Quick answer
A meta description is a short summary of a page shown under the title in search results. It does not affect ranking directly, but it does affect click-through rate.
What it is
A meta description is an HTML attribute that summarises a page. Search engines often use it as the snippet under the title. It is 140 to 160 characters, written in sentence case and follows the formula '[Promise]. [Proof]. [CTA or risk reversal]'.
Why it matters
A strong meta description lifts click-through rate, which can lift rankings indirectly. It is your one chance to convince the searcher to choose you over the other nine results.
How to use it
- Write a unique meta description for every page.
- Use the formula: '[Promise]. [Proof]. [CTA or risk reversal]'.
- Keep it under 160 characters to avoid truncation.
Examples
- A SaaS meta description: 'Ship a faster marketing website in 30 days. Fixed scope, 48-hour turnaround. 1-day reply, NDA on request.'