A meta description is a short description of a webpage that appears in the search results when that page is listed. The meta description is meant to give the searcher an idea of what the page is about so they can decide whether to click through to the page or not.
The perfect meta description is:
- Relevant to the page it is describing
- Written in natural language
- Within the character limit
- keyword rich
- Engaging
Why is the meta description important for SEO?
A good meta description will help let google know what your page is about. A good meta description also can increase your ranking on Google by increasing the click-through rate of your site in Google search results. Here are 10 tips for writing a great meta description:
1. Keep it relevant
The meta description should be relevant to the page it is describing. This seems like a no-brainer, but you would be surprised how many times a meta description is either irrelevant to the page it is describing or is a generic description of the website as a whole.
2. Write in natural language
The meta description should be written in natural language and not in keywords. This is because the meta description is meant to give the searcher an idea of what the page is about, not just list out a bunch of keywords.
3. Keep it within the character limit
The meta description should be within the character limit. This is because the search engines will only display a certain number of characters in the search results and if the meta description is too long, it will be cut off.
4. Make it keyword rich
The meta description should be keyword rich. This means that it should contain the keywords that you are trying to rank for. However, you should not stuff the keywords into the meta description as this will make it seem unnatural and will likely result in a lower click-through rate.
5. Make it engaging
The meta description should be engaging. This means that it should be interesting and make the searcher want to click through to the page. A good way to make the meta description engaging is to use persuasive language or to use a call to action.
6. Use persuasive language
The meta description should use persuasive language. This means that it should make the searcher want to click through to the page. persuasive language can be used to highlight the benefits of clicking through to the page or urgency.
7. Use a call to action
The meta description should use a call to action. This means that it should tell the searcher what to do, such as "click here to learn more" or "click here to get the best deals."
8. Keep it short and sweet
The meta description should be short and sweet. This means that it should be to the point and not ramble on. The shorter the meta description, the more likely the searcher is to read it all and click through to the page.
9. Use keywords wisely
The meta description should use keywords wisely. This means that you should use the keywords that you are trying to rank for, but you should not stuff the keywords into the meta description.
10. Test, test, test
The meta description should be tested. This means that you should test different versions of the meta description to see which one performs the best. You can do this by using different keywords, different calls to action, or different persuasive language.
Use GlideSEM
GlideSEM helps you target your content to specific keywords. Using our content editor you can be sure you are following SEO best practices. We also will be launching a free meta description generator soon.