
Meta Descriptions
As Google continues to roll out updates to ensure that high-quality websites remain on top of the search engine ranking pages (SERPs), you need to ensure that you will use the best optimisation practices in your website’s search engine optimisation (SEO) strategies. One of the most critical components that you must include in your on-page SEO strategy is the meta description. It is the snippet that often appears in the search result listing. However, some website owners have yet to see several meta description examples to understand what they are.
What is a Meta Description?
By definition, the meta description is a kind of HTML tag that you create for the web pages or posts on your website. It allows you to describe what the page contains and what it aims to present. Google usually displays the meta descriptions underneath the title page of the top-ranking websites. It will let you have a better opportunity to attract engine users to check out your page to see if you have what they are searching for.
This is what the HTML code of most meta description examples look like:
<meta name=”description” content=“(insert description text)”/>
Why Create a Meta Description?
The main purpose of meta descriptions is very simple. It should encourage users to click on your link to visit your website. In short, it is created to gather click-throughs from search engines.
The leading search engines claim that meta description provides no direct benefit for the site’s SEO efforts because it has no bearing on the ranking algorithm. However, there is an indirect effect that sites can get from creating high-quality meta descriptions. Google looks at the click-through rate (CTR) as an indicator that the website answers the user’s query.
If more search engine users choose to click on your page based on your meta description, the indexing bots will consider your site as a good result. Thus, it will help move your website up the rankings.
Key Characteristics of an Ideal Meta Description
There are several factors that you must keep in mind to create a good meta description.
#1: Limit Your Meta Description to 155 Characters
There is no exact length for meta descriptions. But if you want to get a clearer message across, you need to keep your description text to around 155 characters. It will ensure that your meta description will display your idea completely.
#2: Write Descriptions Using the Active Voice
To ensure that your target users will consider the meta description as an invitation to visit your page, you must consider what they think and what they want to get from your site. Therefore, you need to compose a website that is easy to read and understand. It should also tell them directly what they would get if they click on your link.
#3: Write a Call-to-Action
Meta descriptions can be considered as your sales pitch. But instead of promoting a product or service, you will promote the content of your website to encourage them to click it.
Composing meta descriptions can be an additional task for your website. But it can significantly help your SEO efforts to help you reach the higher-ranking positions on Google and other search engines. It will also provide a positive user experience for the searchers since they no longer have to guess what your content is all about.