What it looks like
The meta description sits in the head of a page, the part visitors do not see. It is one line of code:
<meta name="description" content="Learn how to repot a houseplant in five steps, with the tools you need and the mistakes to avoid.">
On a SERP, the page of search results, this text can appear as the lines under the clickable title. Most site builders have a field for it, often called "SEO description" or "meta description", so you rarely need to touch the code.
Why it matters
- It is your pitch. The description is not a ranking factor. It helps a searcher decide whether to click your result or the one below it.
- It works together with the title. The title tag says what the page is. The description says why it is worth a visit.
- Google may replace it. Google often writes its own snippet from the text on the page when it thinks that answers the search better. A clear description that fits the page is more likely to be used.
- Long ones get cut. Results typically show around 150 to 160 characters. Put the important part first.
COMMON MISTAKEUsing the same description on every page. A copied description tells the searcher nothing about this page, and Google is more likely to ignore it. Each page needs its own summary.
How to check yours
- Open the page in your browser, right-click and choose "View page source".
- Search the source for
name="description"and read the text aftercontent=. - Count the characters. Stay at about 150 to 160 or fewer, with the main point in the first half.
- Ask whether it fits the search intent of the people you want to reach. If it does not, rewrite it.
The lesson on how to write meta descriptions people want to click covers the writing itself. For a quick check of a live page, run the free audit.