Improve Your Meta Description with 4 Tips from Google

Google provides its users with a handful of documentation on how to best optimize your website to rank high in the search results. To make sure it’s the most helpful Google updates them regularly.

This time Google gave users examples of good and bad meta descriptions. Why should you care about meta descriptions? Google says:

High-quality descriptions can be displayed in Google’s search results and can go a long way to improving the quality and quantity of your search traffic. – Google Search Central Documentation 

So, if you want to attract high-quality traffic, you should spare a few minutes to create a descriptive meta description that will encourage users to visit your website.

How to Write a Good Meta Description?

1. Don’t Stuff Keywords

Putting a list of keywords instead of a proper meta description is a receipt for a disaster. A meta description is not a Google ranking factor, its goal is to help users understand what can they expect on a given website. And a list of keywords is not explaining anything.

Example’s from Google:

Source: https://developers.google.com/search/docs/advanced/appearance/snippet#use-quality-descriptions

2. News Stories Deserve Separate Descriptions

Don’t just use the same meta description for all your news stories. Make an effort and prepare a new one for each story, so your viewers know what to expect from your newest article.

Example’s from Google:

Source: https://developers.google.com/search/docs/advanced/appearance/snippet#use-quality-descriptions

3. Summarize the Page’s Content

Putting a randomly selected sentence from your page is not the best way to explain to users what they can expect. Instead, be descriptive. Explain what exactly are they going to find on this particular page.

Users have thousands of pages to choose from. Why should they choose yours? Because they know, from a well-structured meta description, that this is what they’ve been looking for and that your page will contain answers to their questions.

As Google says:

A meta description tag generally informs and interests users with a short, relevant summary of what a particular page is about. They are like a pitch that convince the user that the page is exactly what they’re looking for. – Google Search Central Documentation 

Example’s from Google:

Source: https://developers.google.com/search/docs/advanced/appearance/snippet#use-quality-descriptions

4. Don’t Make It too Short

Your meta description should be specific and detailed. You can’t achieve that if you make it too short and generic. There’s no rule as to how long a meta description can be, but if you want it to have the biggest impact, make sure it’s fully displayed.

Example’s from Google:

Source: https://developers.google.com/search/docs/advanced/appearance/snippet#use-quality-descriptions

Google might use your meta description to show in featured snippets. Just one more reason to take care of this part of your website. This game is really worth the candle!