Firstly, what is it?
The meta-description is a snippet of around 160 characters, called an HTML tag, that summarizes the content of a page so that Google and other search engines display the meta-description in search results. Optimizing the meta-description is a crucial aspect of on-page SEO, as well as optimizing the click-through rate on search results.
Meta-descriptions look like this:
Features of a good meta-description:
Every article on meta-descriptions will tell you a few things, but I’ve tried to combine everything important to know, and I’ve put together this list in 7 points.
- It should be approximately 135 to 160 characters: There is no “this number is just right” in this. It depends on what Google adds to your search result and what it wants to display. Google might, for example, add the date to an article, which will reduce the character count. Keeping that in mind, the general rule is that 135 characters are usually good.
- It should encourage action in an active tone of voice: Of course, it should. You should consider the meta-description as an invitation to visit the page. You can’t just create a pseudo-metaphor describing a nonexistent but still high level of qualification. That’s too dull. I’ll explain using some examples later.
- It should include a call-to-action: “We have such and such a new product, and you want it. Learn more!” This overlaps too much with an active voice, but I wanted to emphasize it. This is your sales text, where your product is the linked page, not just the product on the page. Invitations like “Learn more,” “Book now,” or “Free trial” come to mind.
- It could contain structured content: If you have a specific product for tech enthusiasts, focusing on the technical specifications of the product could be a good idea. Manufacturer, SKU, price, and other similar details. If the visitor to your site is specifically looking for this product, chances are you won’t have to convince them. Something like the price will trigger the “click.” Note that you can also use “rich snippets” for this.
- It must match the content: Very important. Google will find the meta-description that encourages the visitor to click on the link. But only a call-to-action without a connection to your page can greatly harm your site. Later on, your bounce rate will likely increase, which is a bad idea. In short, the meta-description must match the content of the page.
- It should contain the main keyword: If the keyword searched for by users matches the text of the meta-description, Google is more likely to use it and highlight it in search results.
- The meta-description should be unique: If your meta-description is a copy of another, Google’s user experience will be diminished. Even if the title of each page is different, all your pages will look identical because the meta-descriptions will be the same. If you don’t know what to write, instead of duplicating, leave the space blank, and Google will select an excerpt from the page containing the searched keyword. Visit Google Webmaster Tools > HTML Improvements or use Screaming Frog SEO Spider to check for duplicate meta-descriptions.
We hope these points have helped you understand what makes a good meta-description. For more information or advice on how and why to write the best meta-descriptions, contact the nerd team!
