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What is Meta Description in SEO and How to Use It?

Overview

You might have heard of the term meta-description in SEO but wonder what it is and how it impacts your ranking. In this article, you will learn different things about meta description tags and how to write a good meta description that helps you improve your web page ranking and ultimately achieve your business goals. So, read till the end.

Meta Description in SEO – What is It?

A meta description is a meta tag attribute in the HTML version of your page or post. It describes what your page is about. The word limit of the meta description is around 160 characters. Therefore, you have to summarize your blog post in a few words.

The meta description in SEO appears below the title of your page in the search result. Google may show the description that you have written for the page depending on the relevancy. Otherwise, it picks up an excerpt from your page and displays it in the search result.

Why Does a Good Meta Description Required?

Although meta descriptions do not have a direct impact on the SEO ranking of a post, they help improve other SEO parameters. A good description convinces the user that this article contains what you are looking for. Below we are sharing a few reasons why you should work on writing a good meta description in SEO.

Click-through Rates – CTR (Click-through Rate) is an SEO parameter that suggests to Google that your website has the most relevant content as per the user query. Therefore, by creating a relevant and SEO-friendly meta description, you ensure a good CTR which further improves SEO ranking.

Previews Page Content – A meta description tag is the summary of a page’s content in a few words so that viewers and Google can understand what it is in the post. Thus, an accurate and useful description is imperative for user engagement.

Points to Remember While Writing Meta Description in SEO

After learning the importance of a good meta description, you want to know how one can write a description that helps your business. Below we are sharing a few points that must be followed while preparing a meta description for your site.

#1. Add a Unique Meta Description for Every Page

The first and most important thing while writing a meta description is that it should be unique. If you have multiple pages on the same topic, you can not use the same description for every page. It is mandatory that you write separate meta descriptions for all of them.

#2. Write Short and Relevant Meta Description in SEO

As the limit of the description is 160 characters, you must be precise and accurate. The text should clearly explain what the page is about in the specified word limits. Unnecessary words should be eliminated.

Also Read: How to Create High Quality Content for Websites?

#3. Write in Active Voice with the Focus Keyword

While writing the meta description, you should use active voice. It leaves more impact than the passive voice. Also, never forget to include target keywords in the description because it ultimately helps in SEO.

#4. Embed an Appropriate Call to Action 

A meta description in SEO without any call to action is incomplete. It gives readers an idea of what to do after reading the meta description. This will make you generate more leads.

Conclusion

A meta description is an important element of your webpage that helps users learn what it is on the web page before landing on the page. A good meta description not only helps you in improving the SEO of your website but also helps you in your business goals. You can easily create a good description by making it unique and writing it in an active void. Make sure to keep it relevant and within specified word limits.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a meta title and a description?

Both meta title and description are HTML elements of your webpage appearing in the SERP. However, the former is the title of your webpage whereas, the latter contains the description of the webpage.

How to write a good meta description?

A meta description that is clear and concise and describes the content of the page in a few words is considered good. Make sure to include focus keywords and a call to action in the meta description tag.

Gagan Rajput

Gagan Rajput is a technical writer with exceptional knowledge and understanding of complex tech subjects. He has expertise in email migration, data recovery, digital marketing, blockchain, AI, web development, and app development. Gagan's articles guide sophisticated technical concepts in an easy-to-understand manner that helps both individuals and businesses.