meta descriptions that facial expression similar this, which are non search engine or user friendly.
- Include keywords inward your descriptions
I mentioned higher upwards that the descriptions don’t receive got a straight touching on rankings but that does non hateful that you lot should non job keywords inward your description. On the contrary, keywords are highlighted yesteryear search engines too brand your snippet to a greater extent than relevant to the search queries.
- Avoid generic descriptions
Approach the description of each page inward a unique way too avoid writing generic descriptions that don’t accurately clit the page content.
- Make it actionable but don’t overdo it
Your descriptions should invite users to click too see your website but don’t overdo it. It’s ever a practiced practise to brand a few searches too run across what your competitors receive got inward their meta description earlier writing your own.
You desire your descriptions to stand upwards out too non endure the same equally your competitors.
- Add the concluding updated engagement (if applicable)
Users are ever looking for up-to-date information hence where applicable add together when your page was concluding updated. This volition brand your snippet to a greater extent than relevant too interesting to click.
- Give users reasons to see your website (add production features too benefits)
If you lot are selling products, too hence equally good the production features, you lot tin also include benefits of why users should purchase from your store similar gratis shipping, returns, coin dorsum guarantee, lifetime guarantee etc. Look at the overnice instance below coming from amazon.
- Use schemas to lift the appearance of your snippet
Although the job of schemas does non modify the contents of the meta description, it helps inward improving the overall appearance of your snippet too makes it a candidate for appearing equally a Google characteristic snippet.
Meta description examples
Based on the higher upwards guidelines, let’s review unopen to Good too Bad examples of meta descriptions:
Examples of a practiced meta descriptions
Example 1: Dynamic Meta description amongst concluding updated date
Search Google for “Top Search Engines”
Notice how the meta description gives a straight response to the search enquiry too also how the concluding updated engagement is shown inward the snippet.
The higher upwards is a dynamic description generated yesteryear the Google algorithms too it’s non the same equally the custom description provided on the meta description tag.
Example 2: Keywords highlighted inward the description
Search Google for “What is Off Page SEO”
Notice how the focus keyword (off page SEO), is highlighted multiple times inward the description.
Example 3: Actionable descriptions
Search Google for “men’s athletic shoes”
Notice how the benefits (free transportation too gratis returns) too embedded inward the description.
Examples of Bad meta descriptions
Example 1: Short meta descriptions
Compare the 2 results above. Which 1 is to a greater extent than interesting too useful for the user? Which 1 would you lot click?
The commencement outcome is simply a unmarried describe of piece of work of text piece the instant 1 occupies to a greater extent than spaces too gives you lot to a greater extent than reasons why you lot should click too see their shop.
Example 2: Inaccurate / missing information
Notice that the higher upwards description does non laissez passer on whatever benefits or reasons why to see their shop.
Example 3: No custom description or useful content
The higher upwards description is a really practiced instance of a bad description! It doesn’t offering whatever useful information to users.
Meta Descriptions too Bing SEO
Google is non the alone search engine available on the web, Bing has a considerable amount of portion inward the search infinite too should non endure neglected.
Meta descriptions are of import for Bing too. I would state that they are to a greater extent than of import than Google because Bing does non generate dynamic descriptions based on the search query.
It shows inward the search results whatever you lot write inward the meta description tag hence it’s necessary to receive got unique too interesting descriptions for all your pages.
All the guidelines outlined higher upwards for Google SEO, are applicable for Bing too facial expression the meta description length. Bing displays a max of 170 characters inward their search results.
Meta descriptions too social Sharing
When writing your meta descriptions, you lot should receive got inward hear that they mightiness endure used equally business office of your snippet when your page or postal service is shared inward social media networks.
By default, too unless configured otherwise, close social media plugins volition job the meta description content to create your snippet.
Here is an instance where the meta description is used inward the text preview when shared on Facebook.
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