A lot of people fail to realize the importance of meta description and their role in SEO. While they are very short and almost always overlooked, they actually carry a weight when it comes to how search engines evaluate each page’s relevance and how human users decide which to click from the search results. Here is a quick guide to writing perfect meta descriptions.
Follow the recommended length
According to Search Engine Journal, the standard meta description length is at around 160-165 characters. When you go beyond that, expect that your meta description will be truncated. Keep in mind that being faithful to this measure can help you minimize bounce rates. Always be on the lookout for changes in such practice especially because Google typically changes their standards and policies.
Know how your competitors are doing it
Type your targeted keywords on Google’s search bar and check out the results. The reason you must look at your competitors is because you can learn a thing or two from their meta description. After all, they appeared on the first page, primarily because they are doing it right. Take note of their descriptions’ length, style, and use of keywords.
Use your brand voice
Every bit of your brand’s content appearing online must be consistent in terms of style and voice. Your meta description must reflect your brand’s online identity, so write in a fashion similar to your other online content, aiming to target the same audience and promoting your product or service.
Make it unique, original, and keyword-optimized
Make sure each meta description is unique. Write it in manner that would naturally and accurately describe the page and its content. Whenever possible, insert your target keyword on the description. While Google has stated that they don’t use keywords in meta description as a ranking factor, it is notable that when keywords are highlighted when they appear in the search results. This means online users are more likely to find relevance in meta descriptions with the search terms they have used.
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