If you are confused by meta descriptions and how to use them to improve search engine rankings this guide is for you! Whether you are looking for a perfect meta description example to inspire you – or just want some insight into how they can affect your webpage ranking- this guide can help .
What Is A Meta Description?
A meta description is a short summary, usually a character count of 160 or less, that is shown in the search results and gives a searcher an idea of what your page content is about. When they input search queries the results will show a variety of pages – what you write will directly affect what someone sees so having unique meta on every single page should always be a part of your SEO marketing strategy!
One part of our organic SEO services is to write great meta descriptions that improve conversions – as well as title tags since they go hand in hand. Using a good keyword research tool like Keysearch will be helpful in finding the right terms to optimize your meta descriptions with.
In the search results screenshot below the yellow highlighted area is how it will look to a user:
One part of our organic SEO services is to write great meta descriptions that improve conversions – as well as title tags since they go hand in hand. Using a good keyword research tool like Keysearch will be helpful in finding the right terms to optimize your meta descriptions with.
In the search results screenshot below the yellow highlighted area is how it will look to a user:
In the html code of your website it will look like the below:
1980: Meta Data; Remarks: Uses Normal heights. Information Source. EOMA 1980: EPSG alias: We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our. Meta definition is - showing or suggesting an explicit awareness of itself or oneself as a member of its category: cleverly self-referential. How to use meta in a sentence. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
<meta name=”description” content=”Looking for a new website for your Non Profit or small business? Look no further than NJ based 2 Dogs Media. 10+ years of experience doing what we love!“/>
Do I have to have a meta description?
YES!
You should write a meta description for every web page on your website – including blog posts, pages, product pages All web pages should have one and it should be part of any on page seo strategy! While it does not impact SEO directly – there are so many other benefits to having great meta descriptions and there is a belief it has some type of indirect impact on organic search ranking.
Some social media channels will also use it if you do not have a specific social description set.
You should write a meta description for every web page on your website – including blog posts, pages, product pages All web pages should have one and it should be part of any on page seo strategy! While it does not impact SEO directly – there are so many other benefits to having great meta descriptions and there is a belief it has some type of indirect impact on organic search ranking.
Some social media channels will also use it if you do not have a specific social description set.
Do Meta Descriptions affect my rank?
It has pretty much been clarified by several sources that a meta description is not a direct SEO ranking factor. It will not improve your site ranking in Google search but it may help with your click-through rate which in turn might help you rank higher because Google will see it as a highly relevant result.
Meta tags may have some direct rank affect in other search engines though (like Bing or Duck Duck Go) so we do highly recommend always writing a well optimized meta description that includes a keyword for every page of your website.
Meta tags may have some direct rank affect in other search engines though (like Bing or Duck Duck Go) so we do highly recommend always writing a well optimized meta description that includes a keyword for every page of your website.
Will they always use the meta description I write?
No, Google will not always use what you write in the search engines and may pull it from your webpage content instead if it feels it serves the search query better. But writing meta content is still a good idea because if they do use it – it can really improve your click through rate if you do a good job with it!
When you write one that reflects your brand tone and is in line with your content on the page and includes a search term you can increase your chances of it showing in the search engine results page. This in turn can help improve your organic traffic and position in the serp.
When you write one that reflects your brand tone and is in line with your content on the page and includes a search term you can increase your chances of it showing in the search engine results page. This in turn can help improve your organic traffic and position in the serp.
Below shows how sometimes Google will actually pull content from your page as opposed to the actual meta description you write.
We did a search for “how to stop my dog from barking”.
One of the meta description results was for the Humane Society and you can see their pulled meta description highlighted in yellow in the image below. But if you read it – it is a bit confusing right?
This is not what the website intended to be the meta description – it is what Google search pulled.
This is not what the website intended to be the meta description – it is what Google search pulled.
Below is what the meta description looks like in their source code – the one that they WANT Google to use, but you can see that what is entered below is clearly different than what is being returned in the image above.
So, why was this description meta not used by Google?
It has the keyword “stop your dog from barking” – it talks about the website content and appeals to me as a searcher, it makes sense for it to be a meta name description.
