The Meta description is one of the Meta tags on a web page. It is a promise made to search engine users. Meta descriptions should be kept short enough to be descriptive; thus, we recommend keeping them between 155 and 160 characters. Google’s help page for managing your snippets in search results now includes samples of “poor” and “better” Meta descriptions.
Recently, Google shared 4 examples of improving a Meta description.
Google employs a variety of sources to automatically select the right snippet, including descriptive information in each page’s Meta description tag. We may also use the information available on the website or generate rich results based on the page’s markup and content.
Google recommends avoiding the following four categories of “bad” Meta descriptions:
- Keyword Listings
It happens so fast and smoothly that many searchers will not even recognize they are making a choice. Avoid keywords like Sewing supplies, yarn, coloured pencils, sewing machines, threads, bobbins, needles, etc.
- Do not use same description for each page
It would help if you did not use the same description in every page since an engaging Meta description can increase the click-through rate of your organic search results.
- Doesn’t explain the page in brief
Meta descriptions are vital since they inform Google about the topic of your webpage. Google will have an easier time ranking your website to answer search queries if it can read and grasp the content of your Meta description. Webmasters may use this Metadata to quickly sketch out the content and quality of a web page. It is pointless if your Meta descriptions are not correctly summarised.
- Too short
A Meta description is your chance to tell information seekers that you have the answers they seek. If your Meta description is too short and contains too few characters, it may not properly express what you have to offer and how you may best help the reader.
Google recommends including the following four categories of “good” Meta descriptions, or how to improve a Meta description.
- Make unique descriptions for each page on your website
When individual pages appear in search results, the same or comparable descriptions on every site page aren’t beneficial. Create descriptions that appropriately explain the individual page wherever feasible. Use site-level descriptions on the main home page and other aggregation pages, and page-level descriptions wherever else.
- Include essential content information in the description
Include your goal term in your Meta description, and make it obvious what they’ll benefit by clicking. It should not include any irrelevant information and should be compelling.
- Descriptions generated with programs (should be handwritten)
For certain sites, like news media outlets, creating an accurate and unique description for each page is simple: because each piece is handwritten, adding a one-sentence description requires no work. It is best to avoid the programmatic programming and use hand written programs.
Remember that extended sequences of keywords in Meta descriptions don’t provide consumers with a good picture of the page’s content and are less likely to be presented as a snippet.
- Use descriptive language
Make sure your descriptions are accurate. Because Meta descriptions aren’t shown on the sites the user views, it’s easy to overlook this material. On the other hand, high-quality descriptions can be featured in Google’s search results and can help you improve the quality and quantity of your search traffic.