A meta description is an HTML element that provides a brief summary of a webpage’s content. It acts as a marketing snippet or “elevator pitch” beneath your page title on Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) to convince users to click your link.
Here is an example of what it looks like in a page’s backend HTML code:
Use code with caution. Why Meta Descriptions Matter
Boosts Click-Through Rate (CTR): A compelling summary entices users to choose your website over competitors.
Not a Direct Ranking Factor: Google Search Central confirms that search engines do not use meta descriptions to calculate organic rankings.
Keyword Boldening: When a user searches for a term that is inside your description, search engines bold those exact words, catching the user’s attention.
Social Media Sharing: Social platforms often pull this text automatically to display as the preview blurb when your link is shared. Character Limits and Formatting
Search engines measure snippets by pixels, but a good rule of thumb is character count. How to Write Meta Descriptions | Google Search Central