Meta descriptions are a crucial element of search engine optimization (SEO). They give a short summary of a page's content, which helps search engines figure out what the page is about and makes it more visible in search results. Also, meta descriptions are a big part of a user's decision about whether or not to click on a search result. In this article, we will discuss the importance of meta descriptions for SEO and how to write effective ones that can improve your website's visibility and click-through rate (CTR). We will also explore the impact of meta descriptions on the user experience and how to optimize them for better search engine rankings.
What is Meta Description?
A meta description is the bit of text that appears under the blue link in a search result. Its job is to tell the searcher about what is on the page.
Any words in the description that match the search term are in bold. The goal is to get the searcher to click on your link and go to your website.
Here's how a meta description might look on a search engine results page (SERP):
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Notice that the words "What is inbound marketing?" are in bold in the meta description. This is because the question is "What is inbound marketing?"
Also, notice how the meta description gives a clear and concise summary of the topic, which tells the reader what to expect.
To stay visible on Google, you should keep the length of your meta descriptions between 140 and 160 characters.
Why meta descriptions are important?
Meta descriptions are an important part of on-page SEO ( learn about the best SEO tools available on the market), and they play a critical role in determining how a webpage is indexed and ranked by search engines. They also provide a preview of a webpage's content to users in search engine results pages (SERPs), which can influence whether or not a user clicks through to the site.
- Search engine ranking: A well-written meta description can help a webpage rank higher in search engine results. This is because search engines use meta descriptions to understand the context of a webpage and determine its relevance to a user's query.
- Click-through rate: Meta descriptions also play a significant role in determining a web page's click-through rate (CTR). A compelling meta description can entice users to click through to a site, which can lead to more traffic and ultimately improve a site's search engine ranking.
- User experience: Meta descriptions can also improve the user experience by providing users with a better understanding of what a webpage is about before they click through to it. This can help users find the information they're looking for more quickly and have a better overall experience on the website.
- Branding: Meta descriptions provide an opportunity to showcase the unique selling point of your website, this can help in building a brand and creating a strong brand image.
How To Write Proper Meta Description?
Meta descriptions are an important aspect of SEO for a webpage. They help search engines understand what a webpage is about, and also give users a preview of the content when they appear in search engine results pages (SERPs). This can influence whether or not a user clicks on the link. Additionally, well-written meta descriptions can improve a webpage's search engine ranking, and entice users to click through to the site, leading to more traffic. Meta descriptions also play a role in the user experience, by giving users a better understanding of the content of a webpage before they click on it. It can help users find the information they're looking for more quickly. Furthermore, they provide an opportunity to showcase the unique selling point of your website, which can help in building a brand and creating a strong brand image. Here are some tips that you can use while writing a meta description:
Question Answering
When people use Google, they're often looking for answers to specific questions. Think about what your content can help with and use your meta description to provide a solution or benefit. For example, if your webpage offers a free template for writing standard operating procedures, the likely question that people will search for is "What is an SOP?" In your meta description, you should tell readers that your website provides them with a template to learn how to write an SOP. Here's an example of a meta description that answers this query: "Get step-by-step guidance on writing a standard operating procedure (SOP) and create an amazing one for free with our provided template". This meta description answers the question and provides a preview of what readers can expect to learn from the post.
Mention A Solution To The Challenge
When you write your meta description, give your readers a way to solve the problem or challenge they are trying to solve. For instance, if you're writing a blog post that's a list of helpful CRM software, mention how many options are in the post and explain why it will be valuable to readers. Here is an example of a meta description for a roundup post: "Explore the top 15 CRM software options for small businesses, discover their key features, and learn why they're great for simplifying operations, improving customer retention, and organization." This meta description gives the readers an idea of how many options they will be able to read about and why they will be important to know. Remember, meta descriptions are like an advertisement for your webpage, you have to sell the content in a way that will make readers want to click through.
Keep The Description Short
The body of your webpage is where you provide detailed information to your audience, so the meta description should be short and to the point. It should provide a quick summary of the main point or the most important information that you want to stand out to readers. A good rule of thumb is to keep meta descriptions under 160 characters. To check the length, you can draft the meta description as a tweet. Twitter has a 280-character limit, if your description fills more than half of the tweet box, it's a good idea to make it shorter.
The meta description should give a snapshot of the content and not the entire body of the post. Keep detailed information for when readers access the webpage.
Don't Use The Keyword So Much
While using keywords in your meta description is important for SEO, it's also important to make sure that the description reads naturally to the reader. Overusing keywords in an attempt to rank higher can make the description difficult to understand and turn potential readers away.
For example, let's say your webpage is offering content that provides tips for acing interviews and your primary keywords are "interview success," "tips for great interviews," and "interview preparation." A clunky meta description would be something like "A free interview success offer to download and prepare for interviews." Instead, a clear and smooth meta description would be "Get the tips and tricks you need to ace your next interview with our free downloadable job-seeking kit." This description still incorporates the keywords but also makes sense to the reader and gives them a clear idea of what they can expect to find on the webpage.
Make It Engaging & Unique
It's a good idea to make your meta descriptions fun and engaging to read, something that will catch the reader's attention and make them want to click through to your webpage. This is especially useful if your content is meant to be engaging and unique. Make sure that the tone of your meta description matches the tone of your content. For example, if your webpage content is a blog post about funny workplace memes, a straightforward description such as "These 20 workplace memes are funny, timely, and shareable" covers all the bases but doesn't quite convey the fun and interesting nature of the post. Instead, try something like "Brighten your work day with these fresh, fun memes that any professional can relate to. Cat videos, anyone?" This description sells your content and gives readers an idea of what they can expect while keeping it interesting and engaging in just a couple of sentences.
Put Up A Call To Action
To persuade the readers to take action or create a sense of urgency in your meta description, you can include a call-to-action (CTA) at the end of it. A CTA is a phrase or sentence that encourages readers to perform a specific action, for example, "Learn More", "Sign Up Today" or "Start a Free Trial."
The choice of the CTA depends on the context of your content. So, choose the one that best fits the information you are providing.
Do Not Duplicate Meta Descriptions
Google will not penalize you directly for having identical meta descriptions on your website, however, it is not good for SEO. When search engines encounter too many identical descriptions, they may flag some of your content as low-quality or redundant, which can negatively affect your ranking. It's important to make your meta descriptions meaningful, easy to understand, and descriptive, think of it as a brief summary of what your webpage is about. It should be like an elevator pitch for your blog post, it should be able to entice people to click through to your webpage.
Final Words
Having the same meta description for multiple pages on your website will not result in a direct penalty from Google, however, it's not good for SEO. When search engines see many identical descriptions, it can signal that some of your content is low-quality or repetitive, which can lower your ranking. To avoid this, it's important to make your meta descriptions unique, easy to understand, and descriptive. Think of them as a brief summary of what your webpage is about and like an elevator pitch for your blog post, it should be able to make people want to click through to your webpage.
