A meta description is an HTML tag that summarizes a webpage’s content and appears beneath the title in search results.
What Is a Meta Description?
A meta description is a short snippet (usually 140–160 characters) that provides a concise summary of a webpage’s content. It’s placed within the HTML <head> tag and doesn’t appear on the page itself but is often displayed under the title tag in search engine result pages (SERPs).
Though not a direct ranking factor, a well-written meta description can boost your click-through rate (CTR), which indirectly benefits SEO.
Why Meta Descriptions Matter:
- Improve Search Visibility: Help users understand what the page is about at a glance.
- Increase CTR: A compelling summary attracts more clicks.
- Support Keyword Targeting: Including relevant keywords (naturally) may help bold them in search listings.
- Enhance Brand Messaging: Crafting unique descriptions can reinforce your tone and offer.
Best Practices for Writing Meta Descriptions:
- Stay within 150–160 characters
Google truncates longer descriptions, especially on mobile. - Include your target keyword
This can get bolded in SERPs and improve relevance perception. - Write unique descriptions for every page
Avoid duplication to improve both SEO and user clarity. - Use action-oriented language
Encourage users to “learn more,” “discover,” “get started,” or “read our guide.” - Match search intent
Make sure your meta description aligns with what users are looking for.
