Tutorial · technical-seo · Published 2026-08-16 · 3 min read
Writing a good meta description
Write a meta description that summarises the page, targets the query and earns clicks, with length and format guidance.
A search result headline earns the click; a meta description sells it. Search engines use the description as the summary snippet under the result, and a well-written one tells a searcher what the page delivers before they decide. It is not a direct ranking factor, but it strongly influences click-through, which is exactly what matters for traffic.
How the description is used
The meta description is declared in the <head> and gives the search engine a suggested snippet for the page:
<meta name="description" content="Buy a skateboard with a size chart, complete beginner setup, and the three boards you should start with.">Search engines may rewrite or replace it. Google commonly generates a snippet from the page content when it judges the description weak or out of date, so treat the description as a strong prompt, not a guaranteed output. Crafting a descriptive, accurate one increases the chance it is used as-is and reduces how often the engine substitutes an arbitrary excerpt.
Length and content
Google truncates the visible snippet at roughly 150 to 160 characters on a desktop result, and the count is approximate because it is pixel-based. Aim for a concise summary under that range so the whole message shows without an ellipsis cutting the call to action.
A good description:
- Summarises what the page specifically offers, not the whole site.
- Echoes the query or its core phrase naturally.
- Adds a concrete differentiator ("for beginners", "with sizing chart", "in the UK").
- Ends with a reason to click, framed as a benefit rather than a demand.
Avoid the pitfalls
- Duplicate descriptions: unique per page. Reusing one description across many pages wastes the snippet opportunity and confuses the searcher with identical copy.
- Keyword stuffing: repeating the phrase word for word reads as spam. Use it once and write a real summary.
- Empty or default filler: "Welcome to our website" tells nobody what the page is about and invites the engine to rewrite it.
- Mismatch with content: a description promising something the page does not deliver is a click with an immediate bounce and hurts trust.
Test the snippet
- Search a distinctive phrase from the page and observe whether the description or a generated excerpt appears.
- Keep the page copy aligned with the description so a rewrite still lands on your message.
- Review descriptions at the template level so new pages inherit a summary pattern rather than forgetting the field.
The description sits in the document <head>, so the structure that carries it is covered in the HTML head guide. A page that offers no real content should not be fighting for a snippet at all; the soft 404 guide explains when a page is not worth describing to searchers.