Since meta descriptions are not a direct ranking point for SEO optimization, people tend to pay little attention to them. However, this is a huge mistake! A perfect meta description is fundamental to your overall online vision. In this article, you will learn what meta description is, why it matters and how to write it well.
What is Meta Tag?
Meta is an acronym for 'metadata'. Meta tags provide information about your page and its content. They are short pieces of text that summarize your page. However, they are only visible in the site's HTML code, not on the website itself if you are a beginner Here's what every beginner should know about HTML: How to make HTML step by step.
What is meta description and why is it important?
The meta description is part of the meta tag - it's a brief summary of your content. It is visible in search engine results just below the title.
Additionally, when someone shares your content, the text will appear in the shared post.
Although meta descriptions are not directly related to your page ranking results, they are necessary for your website to display.
First of all, search engines like Google rely heavily on these descriptions to determine the relevance of your content.
Second, and most importantly, a good description encourages users to click on your link and read your content.
In short, a good meta description can increase your website traffic.
How do you write an ideal meta description?
Since the meta description is one of the main keys that get users to click on your link, you need to keep a few things in mind. Your text should contain these three main elements of writing:
- the problem
- The solution
- The result
When reading it, users should understand what the topic (problem) is, and how your content will help them (solution and outcome).
Furthermore, every good meta description should contain the following components:
- key words. This is the most important part. Keywords will give the reader a clear understanding of what your article is about. Search engines often bold the main keyword, so that it is visible at first glance.
- good writing. Make sure your writing is clear, legible and understandable. Your keywords should be there, but don't overuse them. The meta description should be quick to read, so don't put in any bloated sentences or irrelevant information.
- The right length. An ideal meta description should be between 135 and 160 characters. Anything longer than that may be cut by search engines and can often be lower than these numbers in different engines.
- Exclusive content. Never reuse meta descriptions. All your pages must have an exclusive description. Otherwise, search engines may penalize it for repeating it.
Now let's try these tips in action
Example 1: If you wrote an article on the best vegetarian recipes for beginners, your description should reflect that.
Have you just started your vegan journey? Check out our article: We've collected the best vegetarian recipes for beginners to help you change your lifestyle.
Problem: You're just starting to be vegan. The solution: bulk recipes for beginners. The result: you will learn new skills to help you on your plant journey.
The keyword is there, but it's not overused. Moreover, this meta description has a working syntax, which increases the chances of your readers to click on your link.
Example 2: If you write about cat-friendly restaurants in Alexandria, you can come up with something good looking:
Want to eat out but don't want to leave your furry companion behind? Here is a list of the 10 best cat-friendly restaurants in Alexandria.
Problem: You want to eat outside, but you want to take your cat with you. The solution: a list of cat-friendly restaurants. The result: you will learn where to bring your cat.
In general, you should treat your meta description as a small and easy ad. It should be compelling and always relevant to your content.
A bad description can keep users from clicking your link. If users don't feel compelled to click on your link, you will lose traffic.
How to add it in the meta description on your site
There are two ways to add you can either add it to the HTML code part of your website.
Copy and paste this snippet:
<html> <head> <title>Great Website</title> <meta name = “description” content=”Our site is amazing, we have great content, click here to read it!.”> </head>
Or, if you are using a Content Management System (CMS) like WordPress, you can add the description using SEO (Search Engine Optimization) plugins.
With WordPress, you can install Yoast SEO plugin. In the new WordPress Gutenberg editor, in the left part of your post, you will find the plugin section.
You'll see a preview of the snippet, where you can edit the title, url, and meta description.
The best thing is that the Yoast SEO plugin automatically shows if the text is too long or too short.
Examples of ideal meta description
Here are two different great examples of what an ideal meta description should look like. Both examples have important ad writing components and meta description components.
Quick summary
Meta description may not be the most important factor for good SEO.
However, you should not ignore it, it serves as a small part of the ads. A well-written description can significantly increase your traffic.
Writing only takes a few moments, so there are no excuses for not doing it!