Throughout SEO, there are small optimisations that you can make that actually impact your website’s performance in a massively beneficial way.
And if we were to tell you that this can be the difference between someone clicking on your page/website and not, you’d probably want to know what it is and how to achieve it.
Well, meta descriptions are one of the small optimisations on your site that can make a huge difference in click-through rate and starting the customer journey. Let’s talk about what they are, how long they should be, and how you can tailor them to your own pages!
What is a meta description?
In short, a meta description is a small summary of the page you’re about to click on that falls underneath a page’s title in the search engine results pages (SERPs). They’re essentially a pitch that tries to convince people to click on your page rather than one of the other search results.
For example, if you were to search for ‘best SEO agency in Liverpool’ on Google, you’d see this meta description tag before you click on the web page:
As you can see, underneath the page title, which is circled, you can see a small description of the page you’re about to click on. This is probably often what you read before deciding whether or not you want to click on and read more. This is what is known as the meta description in SEO terms.
How long should a meta description be?
In terms of how long your meta description should be, from working with hundreds of sites, we feel as though the optimal meta description length is between 120 and 158 characters. However, we recommend you aim for between 145 and 155 characters, as sometimes anything above may not show in some cases depending on the device the reader is using.
Of course, this could change depending on Google’s updates, but at this current time coming to the end of 2024, this length allowance seems to be the most optimal for any industry.
Anything longer than 160 characters, and Google will simply cut it out, and your message will truncate. That’s why you’ve got to choose your words wisely when curating these small yet effective pieces of copy.
A quick note: The meta description that you enter in the backend might not always show on Google. Sometimes, they pick their own effective meta description based on what they feel is the best, rather than what you’ve conjured up behind the scenes. So basically, don’t be alarmed if your meta description isn’t showing up on Google as soon as you’ve written it.
Why can’t the meta description length be short or too long?
Meta descriptions can’t be too long simply because they will truncate, meaning Google will run out of space to show the rest of your description. Here’s a quick example of a truncated meta description (too long):
^ As you can see, there are ellipses (the three dots) at the end of the meta description. Although you get the general premise of what is offered by these websites, they could be missing some critical information, and readers may want to go elsewhere.
Now, even though there is no minimum on how long a meta description can be, why wouldn’t you want to use as many of the characters you have available to describe your page to generate more clicks?
If you have little information about the page the reader is about to click on, it may seem a bit vague and untrustworthy. Either way you go about it, you’re going to be missing out on providing your audience with the most valuable and relevant copy to get the users to click on your site.
Some killer meta description examples
To get to grips with what a good meta description looks like, we’re going to show you some examples of brilliant meta descriptions across multiple industries so you can get a feel for what may work for your page content.
This is a great example of a meta description for the clothing industry when writing blog post content.
Here’s a great example of a meta description within the property industry for ‘how to find an estate agent’. It gives you exactly what you need to know and gets straight to the point.
Of course, we had to get ourselves in here! Here’s a great example of a meta description within the e-commerce SEO marketing industry.
Where can you find your meta descriptions to optimise them?
On most content management systems (CMS), you will be able to find your meta description underneath the content in the back end of your website. If you look for ‘metadata’, ‘meta title’, ‘edit snippet’ and/or ‘meta description’, you’ll be sure to find it in the backend of the page you want to alter.
A quick Google search will also help you if you’re using a CMS that isn’t your typical one. For example, if you were using HubSpot, asking Google, “Where do I find meta descriptions on my blog posts on HubSpot?” would be sure to give you all the information you need.
Quickfire meta description mistakes to avoid
- Not checking how it looks in the SERPs after you’ve completed it
- Using duplicate meta descriptions over multiple pages on your site
- Using outlandish/spammy claims such as ‘Get rich overnight with this secret hack’
- Your meta description is over 160 characters, as it will truncate – looking unprofessional
- The meta description is completely irrelevant to the page
- Your meta description is too short, not taking advantage of the detail you can provide
To find out what a good one looks like, find the best practices below!
How to create your own high-performing meta description
There are a few core understandings you need to have before creating a high-performing meta description that works for your page.
1) Don’t spam the keywords of the page
Although you need to use the target keyword of the page you’re writing, if you overuse them, then Google can penalise this, which will negatively affect your SEO performance both short- and long-term. However, definitely use the target keyword(s), as Google often highlights this (meaning they know the page is relevant and it’s talking about the same topic as the query).
2) Get straight to the point
There are not many characters to work with on a meta description, so you’ve really got no time to waste at all. Therefore, you need to not only get to the point of what it is the page is about and what action you want the reader to take, but you also need to be convincing and persuasive.
That’s why every word needs to be thought of with care. Each word evokes a feeling in a meta description and if you can make sure you’re serving the purpose of the reader from their perspective, then it’ll be just fine.
3) Always include a CTA or potential solution
Whether it’s a meta description for a product, service, or you’re just providing insightful blog content, you need to be persuasive. If it clearly shows that you’re about to answer the query they want to know about, then it’s more likely they’ll click through.
Likewise, if you’re talking about a certain product or service, you’re going to want to demonstrate why yours is the best and why they should click through to see more.
4) Don’t use AI, create unique meta descriptions
Especially as SEOs, we can spot AI-like content from a mile away. If everyone’s meta description looks the same on the SERPs or if they are duplicated from page to page, then the reader (and Google) is going to get frustrated, as no one is standing out. Please make it engaging and show your audience that you’re there to genuinely help them with whatever their search intent is.
The Quirky roundup
Meta descriptions are something you’ve probably subconsciously or consciously looked at before clicking on a page, and even though they’re only the smallest part of a complete SEO strategy, they’re still an integral part of getting eyes on your website.
Whether or not you think it makes a difference, why wouldn’t you focus on the small details to make sure everything on your website is crisp and to a high standard?
If you want an SEO team that genuinely cares about your website and every aspect of it that makes all the difference, make sure to reach out to our team today; we’ll be more than happy to help you, regardless of your situation and/or industry!
