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Google is a very clever thing, how does it know what information to show when someone is looking for something on the internet? How does it know which webpage will give the best answer to that person’s search query? How does Google know what words are in a given sentence? This is where meta descriptions come in.
Meta descriptions are short snippets of text that summarize the content on your website. They also provide context for page links or advertisements displayed alongside them (such as “related searches”). Together we will look at how you can create an effective meta description so that people can find your site. Let’s find out some more …
What Are Meta Descriptions?
Search engines use meta keywords and meta descriptions to help people understand a search result’s meaning. Meta descriptions are 160-character summaries of a web page’s content that can be used by search engines as labels for results pages.
The meta description is a text-based sentence or phrase that appears in the search engine results page (SERP) after your website’s URL. It provides information about your business and allows people to determine if they want to click on it in a search result. They are also an important ranking element in search results.
A meta description is a text area placed below your image and immediately below the preview button of your post.
Are Meta Descriptions Important?
Meta descriptions are crucial since Google utilizes meta tags (including meta descriptions) in its algorithm to determine which sites should rank highly for certain keywords.
If you’re using meta descriptions effectively, you have the option to add a meta tag to your content that isn’t there. The distinction between ranking on page four for “best shoes” or on page one may come down to this.
Meta descriptions help:
- Click-through rates, which in turn will boost your conversions and sales.
- Improve indexing so you rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs).
- Make it easier for visitors to find the content they’re looking for without scanning page titles or meta tags.
The average number of visits to a page is 7.2 per cent greater for pages with meta descriptions, according to Google.
Google, encourages website owners to use meta descriptions.
On the user-experience side, meta descriptions act as a short description of your website’s features and content. If visitors click on your ad, they will be directed to your landing page.
A meta description is a phrase or sentence located below the page title on search engine results pages and may appear when a link is shared.
A search engine may generate a meta description for you if one is not present, or if you have written it outside of the usual practice. The issue is that it may not be as precise or interesting as the one you create yourself.
That is why having your own meta descriptions is important.
What makes a good meta description?
Use active voice and make it actionable
When you consider the meta description as an invitation to your page, you must keep in mind your user and their (possible) reason for visiting. Make sure that your description isn’t bland, difficult to understand, or overly complex. People must be able to easily work out what to expect from your site.
The examples below show you what type of description you should aim to produce. It’s lively, motivational, and individual to you. If you were to click on the link, you would know what to expect!
Include a call-to-action
“Hello, we have such and such new goods, and you are interested in them. Learn more about us!” This repeats what we previously said about the active voice, but we felt the need to emphasize it once again. The meta description is used by search engines as your sales text. Except, in this scenario, the “product” you’re attempting to market is the page that’s linked. We also utilize ‘Get it now,’ ‘Try for free,’ and similar invitations.
Use your focus keyword
When your meta description contains a keyword that matches a portion of the text in the search description, Google will be more likely to use it and display it. This will make your site even more appealing. Google may occasionally highlight synonyms.
Make sure it matches the content of the page
This is a vital point. If you utilize meta descriptions to deceive people into clicking on your result, Google will find out. They may even penalize you if you do it.
Aside from that, misleading statements may also boost your bounce rate. This will also damage people’s confidence in your website. That is why you want the meta description to correspond to the content on the site.
Do not duplicate meta descriptions
Make sure to create unique meta descriptions for each page. Unique meta descriptions improve the likelihood that search engines and other browsers will be able to comprehend what material is on a page and how it compares to other sites.
For example, if every page of your website has the same duplicate meta descriptions, users won’t know what type of material is on which page.
This is even more important for e-commerce websites, which may have many pages with comparable content. Even if the products are similar, the metas should be unique and stand out.
Duplicate meta descriptions might have a negative influence on your website because meta description crawlers cannot crawl it. If crawlers are unable to determine which page is genuine, you may be penalized for indexing errors.
Experiment With Character Length
The character limit for meta descriptions is 150 words. If you exceed this length, your meta will be shortened in the search results, leaving no content after the cutoff.
You can’t go above the limit, but you may experiment with your description on each page to see which works best.
You may find that shorter meta descriptions perform better on your home page, whereas longer meta descriptions work best for blogs. Alternatively, you might discover that a higher word count is required for your suggested items page.
Should my meta description be the same as my page title or H1?
No! Always use unique meta descriptions and meta titles for each page of your website. Keep in mind that the meta description is just beneath the title, which is usually your H1. Don’t waste that space.
How to Create an Effective Meta Description for SEO Purposes
To optimize your website’s user experience, you’ll want a unique and compelling meta description that will capture the reader’s attention and entice them to click through. Keep in mind that this is just one of many ways you can improve your site visibility with search engine optimization techniques such as keyword placement or using call-to-action phrases like “buy now.”