What is a meta description?
Definition
A meta description is an HTML tag that summarizes a page's content. Search engines sometimes show it as the snippet under the page title in search results.
Why it matters
A clear description can make people more likely to click. Google uses it when it describes the page better than other text on the page.
How to do it
- Write a unique description for each important page.
- Summarize the whole page and include useful details, not a list of keywords.
- There is no length limit, but Google cuts snippets to fit the screen, so put key information first.
Example
For a glossary page: “Engagement rate is the share of people who interacted with a post. Learn the formula, an example and how to improve it.”
FAQ
Does a meta description affect rankings?
Google uses it for snippets, not as a ranking factor. Its job is to earn the click.