A meta description is an HTML <meta name="description"> tag placed in the <head> of a page that summarises its content. Search engines often display it as the snippet beneath the page title in search results, although Google may rewrite it based on the user query.
Why it matters
The meta description is not a direct ranking factor, but it heavily influences click-through rate from search. A clear, specific description that matches user intent earns more clicks than a generic one. When the user's query terms appear in the snippet, Google bolds the matched words, which draws the eye and lifts CTR. Higher CTR can also feed back into ranking signals over time.
How to write one
- Keep the description between 150 and 160 characters so it does not get truncated in desktop SERPs.
- Write a unique description for every indexable page — duplicate descriptions get collapsed or ignored.
- Lead with a verb and front-load the primary keyword without stuffing.
- Make sure the description matches what is actually on the page, or Google will rewrite it.
- Pair it with a strong
<title>and a canonical-tag so the right URL gets indexed. - For social previews, add matching open-graph tags — they are separate from the meta description.