If you’re looking to see attainable increases in your organic SEO rankings, meta descriptions might be the answer. But only if they are written well!
What Are Meta Descriptions?
Meta descriptions are 160-character snippets used to summarize a web page’s content. Search engines display these snippets in search results to let visitors know what a page is about before clicking on it.
Meta descriptions help users decide if they want to click on your website in a search result. They are also an important factor in where your website ranks in the search results.
Take some time now to see if your dating brands have concise, compelling descriptions, and would they grab your attention?
Why Are Meta Descriptions Important?
Meta descriptions are important because meta tags (including meta descriptions) are used by the Google algorithm, which helps determine what pages should rank well for certain keywords.
If you’re using meta descriptions properly, you have an opportunity to add a meta tag that isn’t in your content. This could be the difference between ranking on page four for “singles near me,” or on page one.
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Meta descriptions help:
- Increase click-through rates, which in turn will boost your conversions and sales.
- Improve indexing so you rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs).
- Make it easier for visitors to find the content they’re looking for without scanning page titles or meta tags.
Pages with meta descriptions get more clicks than those without and even search engine giant Google recommends writing meta descriptions on your site!
If a meta description is not present, or if you have written it without best practices as a guide, a search engine may create one for you. The problem is, it might not be as accurate or compelling as the one you write yourself.
It’s crucial to write your own meta descriptions.
Tips for Writing Great Meta Descriptions
1. Include a CTA in Your Meta Descriptions
Using a call-to-action (CTA) in your meta descriptions is a great way to compel people to click on your website. You can use phrases like “Local Singles” or “Click Here” or “Join Free,” when they see it come up in SERPs.
CTAs help readers understand what the page offers and what they can expect if they click. They can also give users an incentive for clicking through and engaging with your site.
- Focus on the Value Your Meta Description offers users
Adding words that describe the value you offer is a great way to entice people to click.
When someone reads a meta description, they should be able to understand what is on offer and whether it is worth their time.
Words such as “best,” “local,” “new” or “popular,” can also make your meta descriptions more compelling.
- Experiment With Character Length
Meta descriptions are limited to 150 characters. Going over this length will result in your meta being cut off in the search results.
You may find shorter meta descriptions work best on your landing page vs. longer descriptions. We recommend testing your meta with small changes of keywords or CTA’s.
Try not to exceed the recommended character length
- Make Your Meta Descriptions Unique and Interesting
Meta descriptions provide an overview of what content is contained on a page, so they’re important for attracting readers’ attention.
Try different approaches to grab user attention, clickbait ads on news websites will draw you in so why not imitate those sources when creating your own.
Most importantly, make sure the description matches the content of the page.
5. Include Keywords in Your Meta Descriptions
It’s important to include keywords in meta descriptions for two reasons:
- It helps search engines understand the page and better rank your content.
- It reassures users that the page covers the topic they are interested in.
Use a tool like Moz.com Keyword Explorer to find the best keywords for your site. Then, add them to your meta descriptions to improve your ranking.
Note: Each page should use different keywords in the meta descriptions to ensure your page shows up in all relevant searches.
Keep in mind, Google does not use keyword meta tags directly in its rankings. That doesn’t mean they aren’t valuable for users.
A common SEO practice in the past has been “keyword stuffing” your meta descriptions or you risk a search engine penalty. Each meta description should contain one or two keywords per phrase and they should be relevant to the page.
- Do Not Duplicate Meta Descriptions
A meta description is crucial to ranking, so make sure to write unique meta descriptions for each page. Unique meta descriptions increase the probability that search engines and other browsers can understand what content is on a page and how it compares to other pages.
Duplicate meta descriptions can have negative effects on your website as they make it difficult for meta description crawlers to crawl your site. You may also face indexing penalties because crawlers are not able to determine which page is original.
How to Write Meta Descriptions: Conclusion
Meta descriptions are an important part of your onsite SEO. They should be compelling, descriptive, and unique to each page.
Meta descriptions may be short, but they can help you rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs) by helping search engines and users better understand what your page is about.
Remember to include meta descriptions on every page of your site.