Meta descriptions are HTML elements that provide a brief summary or description of a web page’s content. They are displayed in search engine results pages (SERPs) underneath the page title.
While meta descriptions are not a direct ranking factor for search engines, they are extremely important for SEO because they can influence click-through rates from SERPs.
An optimized, compelling meta description can entice users to click on your result over others, driving more traffic to your site. Here are some best practices for optimizing meta descriptions for better SEO:
- Keep it concise (155-160 characters max before truncation)
- Describe the page’s content clearly and accurately
- Include your primary keyword and related terms naturally
- Write in an active, compelling way to inspire clicks
- Use calls-to-action and create a sense of urgency when relevant
- Avoid duplicating the page title verbatim
- Differentiate for important pages with unique descriptions
A few key points about these meta description examples:
- They are concise and under the recommended 155-160 character limit.
- They accurately describe the page’s content in a compelling way.
- They include relevant keywords (e.g., “deep dish pizza”, “Honda Civic”, “start a blog”) naturally.
- They use calls-to-action and create a sense of urgency (e.g., “Order online”, “Check out”, “This free guide shows”).
- They are unique and differentiated for each important page.
Some examples of good meta descriptions:
“Discover the best deep dish pizza in Chicago. Giordano’s has been serving award-winning stuffed pizzas for over 40 years. Order online for delivery or pickup!”
“The all-new 2023 Honda Civic brings style, performance and tech together. Check out pics, pricing, specs and expert reviews in our complete guide.”
“Starting a blog has never been easier! This free step-by-step guide shows beginners how to launch a blog and start making money online fast.”
While meta descriptions may not directly impact rankings, they are a valuable snippet of advertising copy in SERPs. Crafting unique, click-worthy descriptions for important pages can drive more traffic and better SEO performance.
Here are the meta descriptions in html. In these examples, the <meta name="description" content="..."> tag is used to specify the meta description for each page. This tag should be placed within the <head> section of the HTML document.
Best Pizza in Chicago | Giordano’s Deep Dish Pizza
Honda Civic Review – Pricing, Pictures, Specs
How to Start a Blog in 2023 – A Beginner’s Guide
By following these best practices and optimizing your meta descriptions, you can improve your click-through rates from search engine results pages, driving more qualified traffic to your website.
