Why Your Meta Description Matters for SEO: How to Write One That Gets Results

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Why Your Meta Description Matters for SEO: How to Write One That Gets Results

If you want your website to rank higher on search engines and attract more visitors, pay attention to the meta description. This blog post explains why meta descriptions matter and provides tips on writing one that will grab users' attention and motivate them to click.

So, buckle up, dive in, and learn how meta descriptions work for SEO.

What is a Meta Description?

In search engine results pages (SERPs), meta descriptions provide a brief overview of your page and why it's relevant to the searcher's query.

While the meta description doesn't directly impact your website's ranking, it is still crucial in determining whether your page will be clicked. After all, if your meta description does not accurately reflect the content of your page or entice searchers to click through, they're likely to move on to a different result.

Why Do Meta Descriptions Matter?

While meta description appears below your page's title in search engine results pages (SERPs), they are less visible than your page's title or URL. It helps searchers decide whether to click the link.

Your meta description is a short introduction to your page in search engine result pages (SERPs). It can influence whether or not someone clicks through to your site.

Meta descriptions are one of the most important pieces of text you can write for your website. A well-written meta description can distinguish between a website visitor clicking through to your site or moving on to another.

So, it is important to remember to write meta descriptions that accurately reflect the content of your web pages. Google typically displays 150-160 characters of a meta description, so aim for something within that range.

A good meta description should include the following:

Be relevant and accurate:

Relevance is essential in your meta description. Could you ensure that the text accurately describes the content on your page?

Use keywords wisely

You can use relevant keywords in your meta description, but don't put them there. A couple of strategically placed keywords will do the trick.

Be unique and compelling:

Write unique meta descriptions for each page on your website. Duplicate content can hurt your SEO efforts.

Be exciting:

In addition to being relevant and accurate, your meta description should be exciting enough to entice searchers to click through to your website.

Be Clear and Concise:

Keep your meta descriptions short and sweet.


Dont Stuff or Cram your Meta Description:

Please don't stuff your meta description with keywords just for the sake of including them. If you do that, Google may penalize you for keyword stuffing.

How to Write a Meta Description that Gets Results

Regarding SEO, your meta description is one of the most critical elements on your page. Your meta description is the brief description that appears under your page's title in the search results.

It's one of the first things potential visitors will see, so ensuring it's well-written and engaging is essential.

I encourage you to follow seven tips to get some winning results.

1. Keep it short and sweet: Your description should be 150-160 characters at most. Any longer, and you risk having your description cut off in the search results, which can decrease click-throughs.

2. Use keyword-rich language: Include your target keyword or phrase in your meta description to appear more frequently in a relevant search. And it should be informative and appealing if you're trying to attract people to your site.

3. Focus on clarity: Your meta description should clearly explain what your page is about, so users will know what to expect when they click the link. Avoid using complex sentences or jargon that may not be familiar to users.

4. Always Include a call-to-action: You can write this “Learn More” or “Get Started Now” encouraging users to act on your page. This incentivizes them to click, which can increase engagement and conversions.

5. Use Relevant Strategic Keywords: Include relevant keywords in your meta description to make your page appear in related searches. Please do not overdo it. Keeping it simple to use natural language in your writing is crucial, as this will help you attract more readers and encourage them to click to learn more.

6. Use persuasive language: In your meta description, make sure you use powerful words like "amazing," "incredible," and "your website's sales pitch." To encourage searchers to visit your site, use active language and positive superlatives, like "best," "greatest," or "must-read."

7. Write for humans, not robots:  Your meta description should be written to attract and engage website human beings, not just search engine bots. Write it for real people, as search engines understand human-friendly language now better than ever. You can also use words or phrases that evoke emotions in your meta description to attract people to your site.

Writing a great meta description is vital for optimizing your page's visibility in organic search results.

Does Google Always ReWrite Meta Descriptions?

It's no secret that Google is constantly changing and evolving. They are always working to improve the user experience, and part of that is ensuring that the search results are relevant and accurate. So, it should be no surprise that they sometimes rewrite meta descriptions.

A recent study of search results for 30,000 keywords from the Search Engine Land Journal in 2020 states that "Google often rewrites meta descriptions over 70% of the time for pages. Based on the data, it's reasonable to deduce that Google will use a page's meta description around 30% of the time." That means you should not be surprised that yours might be changed.

According to Google, search engines determine which snippet to display based on meta descriptions, rich snippets, and the content of a page.

Please remember that Google tries to do what's best for the user. If they didn't rewrite meta descriptions occasionally, users would likely click on results irrelevant to their query, thus causing a negative user experience.

Examples of compelling meta descriptions

Searchers will see your meta description first and foremost when they come across your listing, so it needs to be compelling and relevant.

By writing well-defined meta descriptions, you can encourage searchers to click through to your website, increasing traffic and conversions.

Good Meta Description:
Looking for a quality, affordable electric bike? Check out our selection of electric bicycles from the best brands and get free shipping on orders over $50!

Poor Meta Description: We are a company that sells electric bikes. We sell quality products at great prices. Check out our selection and get great deals on shipping.


Good Meta Description: Need a new laptop for work or school? Shop now and get the best must-have computer for your needs! Our laptops are ideal for any budget and offer free shipping on orders over $75.

Poor Meta Description: We sell laptops with great deals and free shipping. Shop now and get the best PC for your needs.

Final Thoughts

Writing a compelling meta description is essential for SEO success. It helps you rank higher in search engine results pages, increases click-through rates, and increases traffic to your website. You can do your best to write a compelling meta description even though you must know that Google will rewrite yours; if so, do not worry. They are trying to help match the search user intent. It would be best if you still tried to write one anyway. I am giving you three training resources below to better optimize your meta descriptions.

-BrendaMZ

PS: Additional Resources

Get Your Meta Title and Description Right

SEO Knowledge: Meta Description

Get More Clicks from Google Optimizing Meta Descriptions

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Recent Comments

21

Thank you for your input. Very helpful indeed

Excellent tips. Meta descriptions are always hard for me for some reason, so this should help.

Well done, again, Brenda!

Jeff

You're very welcome, Brenda! Keep rocking it!

Jeff

I struggle with writing good meta descriptions. Actually, I never really know if that are good. Thanks for the tips.
Jim

Thank you Brenda! I needed this! Great post :)

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Create Your Free Wealthy Affiliate Account Today!
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