Meta Description

A meta description is a short piece of text — usually up to 160 characters — that summarizes the content of a webpage. It appears in the search engine results pages (SERPs) below the page title and URL. While meta descriptions do not directly affect search engine rankings, they can strongly influence whether users click on your link.

Here’s what a meta description looks like in Google:

Title
www.example.com
This is a short summary that tells users what the page is about.

If your meta description is clear, relevant, and compelling, it can improve your click-through rate (CTR) — which can indirectly benefit your SEO performance.

Why meta descriptions matter

Although Google may rewrite meta descriptions based on the search query, writing your own gives you a better chance to:

• Encourage clicks from searchers
• Summarize the value of the page
• Include relevant keywords for bolding in results
• Improve user experience from the first impression

Key elements of a good meta description

A well-written meta description should:

• Stay within 150–160 characters to avoid being cut off
• Match the content of the page
• Include a call to action (e.g., “Learn more,” “Get started,” “Download free”)
• Use the main target keyword naturally
• Be written in a way that entices users to click

HTML example of a meta description

<meta name="description" content="Discover 10 simple SEO tips to boost your website traffic. Start improving your rankings today with easy-to-follow advice.">

This meta tag tells search engines what summary to display for the page in search results.

Best practices for meta descriptions

• Write a unique meta description for every important page
• Don’t stuff it with keywords — keep it natural and helpful
• Include your value proposition — why should someone click your result?
• Use active voice and second person ("you/your") to engage readers
• Make sure it aligns with the page title and content
• Test and tweak descriptions to improve CTR over time

In summary, a meta description is a short snippet of text that summarizes a webpage in search engine listings. While it doesn’t directly affect rankings, it plays a major role in attracting clicks and guiding users to your content — making it an important part of any SEO strategy.