Here’s an easy guide on how to write a Meta Description for your web page. If you follow the process perfectly, you’ll surely get desired traffic from search results.
A meta description is all about a concise paragraph that helps Google understand your page. It also allows Google to index your page. However, if you don’t give a meta description, search engines automatically select a part of the on-page content as a meta description.
What is a Meta Description?
Technically, a meta description is an HTML tag that helps search engines (Google) understand your webpage. It is a short summary of your page and helps to convince the visitors to click through the link.
The meta description is displayed right below the page’s title on the search result page. Generally, it consists of the keyword that the users search for.
Example of a Meta Description
As said above, the meta description is visible only on the search engine result pages (SERPs) and nowhere else. Take a look at the picture to understand what it looks like.
This page is about quality content and how you can make it. At the very top, it’s the URL of the page, and right after that, it’s the page title. And then, the text rounded with the brackets is the meta description.
This short description gives a concise definition of quality content, which helps search engines and viewers understand what the page is related to.
What is the Ideal Length of a Meta Description?
The ideal length of a meta description for the best SEO practices is 156-160 characters. Although, it can also go up to 165 characters based on the topic.
Keep in mind Google did not specify any character limit for the meta description. Instead, it only suggests making the meta description concise with a short paragraph.
Take a look at what Google says about a meta description’s length.
A page’s Meta Description tag gives Google and other search engines a summary of what the page is about. A page’s title may be a few words or a phrase, whereas a page’s Meta Description tag might be a sentence or two or even a short paragraph.
Google’s Automotive Meta Description
In some cases, Google rewrites or selects a visible part of the on-page content as a meta description. And if your page is visible in the featured snippets, Google may select the meta description and a few sentences from the content.
The reason behind Google’s automatic writing and rewriting is the intention to provide better results to the audience. And this isn’t something new; the process has been going on for a long time.
See what Google says about your Meta Description’s selection;
Google will sometimes use the <meta name=”description”> tag from a page to generate a snippet in search results, if we think it gives users a more accurate description than would be possible purely from the on-page content.
Meta Description or Featured Snippets
People often mix up the meta description and the featured snippets on the SERPs. But actually, they are different. A meta description is an HTML tag that developers can customize and rewrite on their own.
On the other hand, search snippets are displayed by Google to give a better description of the web page. However, remember that there’s only one snippet on a search result page and as many meta descriptions as the results are.
Why are Meta Descriptions Important For SERP Ranking?
You must provide a meta description if you want your web page to rank on Google search. Because meta description allows Google to understand what your page is about.
And it also helps your page get organic clicks.
If you don’t share a meta description of your page, Google will select a part from the content as meta. Or your page may get a featured snippet on the SERP.
7 Ways to Write a Meta Description
Follow the tips below to write a perfect meta description for your web page. If you can make it properly, there’s no doubt of increasing traffic.
1. Refer to a Solution
In some articles or blogs about problem-solving ideas, a small solution in the meta description becomes more attractive to the audience. For instance, you have a listicle blog about driving traffic from social media.
So here, the Meta Description must be like this;
✅“Discover 15 best ways to drive organic traffic from social media to your website. Follow the methods to increase your sales and domain authority.”
Since the viewers are looking for a solution to drive traffic from social media, the given meta will help them understand that the page contains the 15 best solutions to their problem.
2. Give an Answer to the Question
As said earlier, a meta description is a cornice summary of the web page. It can be an answer, or list of names, or a simple solution to the problem the viewers are facing.
A web page targeting queries like “what is, why should, how to” and others can answer its meta description. However, you must remember that the answer has to be related to the page title.
For example, suppose the audience searches “What is broken link building?” its meta description should be like this.
✅ “Broken link building is a technique that web admins use to detect damaged (404 error) links and replace or fix them properly. Learn how to build broken links.”
3. Research Your Competitors
Competitors are a great medium to reach your destination. Follow top-ranking results on SERPs because they’ve come through a long and dedicated way to achieve success.
Dig out how the top search results have their meta descriptions. Then, implement the technique on your page but not blindly. If you want your page to get more traffic than your competitors, make your meta description more appealing, helpful, and engaging.
Always remember meta descriptions are the visible part of SERPs. Hence, make it as helpful as possible for your target audience.
4. Write a Concise Description
As said earlier, you must write a meta description as concise and easy enough to understand. Although, Google rewrites the meta according to its best choice to make it more helpful for the readers.
It has a reason behind having a short paragraph. Viewers don’t want to waste their time reading long meta descriptions on search result pages. Instead, they click through the link that appeals to their eyes with one glance.
The more concise your meta description is, the better Google and the audience will understand your page.
5. Use the Keywords Properly
Keywords are obviously a primary element of a meta description. You must use the primary keyword for SEO, but overusing keywords makes the meta unrealistic and can damage your page visits.
For example, your web page is about sports shoes optimized with keywords; “best sports shoe,” “shoe for running,” and “best football shoe.” Now look at the following meta descriptions, and understand how to use keywords for a perfect meta description.
❌ Buy the best sports shoes and shoes for running. Best football shoes for running are also available for sports and games.
✅ Explore the best sports shoes for all sorts of games; be it football, running, cricket, or others, you’ll find the most suitable ones here.
The first one has overused keywords in an unrealistic way which doesn’t feel good to understand. In comparison, the second one feels more natural and persuasive. Hence, the visitor will choose the second one between the two.
6. Make it Engaging and Easy to Understand
Keywords in meta descriptions help your page ranking on SERPs. But what if you don’t get desired traffic even after ranking on the first search result page? Well, it can happen if the Meta Description doesn’t look engaging to the audience.
Always remember that the more engaging your meta description is, the more traffic you drive. It’s because the readers look at the meta description and click through the links to those that feel good.
So, make sure to make your meta description as engaging as possible.
7. Include Trending Social Headline
Social trends are a great medium to increase traffic because people like trends and consume trends. Therefore, you should include trending topics in the meta description to attract viewers.
But how could you do this? First, use social media platforms and tools like Twitter trending, Google Trends, BuzzSumo, and others to get trending topics related to your space area. In addition, you must also look at the top search results on Google.
Then, utilize the topic ideas and implement them to write a meta description.
Final Words
Hope you found how to write a meta description for your web page. A meta description is a crucial part of your website. It helps not only Google but also your audience to get a clear idea about the page.
Always remember; a good title with a concise and engaging meta description can boost traffic.
