Meta descriptions that earn clicks

What a meta description is

A meta description is a short summary of a page, added in the HTML. Google may show it under your title in results. Its guidance on snippets explains that it uses the meta description when it describes the page better than other text from the page. Otherwise it picks text from the page itself that matches the search.

So you're writing a suggestion, not a guarantee.

Why they matter

Google has said for years that the meta description isn't a ranking factor. But it can affect whether people click. Two results at similar positions can get very different clicks, depending on which one looks more useful.

For small businesses competing with bigger names, a specific, honest description can tip the balance.

A simple structure

Most good descriptions do three things in roughly 150 characters:

1. Say what the page offers. 2. Add a concrete detail that matters to the searcher. Price guidance, area covered, turnaround, qualifications or opening hours. 3. Give a reason to click. Not "click here", but what they'll find.

Examples

Garage

"MOTs, servicing and repairs in Wakefield. DVSA-approved test centre with online booking, a courtesy car on request and a waiting area with Wi-Fi."

Concrete facts beat adjectives. Only list extras you actually offer.

Solicitor

"Fixed-fee conveyancing for buyers and sellers in Norwich. See what's included, typical timescales and how we keep you updated at each stage."

Café

"Independent café in Frome serving breakfast, brunch and homemade cakes. Vegan and gluten-free options. Open seven days, dogs welcome."

Guide page

"How long probate takes in England, what slows it down and what executors can do to keep things moving. Updated for the latest court timescales."

Ecommerce category

"Waterproof walking boots for women, from lightweight trail shoes to winter-ready leather boots. Free UK delivery over £50 and 30-day returns."

Only include delivery and returns terms that are true for your shop.

Things to avoid

• Duplicates. The same description on many pages tells searchers nothing. Write unique ones for important pages.
• Keyword lists. "Plumber, plumbing, plumbers Leeds, emergency plumber" reads like spam.
• Promises the page doesn't keep. If the description mentions prices, the page should show them.
• Quotation marks. Google may cut the description at a double quote mark in the HTML.
• Writing for length alone. There's no fixed limit. Google truncates based on screen width. Aim for a complete thought in about 150 to 160 characters.

When to leave it to Google

You don't need a handwritten description for every page. For large sites, writing them all isn't practical. Google will pull relevant text from the page, and for long guides that answer many different questions, its choice may suit each search better than a single summary.

Prioritise:

1. Your home page. 2. Main service or category pages. 3. Your most-visited guides. 4. Pages with lots of impressions but low click-through rates.

Finding pages to improve

In Search Console's Performance report, filter to pages and compare click-through rate for pages at similar average positions. If one page has far lower clicks than its neighbours, check what Google shows for it. A weak title or description is often the reason.

Search the main query yourself and look at your result next to the competition. Does yours stand out? Does it answer the question the searcher is asking?

A worked example

A pet groomer in Leeds had a description reading "Welcome to our website. We offer a range of services for your pets. Contact us today." It appeared under every page.

She rewrote the descriptions for her five main pages. The full groom page became: "Full dog grooms in Leeds: bath, cut, nails and ears, from small breeds to doodles. Calm, one-to-one appointments with no cages." The page started to stand out in results, and the description also filtered out people looking for cat grooming, which she didn't offer.

Descriptions for different page types

Different pages call for different angles. A service page should lead with what you do and where. A guide should promise the answer and hint at the depth. A product category should name the range and one practical buying detail, such as sizes or delivery. A contact page can be brief: address, hours and how to get in touch. Your home page needs the widest summary, saying what kind of business you are, who you serve and where. Matching the description to the job of the page stops every description sounding the same and helps each one earn its click.

Keep them current

Descriptions mentioning prices, opening hours or offers need updating when those change. Old descriptions showing last year's prices create confusion and complaints. Include descriptions in any review of your prices or services. A quick way to find them is to search your site for the old price or the old hours and update every page and description that mentions them in one go.