How to Write a Meta Description (Even if Google Says It Doesn't Matter)
Google has told webmasters that there is a part of your site that has no material effect on your ranking, and since, many webmasters and SEOs are ignoring it. They're wrong, and you can take advantage of it.
In the early days of SEO, much was made of optimizing meta descriptions. As search engines evolved and on-page factors became less important, the weight attributed to these descriptions faded into oblivion. Today, Google has said outright that meta descriptions have no bearing at all in their ranking algorithm.
Ignore them, however, at your own peril, because meta descriptions are just as important than ever.
In an ideal world, we would be able to display a lot of content to search engine users trying to choose between links. Wouldn't it be great if we could talk to the user, telling them why they need to choose our site instead of that wikipedia page or some competitor's?
We can. And now that Google has categorically denied any ranking benefit to the words within your meta description, you can craft the most clever, appealing, perfectly-crafted piece of marketing copy and display it to everyone looking for what you offer.
In practice, SEO is about making more money through your site, and all the rankings in the world don't mean a thing unless the users searching for those queries actually click through to your site. So, while Google may have taken away a tiny, tiny part of your pages ranking factor by eliminating the meta description from its ranking algorithm, it's given you a world of opportunity to entice users to your site from a search engine results page.
How to craft an optimized meta description.
1. Use your value propositions.
Your value propositions are the unique qualities of your product or service that differentiate you from your competition. Do your widgets include certain add-ons? Are your widgets less expensive? Do they glow in the dark? Tell your audience why they want to visit you, not some other site!
2. Tell them the benefits, not the features.
It's really great that your widgets are forged with 20 gauge copper-reinforced I-beams; but I'm just looking for a stronger widget. Phrase your value propositions with the associated benefit to the end user and the appeal is far stronger.
3. Embody your brand.
Don't be afraid to use your brand in the tone of your description. If you sell soda, be happy. If you're a funeral home, be respectful. If you're a sports humor blog, be campy. Even though you have just a few characters to convey what you want to say, let your brand dictate your word choice. There are no "rules" regarding how to talk to your prospective customers.
This is the first of a nine-part series aimed at helping you spend 10 minutes improving your site every week. If there is a particular part of on-page optimization you want to hear, please email me: jesse [at] slingshotseo.com.
| Posted by Douglas Karr From DK New Media on Apr 8th, 2010 | Aside from a page title, a meta description is your most important element to improve conversions from a SERP to your site. It's amazing to me how many people absolutely ignore this factor! |
| Posted by Jeremy Dearringer From Slingshot SEO on Apr 9th, 2010 | Great post Jesse! Doug, you're absolutely right. CTR (click-through-rate) is nearly as important as the ranking itself. Page titles, meta descriptions and URLs all play a role in your SERP to website CTR. |
| Posted by Bill From Deep Ripples on Apr 26th, 2010 | To piggyback on Doug's comment, the consensus seems to be that people's behavior is shifting as Google and others make more info available on the SERP itself. With that in mind it only makes sense that your most potent sales copy should be focused on what shows up on the SERP. Helpful post, Jesse. |
| Posted by Spunky Jones From Spunky Jones SEO Blog on May 21st, 2010 | Like you said, in the early days of SEO the description tag was important and part of the Google algorithm. A while back I made a forum thread looking for some ideas to use the description as a marketing tool to entice users to visit my site. However, it went over most people's heads. They felt that whenever text you have in the description has to be also included in the page content. Google has always, as long as I remember, taken my meta tag description for my listing description in Google. To me, it makes sense to use the title entice people to visit. |
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