Learn how to craft compelling meta descriptions that increase clickthrough rates and attract more organic traffic.
Understanding the Importance of Meta Descriptions
When you're on the hunt for information, the page title and meta description play a key role in determining which link catches your eye.
A meta description is like a sneak peek of a webpage, giving you a quick summary below the clickable link in a search engine result.
Even though it doesn't directly impact Google's ranking system, a well-crafted meta description can give users a glimpse of what the webpage is all about and entice them to click through.
Key Elements of an Effective Meta Description
Take a look at this meta description example. Noel Leeming sells appliances and electronics. In this example, the meta
description reads "For all your technology and appliance needs, look no further than Noel Leeming - New Zealand's leading consumer electronics and appliances retailer!" This meta description describes exactly what you'll see when clicking their link.
A killer meta description should give a sneak peek of what the webpage has to offer and lure users to click through. It needs to give a quick rundown of the webpage's offerings, showcasing any standout features or selling points. Plus, sprinkling in some relevant keywords can boost visibility in search results.
While there may be 10 blue links displayed on each search engine results page, not all of them receive an equal number of clicks. Users tend to gravitate towards links that are positioned higher on the page, with the #1 organic result being 10 times more likely to be clicked than a link in the #10 spot. Attracting clicks to your result is crucial for improving your ranking. Well-crafted meta descriptions play a key role in enticing users to click on your link, making it stand out among others. Effective meta descriptions can lure users to click on your link, even if it's not at the top of the search results.
While meta descriptions may not directly impact your website's ranking on Google, they can still prove beneficial during an Advanced Search. This advanced search feature empowers users to fine-tune their search by specifying or excluding terms, offering a plethora of search options. By enclosing a word in quotes for an exact phrase or adding a minus sign to exclude specific words, users can refine their search results. This underscores the importance of crafting specific meta descriptions that include keywords relevant to your content, making it easier for users conducting advanced searches to discover your page.
Furthermore, in addition to Google, social platforms such as Facebook also showcase your meta descriptions when sharing content through the "open graph" feature. These meta descriptions offer valuable insights about your webpage to social media users.
For example, a post sharing a link to the Rand Rescue website on Facebook could display a meta description like "Moving abroad? Don't stress about your financial emigration!", enticing users to click through.
This highlights that meta descriptions not only drive search engine traffic but also play a crucial role in attracting social media traffic.
Tips for Writing Engaging Meta Descriptions
Now that you're ready to tackle crafting a killer meta description, let's dive into how to make it stand out.
- Craft engaging content,
- sprinkle in a keyword or two,
- keep it concise within 155–160 characters,
- and steer clear of any funky non-alphanumeric characters.
First things first, take some time to craft engaging content. Your meta description is a sneak peek that entices searchers to click through and read your post. Make it informative, valuable, and keyword-rich to showcase the worth of your page. While you may already have keywords in your body copy and title, don't forget to sprinkle some in your meta description to accurately describe your content.
Optimising your meta description with relevant keywords ensures your content aligns with search queries. Focus on one or two unique keywords per page, avoiding keyword stuffing. Make sure they flow naturally and provide a clear preview of what users can expect when they click on your link.
Make sure your meta description is between 155-160 characters. While the number of characters is crucial, Google actually measures by pixels when displaying this metadata. If it's too long, your meta description will be cut off. Aim for 155-160 characters as a benchmark to avoid any truncation.
Watch out for those sneaky special characters! While they might look great on your screen, search engines struggle to decipher them. These pesky non-alphanumeric characters, like plus signs and em-dashes, can cause chaos in your meta descriptions. They often don't display as intended in search results and may even vanish altogether.
Testing and Refining Your Meta Descriptions
Curious how your meta descriptions will appear before going live? Depending on your CMS, various editing methods exist, with some being more technical than others.
For WordPress users, Yoast SEO is the go-to solution. Simply log into your WordPress dashboard, navigate to your posts, and tweak your description.
Wix, Squarespace, and HubSpot CMS Hub offer user-friendly options within the CMS itself, eliminating the need for plugins.
Look for the page or post setting in your CMS to edit the meta description. For the tech-savvy marketers, editing the "meta name=description" field in your page's HTML allows for further customisation. Crafting a well-written meta description is key to enhancing your search engine rankings and driving website traffic.
Testing and refining your meta descriptions can help improve clickthrough rates and attract more organic traffic.
Consider the following strategies:
- A/B test different variations of your meta descriptions to determine which ones perform better.
- Analyse clickthrough rates and user behavior to identify patterns and insights.
- Experiment with different formats, lengths, and calls to action.
- Incorporate feedback from users and make adjustments accordingly.
- Continuously monitor and refine your meta descriptions to maximise their effectiveness.
