When users see your pages in search engine results pages (SERPs) , they see only a brief description of their content. Therefore, readers must decide which results to click on based on post titles, website names, and meta description. In particular, meta descriptions are essential for ‘search engine optimization (SEO) . Without compelling meta text, your content may not get the attention it deserves. From users or search engines, so we’re here to explain what meta descriptions are and how to write the perfect one for SEO purposes.

Let’s start

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What is a meta description?
Meta descriptions are short snippets of up to 155 characters that you see below post and page titles in SERPs. They inform you what you will find if you click on a particular result.

It is important to note that meta descriptions are not Google ranking factors . Adding this custom text does not directly increase rankings. However , a great meta description can convince users to click on your pages instead of the other options on the results pages. Even if your page is not ranked #1.

A good meta description gives the searcher enough information to decide whether or not to visit a page or post. If you don’t add this text manually, search engines generate one directly from the first few lines of the article. Usually, this means that you will end up with meta descriptions that do not provide enough information, are completely out of context, or simply do not make sense in snippet form.

You may also encounter meta descriptions that provide information without clarifying what the content as a whole will include.

Overall, however, most users choose search results based on locations. In fact, the first result on a search page gets almost 30 percent of all clicks . As you scroll down the list, results get fewer and fewer clicks. It’s sad, but that’s how it is!

Fortunately, a great title coupled with a good, informative meta description can prompt undecided users to choose your page over others. In addition, WordPress makes it easy to add metatext to your content, thanks to SEO plugins .

How to write the perfect meta description
There are no definitive rules for writing the perfect meta description . However, you might consider following some of these best practices:

1.Keep the description under 155 characters. Longer text may prevent users from seeing the entire meta description.
2.Explain what users will find. The goal of a meta description is to provide information about the page. You want to be direct about the true nature of the content, instead of taking a “clickbait” approach.
3.Mention the benefits of the content. An excellent meta description lets readers know how they can benefit from the article they are about to read.
4.Include your target keywords. If possible, we recommend that you include your target keyword in the meta description. Either way, the keyword phrase should not seem forced (just as it should not be in your content).

Achieving all these goals in 155 characters or less might seem difficult. However, writing great meta descriptions for SEO is a skill you will quickly learn if you publish a lot of content.

Consider the meta description in this post as an example:

Learning how to write meta description for SEO can help your pages stand out in SERPs. Here are some of the best tips!

This meta description has 139 characters, which means it has ancona some free space. It mentions the essential elements of the post and explains what the searcher can find by reading it. It also includes an effective Call to Action (CTA) .

155 characters can be restrictive. Even Twitter raised its limit to 280 characters from 140 because it was too limiting. If you are working with in-depth posts that cover many topics, you may have difficulty mentioning them all in a meta description. Ultimately, you will have to decide what information is most important to include.

We recommend using this tip to make your descriptions actionable: force readers to check out your pages and posts using phrases like “let’s talk about” or “find out how.” These simple, action-based terms can entice readers to click on your content.

Frequently asked questions about SEO meta descriptions
Now that you know how to write the perfect meta description, you can start working on SEO for your website. In this section, we try to answer the most common questions about SEO meta descriptions, but if you have any after reading through everything, leave a comment so we can try to help!

Where do I put the meta description?
If you use an SEO plug-in like Yoast SEO or Rank Math , you will see a widget within the editor that allows you to set a meta description for each page. Here’s what this feature looks like in Yoast SEO:

Should I include more keywords in the meta description?
As a general rule, we recommend including only one or two keywords in a meta description. Remember that you only have up to 155 characters, so there is not much wiggle room. If you use multiple key phrases, you run the risk of writing descriptions that won’t engage searchers and will look like spam to search engines.

What happens if I leave the meta description blank?
If you don’t add a meta description manually, search engines will generate one by going to the page and taking text from it. Usually you will see the first few sentences of an article. This format often results in confusing descriptions that do not accurately reflect the content.

Can a meta description be too long?
A meta description should be less than 155 characters long so that users can read complete sentences. If you exceed that limit, the rest of the meta description will be cut off. This can create confusion about the content and purpose of the page.

What is the difference between an excerpt and a meta description in WordPress?
WordPress allows you to set up a blog page that displays your most recently published posts. Each post can display an excerpt (or excerpt), which is a short snippet of the first few lines of the article.
Here’s a quick look at Creativemotions’ blog, which displays multiple posts and their excerpts:

These are not meta descriptions. Meta descriptions are for search engines. They are not displayed on WordPress blog pages. Often you can simply copy/paste the same text into both fields, but having one set does not set the other. WordPress simply extracts the beginning of your post, which gives anywhere an excerpted post on your site that same out-of-context and incomplete feeling we talked about earlier.

Conclusion
Meta descriptions are some of the most important elements for SEO even if they do not directly affect your position in SERPs Each of your pages and posts should have a unique summary that is no longer than 155 characters. This is not a lot of space, but it is more than enough to give users a preview of what they will read in the article.

You can use meta descriptions primarily to get more clicks in SERPs. Fortunately, writing effective meta descriptions is a skill you can acquire relatively easily. You just need to keep them relatively short, clearly describe your content and its benefits, and include relevant keywords.