If you’ve spent any time in SEO then you’re familiar with the meta description, one of the most important pieces of online real estate. The meta description is the tiny little snippet of text that appears under each hyperlink on the search engine results page (SERP), providing a quick summary of what the page is all about.

The significance of the meta description is one thing that SEO professionals tend to agree on. Though it may not directly help rankings, a good meta description will entice more people to click through to view the content… and that can improve your rankings. For this reason, the meta description is often described as an indirect ranking signal.

A Clarification: Meta Descriptions vs. Search Snippets

Learning how to craft a compelling meta description is a key skill for any SEO professional. One of the first steps is to ensure that you fully understand what a meta description is… and, what it’s not.

For example, the meta description is often conflated with search snippets. They are actually very different. A meta description is a short HTML tag over which you have complete control. Search snippets are the tags that Google actually shows on the SERP; often, Google will show your meta description, but sometimes Google will highlight a different snippet of text if they determine it better aligns with the search query.

The issue of whether Google shows a meta description or a search snippet is entirely automated, and there’s really not much you can do about it. But since meta descriptions are shown fairly often, it’s still well worth it to make sure that yours are well-written.

Tips for Writing a Strong Meta Description

So what are the best practices for writing good meta descriptions? Here are a few of our tips and suggestions.

• Do some research. Hopefully, you have a list of targeted keywords and search queries for which you’d like to rank. Conduct searches for those terms and see what some of the meta descriptions are, particularly at the top of the SERP. This can provide you with a good, general sense of how to structure your own.
• Consider your brand’s unique tone and style. Your brand voice should permeate everything you create, even content as brief as a meta description. Think about the kind of tone you strike in company blog posts, or in your website content more generally. And, bear in mind your primary value proposition. If the best thing about your business is the affordable pricing, that may be worth sneaking into your meta description, wherever appropriate.
• Think about how people search for content. Remember that for your meta description to be shown, it will need to satisfy search intent. As such, it’s important to use keyword research, buyer personas, and your perusal of the SERPs to determine the best phrasing. As a good rule of thumb, users are often asking questions with highly practical intent: How long does it take to recover from dental implants? How much does hair restoration cost? How long should an HVAC system last? What’s the best price of a new Jeep Grand Cherokee? These are the types of queries that might make sense within a meta description. Another guideline is that Google users often search for the “best.” So, it’s by no means out of line to boast about having the best hair replacement methods, or the best water heater repair services in your area.
• Remember to keep them brief. On a purely practical note, keep in mind that Google usually cuts off meta descriptions after 160 characters or so. Keeping yours to the 140–150-character range is ideal, allowing you to maximize your space without the risk of your message being cut short.
• Include a call to action. Strong verbs, enticing the user to click through and read more, can be a boon to your click-through rates. Remember to include language encouraging your reader to take the next steps.
• Review older meta descriptions. Google tends to value new content, which is why we recommend that our clients refresh their websites on a regular basis. Your meta descriptions are not exempt from this. Review and update your old and musty ones, particularly on pages that have underperformed from an SEO standpoint.

Strike the Right Balance

Ultimately, crafting the perfect meta description is a balancing act. You need to attend to the basic tenets of SEO, incorporate valuable brand messaging, and provide your reader with a clear sense of what your content is about. And, you only have a few characters in which to do it. It’s not a skill you’ll master immediately, but the effort is more than worth it.

With any questions about optimizing your content, or specifically about crafting strong meta descriptions, we welcome you to contact us. Reach out to the team at enCOMPASS at any time.