Meta Description
An HTML attribute that summarizes a web page's content for search engines.
Definition
A meta description is an HTML meta tag that provides a brief summary of a web page's content. It appears in the head section of a page's HTML and is displayed by search engines as the descriptive snippet beneath a page title in search results. While it does not directly influence rankings, a well-written meta description strongly influences whether users click on your result. Google typically displays 120–160 characters of a meta description before truncating it.
Why It Matters
Meta descriptions act as organic ad copy for your pages. They are often the deciding factor in whether a searcher clicks your result or a competitor's. A compelling meta description that matches search intent, includes the target keyword, and contains a clear call to action can meaningfully boost click-through rate. Poor or missing meta descriptions result in Google auto-generating a snippet, which is often less effective.