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What is a meta description?
A meta description is an HTML element that is included in the head section and a summary of what your webpage is about
which is displayed on search engine result pages (SERPs) in the below title.
Why meta description is important for SEO
First, the meta description is not a ranking factor but it can improve your web page rankings.
Because a good meta description tells users what your page is about and builds attention and entices them to click on your webpage
this directly increases your website CTR (click-through rate) which indicates to search engines to your webpage is a good result.
When the exact term someone is searching for appears in your meta description, it is said that you can get up to a 5.7% increase in click-throughs.
Sometimes Google generates different meta descriptions from your web page content because.
If your first written meta description does not look relevant, it will replace the meta description on its own.
And google bolds the text contained in the meta description when it matches the user search query or keywords.
It simply allows users to scan results and match their needs.
Meta description examples
In SERP
This is how the meta description looks like in (SERPs)
In HTML code
You can find your meta description in the header section of your webpage below is
How your meta description looks in HTML code.
<head>
<meta name="description" content="This is an example of a
meta description. This will often show up in search results.">
</head>In social sharing
Sometimes meta description also appears in social sharing.
Having meta descriptions in social sharing improves the user experience.
social platforms like Facebook Twitter and LinkedIn use the meta description as the shared link’s default accompanying text most of the time.
Below is a screenshot showing what a meta description looks like when shared on social media.
How to write a good meta description
As you write a good meta description, how important this part includes various things you should keep in mind
before writing a good meta description for your webpage.
Here are some key points you should consider.
Include a primary keyword
Including your primary or focus keyword in the meta description can help to increase visibility and understanding of your webpage in search results,
While including keywords in the description ensures that it makes sense to users.
Don’t force keywords into the description. If they didn’t fit naturally then.
Focus on creating a compelling and engaging summary that entices users to click on your webpage.
One thing to keep in mind is that the search engine does not count the “meta description” as a ranking factor
So write a meta description for your users to win more clicks
Avoid duplicate meta descriptions
Using the same meta descriptions may confuse your users and search engines.
Make your every web page unique with different meta descriptions.
Optimize descriptions for different categories and content types and tailor the meta description based on the type of content.
Such as blog posts, product pages, and category pages.
Understand the specific page content you are writing the meta description.
Understand its purpose, key points, and target audience.
Identify the page’s major characteristics or distinctive selling points;
provide exclusive information that sets your page apart from others on this topic.
Develop interest and urgency
A good method to get more clicks and drive more traffic when writing meta descriptions is to create a sense of urgency and curiosity.
These are some important things to remember:
Highlights, advantages, and solutions: Make it appear on your website how their issue will be resolved.
And the advantages and options available to them.
Use strong, action-oriented language: Incorporate strong, enticing terms into your meta description to spark readers’ interest.
For example,
- Uncover
- Get
- Explore
- Transform
Use emotional appeals to engage with users by addressing their needs, wants, and aspirations to develop
meta-descriptions that trigger emotions that resonate with the target audience.
Write relevant information about the content
Think that you wrote a meta description that like the users and they click on your web page
And they are seeing different content or web pages compared to what they saw in meta description in (SERP).
It will have a bad impact on user experience and it might increase your bounce rate.
So write relevant information in the meta description as exactly mentioned in your content like
What you are providing in your content. What users should expect by reading your meta description?
So by doing this, the users will be satisfied after visiting your webpage and it will also help to build trust.
Include a call to action
Tell visitors what to do next by including a call to action in the meta description.
Here is an example of a meta description for an online fitness program that included a call to action.
“Transform your body and reach your fitness goals with our comprehensive online workout program. Start your journey today and get 50% OFF for a limited time!”
The CTA is “Start your journey and get 50% OFF for a limited time” in the example above.
It motivates consumers to start a fitness program by highlighting the temporary discount they can receive.
Here are the some of CTA examples you can include
- Sign up for a free trial
- Learn more
- Discover the secret to [weight loss]
- Shop now and save
- Book now
- Get [Topic] Ebook for free
Below is also a screenshot of the CTA example
Meta description length
Technically there is no length limit in HTML meta description But it should be around 150-160 characters
It depends on the message you want to convey.
Keep them short because Google truncates the snippet after the characters limit crosses.
This is how Google will cut off the meta description in the below screenshot.
And Google varies on pixels
- For a desktop device at around 960 pixels (152 characters)
- For a mobile device at around 680 pixels (105 characters)
Avoid Quotations
Avoiding quotations in meta descriptions ensures the best readability, prevents encoding problems,
effectively uses character space, and increases the efficiency of your meta descriptions in convincing users to click on your website.
So this was about the how you can great meta description for your website
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