Meta Description — Definition
The meta description is the short paragraph of text that appears below your page title in search results — typically two to three sentences, around 150-...
What it is
The meta description is the short paragraph of text that appears below your page title in search results — typically two to three sentences, around 150-160 characters. It doesn't directly affect rankings, but it's a powerful driver of click-through rates. Think of it as a micro-advertisement for your page.
Why it matters
When two listings rank close together, the one with a more compelling meta description wins the click. And clicks matter — Google pays attention to which results people actually choose, and strong click-through rates can improve your position over time. A great meta description makes the searcher feel like your page has exactly what they need.
The mistake most people make
Letting Google auto-generate the meta description by pulling random text from the page. Sometimes Google does this anyway, but writing your own gives you control over the message. Auto-generated descriptions are often mid-sentence gibberish that nobody would click on by choice.