During recent interviews for Phase 2 of our Content & Credibility Study, we have been asking people what web content they find credible and why. As part of that process, I have observed many people’s opinions of search results listings and what makes a result click-worthy. It’s made me think about the importance of a certain content element – the meta description. During our testing, I’ve seen just how important this information is in the decision-making process as users scan search results.

WHAT IS A META DESCRIPTION?

The all-important search results listing, or “snippet” in Google speak, is made up of roughly 155 characters of descriptive text that tells users what content is on a page and how it meets their search query. The information displayed in the results listing is created to best match the user’s search terms and can be pulled from a variety of sources, including the meta description. (Other sources could be the Open Directory Project or content from the page itself.) Here's an example of a search result for Content Science. The meta description is displayed under the URL and file format information. 
The word “meta” means self-referential, and that’s exactly what a meta description is. This descriptive text is meant to explain exactly what a user will find on a page. It’s the content strategist’s chance to summarize and advertise their content to draw users in. There are no specific rules for when a search engine will use your page’s meta description and when it won’t, but you can craft a useful and usable snippet that brings more visibility to your content. Also, meta descriptions do not influence your search results ranking, but they do make help make your page more relevant.

#1 - MAKE SURE EVERY PAGE OF YOUR SITE HAS A META DESCRIPTION.

Ok, so that sounds like a no-brainer, but it definitely needs to be part of your strategy when planning content production. Otherwise, you could easily overlook this content element.

#2 - GIVE EACH PAGE A UNIQUE DESCRIPTION.

Using similar descriptions for every page of a site isn’t helpful. Create relevance for each page by explaining what is unique about its content.

#3 - MAINTAIN A CONSISTENT STYLE FOR ALL THE PAGES OF A SITE.

When writing the content for a site, you would obviously use a style that is consistent throughout. Treat meta descriptions with the same care, and maintain a strategy across all pages.

#4 - WRITE HIGH-QUALITY DESCRIPTIONS WITH KEYWORDS IN MIND.

Again, you can put that in the no-brainer category. But, keep in mind that your descriptions need to be accurate and carefully crafted. Use targeted keywords, be relevant and persuade the user to click.

#5 - USE VARIATIONS OF TARGETED KEYWORDS BUT AVOID KEYWORD STUFFING.

You can use analytics to find terms to focus on, but don't overuse them in your description. That can just muddy the waters and not provide enough useful information to the user.

#6 - CHOOSE A FORMAT BASED ON THE PAGE’S CONTENT.

Keep in mind that sentences aren’t only the format for meta descriptions. You can label and separate distinct bits of information that the user would find useful. For example, on a product page, you could include “ Price: $1.99, Category: Widgets, Manufacturer: Acme”.

DON’T FORGET THE TITLE

Another important piece of meta data is the page title. Many of the how-tos for meta descriptions also apply here.
  • Make sure every page has a unique, descriptive title.
  • Don’t be vague, using terms like “Home” as a page title.  Make each title descriptive but concise so they can do their job.
  • Use a consistent style in your naming conventions. Note that this is not the same as being repetitive. Using the same phrase over and over can look odd if many pages from your site turn up in the same set of search results.
  • Stay away from keyword stuffing.

CONCLUSION

I know I am preaching to the choir with many of you when it comes to meta descriptions. But, with our recent observations of how people use and evaluate web content it doesn't hurt to revisit the topic. The art of the meta description, with accurate, descriptive language and thoughtful use of keywords, must be a consideration when planning your content strategy. If you don't plan for it, you may be creating the greatest content in the world that no one will see.