What Is a Meta Description?

The meta definition is a meta tag that is stored in the HTML file. It acts as a rundown of the content of the web page and is seen in the SERP snippets below the title of the page. The snippet is the details shown in the search engine reports. It includes the title of the page, the URL of the page, and a short summary of what it contains. 

A well-formulated meta summary, along with the title, can catch the interest of the searchers to decide to join your web page. While not deemed a ranking factor by Google, it has a direct effect on the CTR (Click Through Rate). That’s why it’s recommended to use keywords and phrases that encourage guests to continue reading, much like a book cover.

If you have searchers to click on your page, even if the meta summary is short or lengthy, no one can argue that it’s a great size. There is no precise number of characters to characterize the optimal length, as long as it fulfills its primary function of catching user interest. In other words, the meta summary should be long enough to inform the searchers what they will find on the website, but brief enough to be completely reflected on the excerpts. 

It is commonly recommended to have a length of between 70 and 155 characters as it fits with most search engines (Google, Bing, Yahoo, and DuckDuckGo) and smartphones.

As described above, the meta summary should encourage users to click on your web page. To the end, you have to compose persuasively, and we know it’s not always an easy feat. Here are some ideas that you can use to render the content on your website irresistible.

Write to an active voice and have a call-to-action (CTA). Tell users just what to do with phrases like “Try the tool for free, get 20% off, find out more.” Shake up people’s curiosity, so they’re excited to visit the website.

Don’t repeat the meta explanations. Make sure to include a unique meaning for each page such that the reader has no questions on which page to select. Displaying the same meta definition on different sites would not result in the presence of a quality website. 

Consider using emojis in the title or meta summary. Latest research indicate that emojis will boost the Click-Through Rate of your website. These cute icons can make your snippet stand out in the SERPs plus that will make you look more user-friendly. That said, make sure you use the emojis that suit your content. 

Use an appropriate timeline. Although there is no ideal size for meta descriptions, you want to make sure that all the characters included are fully visible on the search engine output. Readers do not want to see incomplete sentences; instead, be clear and straightforward to attract searchers. Your description should be up to 155 characters long. 

Using the proper keywords. As for the content of your website, you can use the most important keywords in the meta description to catch user interest. This exercise is going to improve the CTR. In the other hand, Google could decide to omit your writing and position a fragment of your page if it thinks that your meta description is not important enough. Figure out the keywords are most widely used in search engines by your goal.