In the world of online marketing, every click matters. Meta descriptions are super important for grabbing people’s attention and getting them to visit your website.
Even though they’re small, they have a big impact on search engine results and user behavior. Let’s talk about what meta descriptions are, why they’re important, and how writing catchy meta descriptions can help you get more clicks and conversions.
What are Meta Descriptions?
Meta descriptions are short snippets of text that provide a brief summary of a webpage’s content. These descriptions typically appear below the title tag in search engine results pages (SERPs), offering users a glimpse into what they can expect from clicking on a particular link.
While meta descriptions don’t directly impact search rankings, they play a crucial role in motivating users to click through to your website. Here is how a typical meta description looks like:
On the above image you see the meta description for the homepage of our web agency. It says that we are a marketing agency that provide custom solution in web technologies and marketing, and that we are based in Montreal.
The Importance of Meta Descriptions in SEO
While search engines like Google use complex algorithms to determine search rankings, meta descriptions offer website owners a valuable opportunity to influence user engagement. An enticing meta description can significantly increase the likelihood of a user clicking on your link, thereby driving organic traffic to your site. Moreover, meta descriptions that accurately reflect the content of the webpage can enhance user experience and reduce bounce rates, signaling to search engines that your site offers valuable and relevant information.
If you write your meta description in a SEO friendly way search engines will notice that and there will be a higher chance for them to show your webpage in search results instead of other pages. And with good SEO friendly meta descriptions you are likely to be ranked higher.
How to Write SEO Friendly Meta Descriptions?
To write the best possible meta descriptions you need to follow a few basic rules. One of the first rules that you have to follow is that meta descriptions should be short and to the point.
Use the Main Keyword
Use the main keyword for that webpage. Use the keywords that fits best the content of that page and write it in a way that sounds natural. Don’t try to push other secondary keyword in the meta description and making it sound artificial.
As you can see above when users search for “how to lose weight” there are two keywords that are very popular and those are “weight loss” and “lose weight”. So the writers of these articles decided to go for them and base their whole articles around one of these keywords.
Also when you write a meta description make sure that you have previously determined user intent on that keyword that you want to use. If the users are looking for a commercial keyword, for a product or service to buy, then make sure that your keyword is commercial. If it’s an informal keyword they search for, use an informal keyword and write the whole description in such a way.
In the above image we see that the search intent behind “best washing machine” is commercial, meaning users are already aware of the product and it’s functionality, and now they want to select which model is best for them.
So here the writers of these articles all tried to do a “numbered article” with a list of the best washing machines in their opinion and they all tried to include their top pick in their meta description.
Keep Them Short
It’s important to keep meta descriptions short, between 150 and 160 characters. This helps your website stand out in search results. A brief description makes it easier for people to understand what your content is about and encourages them to click on your link. So, keep it simple to get more clicks on your website.
Use Active voice
When writing a meta description, using active voice is key. It makes your description more engaging and direct. Instead of being passive and boring, active voice adds energy to your message.
So instead of writing “The best deals are offered by us.” write an active voice “We offer the best deals”. Active voice grabs attention and encourages action. So, always aim to use active voice in your meta descriptions to make them more compelling and persuasive.
In the above search results we can see the effect active voice has when we read these meta descriptions. Sometimes we want to use the passive voice when we want to sound more official, but other than that active voic should be the norm.
Add Call-To-Action
Using a call to action (CTA) in your meta description is super important. It prompts people to take action after reading your description, like clicking on your link. A strong CTA tells users what to do next and encourages them to engage with your content. For example, you could say “Shop now,” “Learn more,” or “Sign up today.”
By including a clear and compelling CTA, you can increase the chances of people clicking on your website and taking the desired action. So, always add a CTA to your meta description to guide users and drive engagement.
In the above image we can see the usage of call-to-action, which is not so important for this types of businesses, but if you for example organized an event, you would surely want to add “Book your place now” in the meta description.
Write Custom Meta Description for Each Page
Writing a unique meta description for each webpage is a smart move. It helps your website stand out in search results and gives users a better idea of what they’ll find on each page. By tailoring the description to match the content of the page, you can attract more relevant traffic and improve the user experience.
Plus, search engines like Google prefer unique meta descriptions because they show that you care about providing valuable information to users. So, take the time to craft a special meta description for every webpage on your site to maximize its visibility and effectiveness.
Monitor Performance and Update
Monitoring the performance of your meta descriptions is crucial for understanding how well they’re working. By tracking metrics like click-through rates (CTR) and search engine rankings, you can see which descriptions are driving the most traffic to your site. Analyzing this data allows you to identify what’s working and what’s not, so you can make informed decisions to improve your meta descriptions.
Because SEO and marketing are every changing, and probably your competitors are fighting for the same keywords as you you should always monitor the situation closely and improve your marketing strategy and meta descriptions. Keeping track of how they’re doing helps you stay on top of things and make sure they keep bringing people to your website.
Conclusion
Meta descriptions are really important for your website’s success. They give a quick summary of what your page is about and help it show up better in searches. Writing catchy descriptions for each page can bring in more visitors. Plus, keeping an eye on how well they’re doing helps you make them even better.
By understanding the importance of meta descriptions and using them well, you can make your website more successful.
If you need help with your meta descriptions or any other part of your marketing strategy please contact us today! We run the best web agency in Montreal and we have over 10 years of experience working with marketing.