The ONLY thing we can possibly see as an issue is the fact that is is using 233 characters as opposed to a recommended amount of less than 160 characters. We do not know for sure of course, but it seems plausible – if this was our website we would change the meta description to be shorter and see if Google picks it up in the future.
You can also see a bit more about this in a meta description case study by Ahrefs which talks more about how often Google changes the meta description.
Is there anything I can do if my preferred description is not being used?
If Google is pulling a different meta description tag, then there is probably SOMETHING they feel isn’t properly representative of your actual page topic or it does not fit the query.
There are no definitive things you can do to force Google to use your meta description unfortunately – but you can try the following.
- Make sure you do not have duplicate meta descriptions.
- Rewrite meta descriptions completely to be better aligned to your content.
- Ensure you do not have multiple meta descriptions being generated on your website. Sometimes multiple SEO related plugins can cause issues and duplicates.
- If your meta description tag is shorter than say 125 characters or longer than 160 characters – rewrite it to fit under the 160 characters range and see if it gets pulled.
- Make sure you are not using weird characters like quotation marks which can cause weird effects.
How To Write Meta Descriptions
- Keep the length to approximately 135-160 characters.
- When you write your meta descriptions include a call to action!
- When you create your meta description – matching the page topic is critical.
- While some may say it is not relevant, we do recommend including your main keyword in your meta description – but keyword stuffing is not recommended!
- Make it conversational!
Some Awesome Examples of Meta Descriptions!
Writing great meta descriptions that entertain, have a call to action and tell us clearly what the page is about are hard to write – but these meta description examples below do it well!
If you can write meta descriptions as good as these your Google search result will be a lot stronger than your competitors! A good meta description will do a great job at engaging people and will allow internet users to better understand what the brand is about!
If you can write meta descriptions as good as these your Google search result will be a lot stronger than your competitors! A good meta description will do a great job at engaging people and will allow internet users to better understand what the brand is about!
PrimeWomen
This is a good SEO meta description because it clearly defines the demographic they are targeting and the issues that the demographic faces with maturing skin. Tells me clearly how I can look radiant and fresh!
Outside The box
A local company that creates handcrafted tables from locally salvaged wood. The meta description does a great showing exactly where they are located and what you can expect to find on the website.
Mailchimp
When Mailchimp realized people did not always get their name right – they did what any creative marketer would do an embraced it by creating a page about it. This is one of our favorite meta descriptions examples – it makes us laugh and makes us curious about what the page has on it.
Meta 1980 Camaro
Chipotle Mexican Grill
Plain, simple and to the point is what makes this a great meta description! You want Chipotle, then this is the place to go. It speaks to their users and appeals to their simple side!
Ruffles
These guys were a no brainer is a contender for our meta description examples list and hopefully you can see why! It makes us laugh and appeals to our lighter side – and like any meta description tag should – makes us want to click.
DogTime
This dog blog did a great job writing a meta description for their post about litter boxes for dog. Starting with a question gets your curiosity up and then following up with how the product can help a certain demographic is a perfect way to get people to click to read more.
Taco Bell
Grabit 4 904 – screen capture utility. Showing that you understand your customer is critical to stand apart from the crowd and Taco Bell has done this! Offering options for you at their restaurant is a great way to build a sense of “understanding” of their consumers.
Live Science
We did a double take on this one because it did not seem real at first, but it is and it is funny as all heck. Do not be afraid to be funny! This is another good meta description with so much personality and a great title tag as well.
Lonely Planet
![1980 1980](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Q-OMOblhKl4/maxresdefault.jpg)
Postico 1 5 103. The Lonely Planet meta description reaches out to you by asking a question first – then clearly defines everything they do to help you plan your travel. It is personal. descriptive and perfectly fits the recommended character amount.
Scary Mommy
This meta description is super engaging for a specific blog post about raising teenagers. It appeals to me as the mom of a teenager in wanting to see her experiences and it is witty and sarcastic (of course not everyone responds to sarcasm but it works here because her blog is sarcasm based) – and she shares her credentials too which is important these days.
Unique Vintage
Right off the bat we see the Free Shipping deal and know that they have vintage pieces for all occasions – so they are clearly showing searchers what they offer.
