Meta Descriptions and Common Misconceptions Explained Cover Image

Guide to Writing Meta Descriptions and Common Misconceptions Explained

Meta Descriptions are an indispensable part of SEO optimization. Although not as prominent as Meta Titles, they play a crucial role as one of the factors influencing whether readers click on a webpage from search results, or SERPs.

Many people new to SEO often misunderstand Meta Descriptions. This article aims to correctly introduce the principles of writing Meta Descriptions and dispel some common myths.


Difference between Meta Description and Webpage Description

What is a webpage summary?

A webpage summary (also called a webpage description) is displayed under the webpage title and is a brief text about 2-3 sentences long. Its purpose is to allow users to quickly understand the main points of a webpage. Webpage summaries typically appear in two places:

  1. On the Google search results page.
  2. In the preview of shared links, such as Facebook posts and sharing a link to WhatsApp .

According to Google’s official statement, search engines automatically generate webpage summaries based on the content of the page; depending on the keywords searched by users, the same webpage may display different summaries in the SERP. Usually, search engines highlight the keywords searched by users in red to emphasize the text most relevant to the keywords.

Meta Description: A Reference Source for Webpage Summaries

Besides automatically extracting webpage summaries based on keywords, Google sometimes also refers to a webpage’s “Meta Tags meta description” to generate search result summaries.

In SEO, the commonly mentioned “Meta Description” is a type of Meta Tag. By marking a webpage’s Meta Description, you can inform Google about the page’s key content, which may then be used as the “webpage summary.” Meta Descriptions are located in the tag of the webpage’s code and appear as:

If your website is custom-built, you will need engineers to add Meta Description tags to each page; however, if your site uses CMS platforms like WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace, there is usually a section in the backend of article and page editors where you can directly write and modify Meta Descriptions easily.


Does Meta Description Affect SEO? Three Common Myths

Perhaps because Meta Descriptions are not as crucial in SEO as Meta Titles, many beginners do not fully understand them and even hold some misconceptions. In practice, we often find these common misunderstandings about Meta Descriptions:

Misconception 1: Google will use my set Meta Description

Google officially states that compared to automatically generated webpage summaries, a Meta Description provides a more accurate and effective description. However, as users search with different keywords, our set Meta Description may not always meet user needs. At that point, Google will consider the article’s title, content, and summary to automatically arrange the most appropriate webpage summary.

Simply put, Google does not guarantee that it will use the Meta Description as the webpage summary. Even if you set a Meta Description, the search engine might still automatically generate a summary from the webpage content.

Misconception 2: Meta Description Affects SEO Ranking

Google’s John Mueller has confirmed on the official channel that “Meta Description is not an SEO ranking signal.” Whether a Meta Description contains keywords, its word count, or mentions of a brand name, etc., do not affect webpage SEO rankings. We often see people stack many keywords in their Meta Descriptions, such as:

Listing keywords like this does not help with rankings and does not clearly convey the webpage content. Search engines usually rewrite such webpage summaries.

Misconception 3: Meta Description is Not Important

Given that Meta Descriptions do not affect SEO rankings and can be generated automatically by Google, you might think there’s no need to take them seriously. However, the most important function of a Meta Description is to provide a relevant summary for the webpage. It is not just for Google’s reference; it also helps with reader experience and website management.

A complete and unique Description can quickly highlight the main points of an article in the SERP, helping readers decide whether the webpage content is what they need, thereby increasing click-through rates and reducing bounce rates. For example, if the first page of the SERP contains ten articles discussing SEO, readers might overlook your article due to an incomplete Description, or they might leave the webpage immediately after clicking.

In addition to increasing click-through rates, Meta Descriptions can also enhance brand image. Brand management is a long-term process. The more comprehensive and perfect the information on your website, the better the impression you leave on readers, potentially converting every passerby into a potential customer. If they need this type of product in the future, they might remember your brand.

