When it comes to SEO and internet marketing there are many things that need to be considered and lots of work which needs to be carried out – meaning that those whom aren’t specialists can often miss things… Meta descriptions for example, many people do not even realise the importance of these.
Meta descriptions, although they are not directly related to search engine rankings – There is no doubting that they play a large role in improving click-through rates from search engine results pages. It is imperative when looking for ultimate success that meta descriptions are relevant and related to search queries.
What is a Meta Description?
Meta descriptions when implemented correctly provide search users with a snippet of what they can expect to find on a particular page. These descriptions appear beneath a websites URL in search engine result pages.
Why you should Use Meta Descriptions
Although many people think that creating meta descriptions can be a tedious task, especially for larger sites with multiple pages, there are many reasons why they should be put in place. They can assist in improving CTRs and much, much more.
How to Write a Meta Description
When writing a meta description there are many different factors to consider, including but not limited to the following:
- Length – Meta descriptions can be any length however search engines cut off anything longer than around 160 characters so people must try to stick to 160 characters as a limit. Meta descriptions shouldn’t be too long but should include clear marketing messages.
- Uniqueness – Every meta description should be unique to its individual page – highlighting the unique purpose that they serve. Duplicate meta descriptions can result in sub-optimal rankings and should therefore be avoided.
- Marketing message – Meta descriptions should clearly explain why people should visit websites and pages.
- Calls to actions – Clear CTAs are more likely to elicit the best responses, consider including telephone numbers etc.
- Keywords – When a search query closely matches a meta description Google highlights the search term in the description using a bold formatting – making meta’s stand out! People should consider what the best keywords are to include in their meta descriptions and incorporate them wisely, ensuring that their snippets are still easy to read and not keyword-stuffy.