Pig Placement Network
This is a great meta description for a nonprofit. They first ask about me and what I want – then tell me how they are going to help me and even recommend what I should read first. Just a great use of space!
Roasty Coffee
Love this meta description as it addresses a problem with a little creativity. When is the last time you heard the word “kaput”?
Puffins Cereal
Puffins understands what their customers want! It is clear in the description that while kids will love the sweet cinnamon taste – moms will love the high fiber and low sugar content.
Brooklinen
Simple and to the point! They clearly state what they do and how they do it in few short words.
Blue Door Boutique
This meta description features a perfect combination of informational and engaging to encourage clicks is what makes this example awesome.
Gimme Some Oven
When we see recipes in the search results we often see descriptions that are pulled from the recipe ingredients or instructions which is a poor user experience. This website did a great job of telling me that this recipe is easy to make, tastes yummy and includes freezing directions!
Good Housekeeping
We love that they are sharing the different type of people that can benefit from the heated gloves they are talking about as well as how they will be “appreciated”.
If you need some more inspiration you can check out this cool meta description generator and get some creative SEO description examples.
Test Your Meta Descriptions & Page Titles
Before you post your meta descriptions -TEST THEM!
Make sure they look good and sound good. Read them out loud! This will help you understand how it will look – and sound to people in the search engines.
Make sure they look good and sound good. Read them out loud! This will help you understand how it will look – and sound to people in the search engines.
To The Web is a free tool is a great way to do a quick meta description & title tag test:
Another highly recommended thing to do is A/B Testing your meta descriptions and title tags. We have just started working with A/B Rankings and are very happy with their platform so far.
You can get a 14 day free trial to test it out here.
If you prefer the free way of testing meta descriptions then you can do the following, which is how we have been doing it for years.
- Dig into the Search Console to find keywords that rank well and get a lot of impressions but low click thru rates.
- Create a spreadsheet with columns for date, meta description before and after and any other notes you would like to take.
- Change your description to a new version but make sure you put the old version in your spreadsheet.
- Wait about 30-60 days to see if the CTR for that post or page has improved. If so, keep the new one you created.
- If the page or post has dropped in CTR – then put the old meta description back or try a new version.
From: L. Michael Hall
Meta Reflections 2010 – #38
August 23, 2010
History of NLP Series #6
Meta Reflections 2010 – #38
August 23, 2010
History of NLP Series #6
The 1980s started out pretty well for the field of NLP, but it did not end that way. In fact, almost as soon as the 1980s began, the field began dividing into various divisions as both founders led the way by going their separate ways. By the end of the 80s, each was claiming to do “pure NLP” and essentially “dissing” the other. As the 80s others were creating their versions of NLP and creating separate “kingdoms.” What a sad development for such a dynamic field.
Now the 1980s actually began in a wonderful way with the publication of “Neuro-Linguistic Programming, Volume I” (1980) by Robert Dilts published by Meta Publications. Robert had been commissioned to write that book back in 1978 having written a document on strategies that impressed both Richard and John. And this book, along with Robert’s other original books on NLP, went a long way to establishing the credibility of NLP.
Many years later, Oakley Gordon wrote a two part article in Anchor Point, “What is NLP? A Brief History” (May and July 1995). In those articles, he wrote in part the following:
Meta 1980 Cars For Sale
“‘Volume I’ implies a ‘Volume II’. The second volume was to present the modeling techniques of NLP, the processes by which the NLP developers modeled excellence in human behavior. The project was aborted, however, due to the dissolution of the community of NLP developers.” (p. 14, Anchor Point, July 1995).
And so the vision of a series of volumes on NLP came to an end immediately after the first one. No other volume in that series ever appeared. Many years later when I wrote NLP Going Meta (1997/ 2004) I contacted Meta Publications and asked Fred Tappa for permission to name it “NLP: Volume II.” He said the term was reserved for the next volume and that was 1997— 17 years later! At the time I thought Fred was holding onto hope; but looking back my guess is that it was a joke and I just didn’t get it(!) at that time. The very next year, 1981, the first law suit between Bandler and Grinder occurred and as McClendon noted in The Wild Days of NLP, “Bandler bought John out of the Society” of NLP (p. 117).
