Meta Description
A meta description is the short blurb of text that appears under your page's title in Google's search results. It doesn't directly change your ranking, but a good one convinces people to click your result instead of a competitor's.
Also known as: meta descriptions · search snippet
In plain English
When you search Google, each result has a clickable title and, underneath it, a sentence or two of description. That description is the meta description — a short summary you can write for each page. It's your little advertisement in the search results: a chance to tell someone, before they click, exactly what they'll find and why it's worth their tap.
Why it matters for your business
You can rank well and still lose the click. Two results sit side by side; the one with a clear, appealing description gets chosen, and the one with a missing or generic description gets skipped — even if it's listed higher. Since every click is a potential customer, a thoughtful meta description quietly improves the return on all your other SEO work.
A quick win
Many sites leave meta descriptions blank, letting Google grab a random snippet. Writing clear, customer-focused descriptions for your important pages is one of the simpler, higher-impact SEO improvements available.
Common questions
- Does the meta description affect my Google ranking?
- Not directly — Google doesn't rank you higher for it. But it heavily influences whether people click your result, and click-through is its own kind of win. A dull or missing description means a great ranking that nobody actually clicks.
- What makes a good meta description?
- Around 150 characters, written for a person, not a robot: say plainly what the page offers and give a reason to click. Match the words your customers search, and don't just repeat the title.
Related terms
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