The Impact Of Meta Descriptions And How To Write Effective Ones?

By Paul Wynter August 2nd, 2020

No matter how much we obsess over SEO and read about them, it still remains a tricky subject. After many attempts, you finally think that you have grasped It and the next day, it turns haywire. You find out that almost everything has changed overnight. And this is nothing extraordinary considering the fact that Google changes its SEO algorithm more than 500 times each year. Hence you never find anything constant when it comes to SEO except change. Hence the coveted ranking of the numero uno spot involves a never-ending pursuit.

Yet fortunate for us, there are certain elements of SEO that aren’t likely to become entirely irrelevant in the near future. Hence we must focus on them to succeed in our SEO battle. One such aspect is the meta description. They are an integral part of any results page thrown up by the search engine and show features that are not likely to alter. So, content creators trying to grab the top spots in the search results page ought to learn the nitty-gritty aspects of writing a Meta description and master the art of writing effective ones. Let us learn the significance of meta descriptions first before learning to write impactful ones.

Meta Description: Definition

We can define meta descriptions as a snippet of around 160 characters that can summarize any webpage’s content. It acts as a meta tag in HTML. In any results page of a search engine (SERP), the meta description can be found under the page title and its URL. It affects on-page SEO critically, and hence our need to understand all about it is established. We can find the meta description in the search results of any search engine mostly when we search for a phrase that is included in the meta description. It ranged about 160 characters so that we don’t go on describing the page more than required. It must also entice the web searchers to look into the content of the web page. So meta descriptions must be able to highlight the value of the webpage’s content precisely.

Why is it so significant?

If the meta description is written effectively, then it helps improve the CTR or Click Through Rate of the website form the results page of the Search Engines. The meta description doesn’t directly cause an improvement in the page rank, but It provides indirect benefits. It enhances the CTR of the page, which is a parameter used by Google to determine the page rank in search results.

Users will only click on web content that appeals to their requirement and taste. The meta description, when written properly, will provide users the assurance they will find what they are looking for under this link and hence make them click on them and give the content a read.

Useful tips for writing effective meta descriptions

The basic intent of the meta description is quite simple. It is there to provide the users with a concise view of what they are going to find under the web link. Let us go through a few useful guidelines for writing meta descriptions efficiently.

1. Try to tell the users why your page will provide them the best results

Users will use Google search to type in a query and then look for the one that answers it best. Your meta description must be able to project your content as the all-inclusive one. It must be able to make them believe that they would find the best answers to their query inside your web page.

2. Include the primary keyword you are aiming for

The primary keyword that your page wants to attain the best rank for has to be included in the meta description. The text will hence appear in bold.

3. Focus on the user benefits

The meta description needs to be inclined to the benefits-focused content. This can be done by placing the most important info in the beginning. The description is only 160 characters long, and hence it needs to communicate from the start effectively. The subject matter needs to come across quickly with the help of appropriate keywords and related terms.

4. Try making it conversational

Aim to write the description for the people and not for the search engines. The meta description should come across as interactive with the use of natural language and easy vocabulary.

5. Edit it more than twice

The more you pass through the met description, the more ways you’ll find out of adding value and benefits within those 160 characters.

6. Use action-oriented language

Your vocabulary must be oriented towards action so that the users feel that the content might help them get their job done effectively.

Getting your SEO game right is paramount for web content creators. It starts with writing the meta description efficiently. When your CTR is high, half the game is in your hands.

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