Meta Description

What Is A Meta Description?

A meta description is a brief summary of a webpage’s content. Search engines will show this snippet in search results to inform users about the page’s topic.

A good meta description can attract users by highlighting the page’s relevance and make them click through to your site.

Writing meta descriptions for your page is an essential part of on-page SEO.

Here’s why:

Think of your meta title and meta description like an advertisement for your website in the Google search results.

The meta description is the main text that tells the user what information they will find on the page.

This will ultimately affect whether the user clicks on your page or goes to your competitor.

While Meta descriptions are not a direct Google ranking factor, they do play an essential role in getting users to click on your website.

Note: Google can choose to change or rewrite your meta description automatically.

How often does Google rewrite meta descriptions?

Google rewrites meta descriptions about 62.78% of the time in the search results. Google does this by taking snippets of content from your page and displaying that in your meta description instead.

This is good because Google tailors the meta description to the individual user – Ultimately improving your site’s click-thru rate (CTR).

While Google will often change your meta description, it is still essential that you write your own for the times when they don’t.

How Long Should A Meta Description Be?

Meta descriptions should be between 50 and 160 characters in length.

This is long enough to allow you to write informative and descriptive text. But it also ensures that your meta descriptions aren’t cut off in the search results.

The length of your meta description is important.

If your meta descriptions exceed 160 characters, you can expect them to be truncated by Google. That can lower your page click-thru rates.

How To Write A Meta Description

Here is a list of best practices you need to write a good meta description:

1. Keep it concise and aim for a length of 150-160 characters
2. Summarise the main content and topic
3. Include relevant keywords naturally
4. Make it unique for each page
5. Write for your audience
6. Include a call to action
7. Highlight any unique points

Following those best practices will ensure that you always have optimised, descriptive and compelling meta-descriptions that increase organic traffic.

How To Add Meta Description In WordPress?

The easiest way to add a meta description to your WordPress site is by using the free Rank Math SEO plugin.

Install and activate the RanthMath plugin on your website:

Now, navigate to the page/post you want to add a meta description.

Scroll to the bottom of the content until you see the RankMath widget and click “Edit Snippet”.

Lastly, add your text in the “Description” box.

The preview section above shows what it will look like in the SERPs. That’s it!