So, even though Meta Description is not a ranking factor, it is still an important optimization item. It has a significant impact on increasing click-through rates, improving user experience, and building brand image. As the saying goes, the devil is in the details; investing effort in writing Meta Descriptions is definitely worth it.


Three Principles for Writing Meta Descriptions

A high-quality Meta Description can increase click-through rates, but what makes a good Meta Description? If you want to write an attractive Meta Description, consider the following writing principles.

Be concise and straight to the point

The recommended word count for Meta Descriptions is within 160 English characters. If the word count is excessive, it will be truncated by the search engine and not fully displayed. Additionally, as different devices have varying browser sizes, the number of characters displayed in SERP webpage summaries may also change. Therefore, when writing Meta Descriptions, focus on the essence of the article and eliminate any superfluous words, keeping only the core points of the article.

Meta Descriptions do not necessarily need to be complete sentences; they can also list relevant information such as the article’s author, publication date, product prices, etc. If you’re unsure how to write a Meta Description, consider starting from the article’s H2 titles. Select one or two of the most important H2 titles and arrange the content into a natural, concise, and clear sentence until all unnecessary words are removed.

After writing the Meta Description, you can check the preview with tools like MRS.Digital, to the web, or WebYurt’s Meta Length Checker to avoid truncation.

Avoid meaningless keyword stacking

When writing Meta Descriptions, prioritize “smooth, concise articulation of article highlights.” Mention keywords naturally and reasonably; there’s no need to stuff in a certain number of keywords. Keywords are usually the core points of an article and will naturally be mentioned; there’s no need for forced insertion. Excessive keyword stacking will not enhance SEO rankings and may degrade reader experience, with a high chance of Google rewriting the webpage summary.

In fact, the main principle of Meta Description is “starting from the reader’s perspective, considering what kind of narrative will interest them and make them want to click through to the webpage.”

For example, which of the following webpage summaries is more appealing to you?

I believe the answer is very clear from the two differences above.

Each page should have a unique Meta Description

Since each webpage has different content, it’s only reasonable that each Meta Description should also be different. If every page on a website uses the same or similar Meta Descriptions, it won’t be helpful for search engines or reader experience.

If you really don’t have time to write a Meta Description for every page, at least establish one for important webpages (like the homepage and popular pages); you can also use tools like ChatGPT, ahrefs, growthbar, copy.ai, etc., to quickly generate Meta Descriptions. However, remember to manually check and polish after using AI tools to ensure the quality of the Meta Description.


Google’s Perspective on Meta Descriptions

In fact, it’s only in the past two or three years that Google has formally recommended practices for Meta Descriptions. Before that, Meta Descriptions underwent several changes. For example, Google increased the length of SERP webpage summaries at the end of 2017. According to RankRanger’s tool tracking, the average word count of webpage summaries grew from 160 English characters to nearly 230 characters, making them more prominent in SERP displays. However, this update only lasted for half a year before Google decided to adjust back to the original 150-160 characters.

As reported by Search Engine Journal in 2020, Google spends an average of 70% of its time rewriting Meta Descriptions. Possible reasons for this include differences in ranking, search volume, etc., aiming to maximize the relevance of search results to keywords.

Although there seems to be no best formula for Meta Descriptions, if we grasp the basic principles of “concise content, natural flow, and uniqueness” and prioritize “creating a good experience for readers,” optimizing Meta Descriptions should no longer be difficult.


Conclusion

To summarize, while Meta Descriptions may not directly impact SEO rankings, they are essential for providing a clear and concise summary of webpages, enhancing user engagement through increased click-through rates and reducing bounce rates.

Effective Meta Descriptions should be unique for each page, succinct, and avoid unnecessary keyword stuffing. They play a significant role in improving user experience and strengthening brand perception, making them a crucial component of website optimization.

Remember, the quality of a Meta Description can influence a reader’s decision to explore a webpage further, underlining the importance of crafting them thoughtfully and strategically.

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