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Writing Meta Descriptions for Better SEO

Heather Erickson — Wed, 21 Jul 2021 18:31:15 +0000

Writing Meta Descriptions for Better SEO

A meta description is a type of meta tag. Like all meta tags, it is a piece of HTML code. Search engines read this code to know what to expect on your web page and how they should list your page in the SERP. While search engine devs claim the description doesn’t affect your SEO, having a well-written meta description will affect your click-through rate. This snippet of code is your chance to advertise your page, so do it right!

Your Meta Description’s Length

Usually, the meta description is listed within the search results, so it is best to keep it between 50-160 characters. That’s a wide range. You don’t want the description so long that Google has to shorten it for you. But you do want it long enough to spark interest, so users will click on the link, eager to read more.

Let’s Look at an Example

Launch My Health is a functional medicine service offering nutritional classes, health coaching, and one-to-one virtual visits with physicians, nutritionists, and other health professionals.

The code for the meta description of their homepage looks like this:

content=”1-833-9Launch | Eliminate disease & imbalances in the body with a whole-person approach & functional medicine. We’re on a mission to simplify healthcare!”>

If we were to look up Launch My Health functional medicine, on the search engine results page, it would look like this:

1-833-9Launch | Eliminate disease & imbalances in the body with a whole-person approach & functional medicine. We’re on a mission to simplify healthcare!

Did you notice in the example that “functional medicine” is in a bold typeface? That’s because it’s the keyword I used in my search. All of the SERP entries with the keyword phrase “functional medicine” in their description would have it boldened, making it easier for users to scan the SERP for what they are looking for quickly.

It Can Get Complicated

If we change the keyword phrase, the results will be different. In the following example, I searched for “Launch My Health Whole Person Approach.” This was the result on the search engine results page:

About Us | Launch My Health

launchmyhealth.com › about-us

We take a positive approach to your health. … We do this by arming you with the information and support needed to make the best health decisions for you as a person, not just a … Her children grow up eating more nutritious, whole foods.

The second search query pulled up the About Us page rather than the Homepage. The description is different because it is tailored to the keyword phrase “whole person approach” instead of “functional nutrition.” Notice, however, that Google broke up the keyword phrase. Those words are in the meta description, but they aren’t in the exact form we were seeking.

Google actually created this entry. You can tell by the use of ellipses used to patch the content together. They went to this length because I was not only searching for the keyword phrase, “whole person approach,” but also “Launch My Health.” Google’s algorithm isn’t perfect, but it is pretty amazing.

Ways to Improve your Meta Descriptions

Like all good writing, use an active voice.

Eliminate weasel words like “my, perhaps, possibly.”

Use your focus keyword (but only once. It isn’t Thanksgiving, so avoid keyword stuffing).

Make your page description accurate. Never mislead the reader.

Include a call to action to create compelling ad copy.

Entice the reader to click.

If it is a product page, include the product specs.

Make your meta description unique. Stand out from the crowd.

You Don’t Have to Write a Meta Description

What? Didn’t I tell you how important they were? Yes. But, if for some reason you choose not to write them for a page or two or more, your pages will still be listed when people search for something you have written about. The drawback to not writing your own meta description is that Google will do it for you, and it doesn’t always turn out the way you want.

Typically, Google will take the first sentence or two from your page or post and use that on the SERP. If you use an intro paragraph or disclaimer, that’s what will show up—not your compelling copy with a keyword and enticing call-to-action. If at all possible, write a meta description for every page and post you publish.

Does it Sound Like a Lot of Work?

It is. That’s why many business owners have Iceberg Web Design create and manage their website and SEO. We do it well, so you can do what you do best. Contact us today to learn about how we can help you take your business to the next level.

The post Writing Meta Descriptions for Better SEO appeared first on Iceberg Web Design.

Using Meta Tags to Control Your Search Engine Display

Jessi Gurr — Wed, 16 Jul 2014 20:03:36 +0000

Have you ever done a Google Search? If you found this article, then you’re probably familiar enough with Google to know that the results from your search include a brief overview of the websites matching your criteria: a web page title and a short description about the site. The results usually look something like this:

Usually, the page titles are fairly accurate – they are the name of the page listed, and a short description or excerpt from the page content.

Many business owners don’t realize this very basic SEO tip: you can control exactly how search engines display your webpage titles and descriptions.

These identifying pieces of the website that show up in a search are known as meta titles and meta descriptions. The purpose of meta titles and descriptions is to briefly describe the contents of the web page for the searcher. Words that match the specific query you typed in are highlighted in bold, drawing even more attention to some listings. If your website doesn’t specify a title or description, Google (and other search engines) will usually display the website address and a random excerpt from the page. If your content is relevant, this may not be a bad thing. But check out the second result in the image above – Google has pulled text from the navigation menu to display as the website description, because Amazon’s Find Careers by Location page doesn’t directly specify a meta description.

How to change your website’s Title and Description in search results

The process of changing your website’s title and description tags is not too difficult – but depending on how your website is developed, you may need to edit a few blocks of HTML code.

In your website’s coding, there are two lines in the head section that can be edited to customize your website’s search engine display. These are the meta tags for “title” and “description”:

You can edit these lines of text (or add them in between the and tags if they don’t already exist) for each page on your site – or you can ask your website developer to edit them for you.

If you use a Content Management System like WordPress, there are a number of SEO plugins that you can use that give you control over the meta tags on each page and blog post. Your website developer can also program this functionality into your website’s theme files, or can update them for you.

Tips for writing quality meta tags

You only have a few characters (we’ll get to that in a bit!) to make an impression, so the language you use when writing your meta tags is crucial. A few suggestions to help get the creative juices flowing:

Start with the product or service you are selling. While a random online shopper may not immediately recognize “Cheryl’s Fashion and Apparel,” but they will surely recognize “Levi’s, Dockers and Other Name Brand Jeans.”

Sell your product or service! If you’re in a competitive field, start with why you’re the best: “The Largest Selection of Microbrew on Tap!” will speak to your customers more than “Joey’s Bar & Grill: Food and Drinks” will.

Include your contact information. If your main goal is to get customers in your door or on the phone, make sure your address and phone number are listed in the meta description.

Be specific and relevant. If you are misleading in your marketing, and your customer does not expect your content when clicking on your link, they will hit the “Back” button. This leaves them with a bad first impression of your business.

Mix it up. Make sure you update your descriptions when you are running promotions so your search audience is aware of it! If you have seasonal marketing campaigns, don’t forget to update your website to reflect this as well.

Keep it short

You’ve probably already noticed that search engines only display one line of text for the title, and two lines for the description. Having meta tags that are too long will be cut off by search engines. There isn’t a physical limit to how long your meta title or description tags can be – so you can go ahead and ramble on in your description. However, this isn’t going to benefit your business or your search audience, so limiting your words will ensure that your most crucial information is displayed correctly for potential customers.

Meta Titles: 60 characters. One line of text equals about 60 characters. This includes letters, spaces, and punctuation marks.

Meta Descriptions: 155 characters. Google cuts off meta descriptions between 155 and 160 characters. Yahoo, MSN, and others do allow for a few more (up to 180 characters in some search engines) – but you want to write your descriptions for all searchers, so stick to the lower number.

Neet some help?

Give us a call if you’d like some help adding meta titles and descriptions to your website! Need help with writing? We can review your current website and work with you to make sure your site is appearing how you want it to in search engines.

The post Using Meta Tags to Control Your Search Engine Display appeared first on Iceberg Web Design.