About this dissolution of the society (and the community to a great extent) the collaboration between the original developers came to an end. Gordon (1995) noted:
“While there was some degree of tracking each other’s innovations, the overall effect of the breakup of the original group was a diversification in the trajectories of NLP with a resulting blurring of its definition.” (p. 16) So in a way, the 1980s brought so many challenges to the field that in some ways it is really surprising that NLP survived the 80s. Now among the challenges to the field, one of the strangest was Grinder’s attack on the original formulations of NLP. In 1983 Grinder and DeLozier decide the whole field was wrongly oriented and formulated and so created a “New Code” to replace the old code of NLP. Grinder went on to argue against the focus on conscious awareness in NLP claiming the “unconscious mind” as more intelligent and less likely to error. So the idea of “running your own brain,” so central to NLP (as per Bandler’s 1985 book, Running Your Brain for a Change), was called into question.
1986: Bandler provided his own challenges to the field due to actions in his personal life. In the middle of the 1980s he was arrested, charged with an account of murder, and spent 120 days in county jail. That certainly didn’t do the field of NLP any good! Steve Andreas lead a defense fund for Richard and personally provided $60,000 to Richard for the trial. What happened? A young woman, Corine Christensen, was shot by a .357 magnum revolver, the only other persons in the house was Richard Bandler and James Marino, an admitted cocaine dealer and her boyfriend. Though it was Marino’s house and although they had been fighting, the district attorney decided that the evidence pointed to Richard than the drug dealer! Anyway this lasted from 1986 to 1988 and ended in the grand jury unable to decide, so the charge was dropped. But, of course, not without the trial hitting the headlines in many papers and journals— including a scathing review in Mother Jones magazine that you can still find on various websites.
Another Bandler lawsuit occurred sometime later (1988 or 1989) against Tony Robbins. That one was against Robbins because he was not certifying people as NLP Practitioners or Master Practitioners through The Society of NLP. Settled in 1990 out of court with Tony promising to “certify people through the Society and pay his $200 for each one certified in NLP,” he promptly stopped training “NLP” as such and invented a new name, NAC— Neural Associative Conditioning.
Meta 1980 Fashion
And so with that Richard Bandler essentially chased Robbins away from the field with the result that even to this day Anthony Robbins will not say the three letters, NLP, when he is on Larry King or other international television programs. Richard just chased away the greatest salesman he could have ever had!
Another conflict arose during my Master Practitioner training in San Diego, 1989. One of the trainer there was Tad James. He had been participating in the Bandler trainings, but this time was different. Apparently without informing Bandler, Tad had claim ownership of the Time-Lines model that Bandler had created and had filed a trademark for “time-line therapy” (which by the way was never registered). From the stories I heard from trainers who were there, Richard and Tad argued loudly about this and almost came to blows. So that ended their relationship. Icarefone 4 0 0 0 download free. After that Tad introduced his many versions of New Age religions including Huna into his sect of NLP.
With all of this fragmentation, many new Associations were created throughout the 1980s, but by the end of the 1980s, there was no International Association or body to govern the field of NLP. Again, Oakley Gordon (1995) write in Anchor Point:
1980 Meta-analysis
“There is no organization with the authority to pass judgment on the quality of the diverse NLP training programs currently being offered, or even to define what is, and what is not, NLP.” (p. 17) … For the field of NLP has no single voice, no universally agreed upon definition, no quality control over what is offered under its name. An outside entering these waters may encounter anything from the sublime to the ridiculous.” (p. 18)
On a very positive note, it was during the 1980s that NLP went global. It was introduced into England 1981 or 2; then to Europe in the early 1980s, NLP came to Hong Kong in 1982, and so it went. Men and women from around the world began showing up in Santa Cruz and other places in America where NLP was being taught and then taking it home to their own countries. When and by whom NLP was taken abroad is much of the story that I don’t know so if you do know specific details, do let me know.
Meta 1980 Sci-fi
So the decade that began so positively and that began to see the spread of NLP everywhere, a decade that began with so much hope ended in fragmentation, embarrassment, and conflict. It’s the way of many movements, perhaps most movements. And yet for a movement about positive psychology, human excellence, and all based on a cutting-edge communication model— the 1980s were really a challenging time for the field of NLP.