The meta description does not determine whether you are found, but whether you click.
A meta description is a short summary in the code of your page that search engines can show below your search result. It doesn't affect your ranking, but it does affect how many people click. Google can ignore it and choose a part of your page itself if that better fits the search query.
IN COMMON LANGUAGE
What he does and doesn't do
The meta description has no longer been a ranking factor for years. It won't get you any higher, no matter how many keywords you stuff into it.
What he does do is win the click. Among ten results that all promise approximately the same thing, the rule that is most concrete wins. A price, a term or a number does more than an adjective.
Please note that Google sometimes ignores it. If your description does not match what someone was looking for, Google will choose a suitable sentence from your text. That is not a mistake, but behavior that you can anticipate by writing the rest of your page sharply.
WHY IT MATTERS
How to write one
Aim for around 150 characters. Longer is cut off, and where exactly depends on the device: there is no fixed limit.
Write it for the searcher, not for the search engine: what do you get on this page, and why is that the answer to your question.
- Unique per page — the same description on twenty pages doesn't help anyone.
- Around 150 characters — longer is cut off.
- Something concrete — a prize, a term or a number of wins of adjectives.
- Match the search query — otherwise Google itself will choose a different sentence.
- No keyword list — delivers nothing and reads repellent.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
More about a meta description
Why does Google show a different text than what I set?
Because Google assesses whether your description fits the search query. If someone searches for something specific further down your page, Google will grab that phrase. That's usually to your advantage: it makes the result more relevant.
How many characters can a meta description be?
About 150 is a safe guideline. Google measures in pixels, not characters, and cuts depending on screen width. So put the most important thing first instead of counting down to the mark.
Should every page have one?
Yes, and a unique one. If it's missing, Google chooses something itself: often the first sentence of your page, which is rarely written to gain a click.
CONTINUE READING
Of course, continue reading about this subject.
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