What is a meta description in SEO?

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What is a meta description? Most people have no idea. And that’s okay, because most people don’t need to know what a meta description is in order to do their job. But if you’re interested in SEO, or want to learn more about how to write effective website copy, then you should read on. In this post, we’ll break down everything you need to know about meta descriptions and how they can help your website rank higher in search engines. So whether you’re a beginner or an expert, keep reading!

What is a meta description?

A meta description is a short piece of text that describes a webpage’s content. It is typically used by search engines to display a summary of the page in their search results. Meta descriptions can be any length, but most are between 50-160 characters long.

What does a meta description do?

A meta description does not directly affect a webpage’s ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs). However, it can indirectly influence ranking by helping to click-through rate (CTR). CTR is a factor that search engines use to determine how relevant and useful a website is. In other words, the better your meta description, the more likely people are to click on your link in the SERPs, which can ultimately help your website rank higher.

How can you write a good meta description for SEO?

Here are some tips for writing a good meta description:

– Keep it under 160 characters long

– Use keyword-rich phrases that accurately describe the page’s content

– Include a call-to-action (e.g., “Learn more about SEO today!”)

– Avoid duplicate meta descriptions across multiple pages

Conclusion

Meta descriptions are an important part of SEO, but they’re often overlooked or misunderstood. We hope this post has helped clear things up and given you some ideas for how to write effective meta descriptions. Thanks for reading!

Jamie Fallon

Jamie Fallon is an SEO expert who lives life to the maximum, redlining every day on a rollercoaster straight to the grave.

In an SEO career of almost ten years, he’s seen it all, he’s done it all, and he’s not impressed: from white text on a white background to today, when you can have robots paint or write for you like some kind of sick science fiction come true.

No matter what life throws at him, Jamie always manages to come out on top. He’s an expert at seeing the silver lining in every cloud and making the best of every situation. His positive attitude and unshakable faith in himself have seen him through tough times. For some people, success goes to their heads; but Jamie never forgets what got him to wherever he thinks he is.

When he’s not busy gaming the system, you can find him writing angry thinkpieces on how Google is ruining everything good about the internet, or hanging out with his wife (pictured).

Related FAQs

1) What's the best length for a meta description?

While there is no “ideal” length for a meta description, most experts agree that it should be under 160 characters. This gives you enough space to include keyword-rich phrases and a call-to-action, without being so long that people will lose interest.

2) How do I write a good meta description?

Here are some tips for writing a good meta description: – Keep it under 160 characters long – Use keyword-rich phrases that accurately describe the page’s content – Include a call-to-action (e.g., “Learn more about SEO today!”) – Avoid duplicate meta descriptions across multiple pages

3) What's the difference between a meta description and a page title?

A page title is the main heading of a webpage, whereas a meta description is a brief summary of the page’s content. Page titles are used by search engines to help determine a website’s relevancy, while meta descriptions do not directly affect ranking but can influence CTR.

4) Can I include more than one keyword in my meta description?

Yes, you can include multiple keywords in your meta description. However, you should avoid “keyword stuffing,” which is when you stuff so many keywords into your description that it becomes difficult to read. Instead, focus on using 1-2 well-researched keywords that accurately describe the page’s content.

5) Do meta descriptions have to be unique?

Yes, it’s important to have unique meta descriptions for each page on your website. This helps search engines better understand what each page is about and prevents your site from being penalized for duplicate content.

6) What happens if I don't write a meta description?

If you don’t write a meta description, most search engines will generate one for you based on the page’s content. However, this isn’t always ideal, as the auto-generated description may not accurately reflect what’s on your page. It’s generally best to write your own meta descriptions so that you can control how your pages are represented in the SERPs.

7) Can I use HTML in my meta description?

Yes, you can use HTML in your meta descriptions. However, it’s important to note that some search engines may not display all of the HTML tags you include. As a result, it’s generally best to keep your meta descriptions fairly simple and free of excessive formatting.

8) What is a "meta description tag"?

A meta description tag is an HTML element that allows you to specify a brief summary of a webpage’s content. The meta description tag is placed within the section of a page’s code and looks like this:

9) What's the difference between a meta description and a page description?

A page description is similar to a meta description, but it’s not as widely used or supported by search engines. A page description is typically placed within the section of a page’s code and may not be crawled or indexed by search engines. As a result, it’s generally best to stick with meta descriptions.

10) Can I use special characters in my meta description?

Yes, you can use special characters in your meta description. However, it’s important to remember that some search engines may not display all of the characters you include. As a result, it’s generally best to keep your meta descriptions fairly simple and free of excessive formatting.

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