Meta Descriptions – What Are They?
Meta descriptions can have a large impact on web page performance and are often an overlooked tool. The meta description field is your chance to summarise what searchers are to expect if they click on your link. It is a snippet of around 150 words and your prime opportunity to enhance your online presence and bring in relevant web traffic. This valuable piece of online advertising space should never be neglected as it enables you to describe the contents of your page and convince customers to click on it rather than that of a competitor.
Do They Help With SEO?
The answer is a definite Yes. Well-written meta descriptions can hugely enhance CTR (click-through rate) which is a key ranking factor. If a result field contains the keywords that the searcher has entered Google will display it in bold which has been proven to increase CTR, so getting your keywords right is essential. So, while Meta descriptions don’t enhance search rankings directly, they do enhance CTR which in turn feeds Google’s algorithm, so it is important to keep on top of this part of digital marketing.
Making Sure Your Meta Descriptions Are Effective
- Search engines will usually only show 150-160 characters so you will need to keep your meta descriptions to around 20 words.
- Each webpage should have its own unique meta description.
- A meta description must be a no-nonsense and precise description of your page content.
- Do not use speech marks as this will cut the meta description.
- Do not overdo the keywords, include the important ones but do not overload.
In summary, meta descriptions play an important role in digital marketing and not writing appropriate and effective meta descriptions will negatively impact your CTR.
