meta tags – Iceberg Web Design

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.

A Beginner’s Look at SEO

iceberg — Mon, 24 Feb 2020 14:00:56 +0000

If you do anything on the web, you should understand the basics of search engine optimization, often called SEO. Because there are so many small details that go into good SEO, it may seem overwhelming. Thankfully, you don’t have to master it. You just need to understand what the components are and why they contribute to a positive experience for the people who search for and visit your website. Let’s take a beginner’s look at SEO.

Quality Content written for your website user, not for search engines

Quality content isn’t for the bots sent out by search engines to crawl your site (How is that for a mental image?). It’s for the readers of your website. After all, if your readers don’t see the value in your content, they won’t ever return to your site, recommend it to their friends, or share it on social media. Quality content is written in an interesting way with the information that your readers want. Consistently offering your readers quality content is the best way to increase your readership.

Help Google find your content

You will want to make your wonderful content easy for Google and other search engines to find so that when readers search a topic which you have written about, they can find it on your site. The best way to do this is to submit a sitemap to Google for your website. A sitemap tells search engines about new or changed pages on your site.

Links to your site from other pages can also help people find your site. Building relationships with sites related to your site can be beneficial for both parties. Linking to one another’s sites can help readers find relevant content and help Google see where your site fits in among the sites on the worldwide web.

Describing your page’s content

It’s important to choose a title that accurately communicates the topic of the page’s content. Sometimes content creators try to be more clever than true, leaving both readers and search engines baffled about what they will find when they open the link. Because of this, it is important that each page has a unique title as well as a unique keyword. This helps search engines know how a page is distinct from others on your site. Avoid using lengthy titles that may not be seen as matching a user’s search query. Also, avoid “stuffing” keywords into your title tags.

Meta Tags

One example of important coding is your page’s meta tag. It summarizes what the page is about for search engines (hence, readers, as well). It could be a sentence or a short paragraph. As a tag, it is placed within the element of your HTML document.

Google might use description meta tags as snippets for your pages or Google may choose to use a relevant section of your page’s visible text, particularly if it does a good job of matching up with a user’s query.

It’s also important to secure your site with HTTPS

No doubt your hosting service has talked with you about HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure), since it is a premium product that costs extra. It’s worth it, though.

Users expect a secure and private online experience. HTTPS provides this protecting the integrity and confidentiality of data between the user’s computer and the site three ways:

Data sent using HTTPS is secured via Transport Layer Security protocol (TLS). This provides three key layers of protection:

Encryption—keeps conversations safe from eavesdroppers and those who would steal the user’s information.

Data integrity—protects data from modification or corruption during transfer.

Authentication—proves that your users are communicating with the intended website. This builds user trust.

Regardless of the content on your site, it’s important to safeguard your users’ connections to it.

A Beginner’s Look at SEO Includes Optimizing Your Images

Over 20% of all U.S. web searches happen on Google Images. Without proper image optimization, you’re wasting a valuable SEO asset.

Images should be formatted as either PNG or JPG images.

PNG: These files are larger but produce better quality images. They also allow for transparency so are often used for logo files.

JPEG: These are lower quality but don’t take up as much space, which is an important factor in how quickly your website loads.

Another way to reduce the bloat on your website is to compress images before uploading them to your website. You can use a graphics program for this such as Photoshop or Gimp. There are also some WordPress plugins that will allow you to optimize your images.

Use original, unique images to add value to your site. Original images also protect you from a copyright infringement lawsuit. When you use an image that you didn’t create yourself, make sure that you have the legal right to use the image in the way you intend to.

Make your images mobile-friendly, meaning they automatically resize for different screen and device sizes.

Use keyword-rich, descriptive file names as well as alt tags for images. Alt tags describe the image (briefly) so that if the image can’t be viewed, whether due to a disability or because the image won’t load, the user and search engines know what the image contains.

Hiring an SEO Expert

You may want to consider hiring an SEO professional to audit your pages. An SEO expert can save you valuable time and improve the visibility of your site on search engines. They can improve the structure of your website and offer technical advice on things such as: hosting, redirects, error pages, and the use of JavaScript. They are also skilled in keyword research and content development as well as much more!

If you’re considering a site redesign or planning to launch a new site, it’s the perfect time to talk with an SEO expert. They can help your site be search engine-friendly from the bottom up. They can also improve an existing site. Contact us today to find out how we can improve your SEO.

The post A Beginner’s Look at SEO appeared first on Iceberg Web Design.