Meta Description
A short summary of a page used by search engines as the snippet under the title.
Key takeaways
- Meta Description is a short summary of a page used by search engines as the snippet under the title.
- Lead with the answer or benefit the searcher is looking for, in about 150 characters.
- Avoid: leaving descriptions empty or duplicated across templates.
What is Meta Description?
Meta descriptions are not a direct ranking factor but they strongly influence click through rate. Write compelling, accurate copy under 160 characters that matches search intent.
Google explains how it builds result snippets, and when it uses your description, in its guide to snippets and meta descriptions.
Why Meta Description matters for SEO in 2026
Meta descriptions don't affect rankings directly, but they often become the snippet under your title. A clear, specific description can earn the click over a competitor ranking just above you.
For a wider view of where this fits, see our full SEO glossary or explore the SEO and GEO service we run for clients.
How to apply Meta Description on your site
Knowing the concept is only half of it. Work through these steps in order to put Meta Description into practice on your own pages:
- Lead with the answer or benefit the searcher is looking for, in about 150 characters.
- Write a unique description for every important page.
- Match the wording to the search intent of the page's main query.
Common mistakes to avoid
Most sites that struggle with Meta Description fall into the same traps. Check your pages against each of these before moving on:
- Leaving descriptions empty or duplicated across templates.
- Stuffing keywords instead of writing for a person.
- Promising something the page doesn't deliver.
Questions about Meta Description
A short summary of a page used by search engines as the snippet under the title.
Meta descriptions don't affect rankings directly, but they often become the snippet under your title. A clear, specific description can earn the click over a competitor ranking just above you.
Start here: lead with the answer or benefit the searcher is looking for, in about 150 characters. Then write a unique description for every important page.
The most common is leaving descriptions empty or duplicated across templates. Another is stuffing keywords instead of writing for a person.