Description meta-tag, as the term suggests, explains the whole content of the page. It is similar to a page title, but it can contain more characters. You can write two sentences or a short paragraph for your meta tag. It is included in the <head> tag of the HTML code:
<head>
<title>Cheap Digital Camera Buying Guide – Your Company Name Here<title>
<meta name=“description=” content=“When buying a cheap digital camera, you do not just dive into the lowest item that you find. You must consider several factors so you still get value for your money”>
</head>
When writing description meta tag, avoid using generic descriptions like “This is a page about cheap digital cameras”. Create a more sensible and more attention-grabbing two sentences. More importantly, do not just copy a short paragraph on your content only to stay away from writing.
Another thing that you have to avoid is the use of special characters. There is a chance that your description will not be included in the list of search results. Do not stuff it with keywords either or else, Google will punish you by not including your site in the results pages.
Now, you will ask: Why bother using description meta tag when you already spread your keywords in the page title, content and images? Read further.
As an Internet user searches for “cheap digital camera”, which is, fortunately, your keyword, search engine robots will start to crawl into the World Wide Web and visit your site. It will read all the information in the web pages. If it finds something relevant to the inquiry of the user, it will include your website in the search results page and will use your meta tag as a snippet.
The snippet will be read (or scanned) by the user. This is especially if you are so lucky to place in the top spot of the search results. After reading (or scanning) the information, it is only then that the user will decide if he will click on the URL to visit your site – or not. It is for this reason why you need to exert an effort creating your description meta tag.
Without a meta tag, search engines will be the one to pick a few sentences on your web page that relates to the inquiry of the user and make it your site’s snippet. If these sentences fail to catch the attention of the searcher, you lose your chance to generate traffic more so to increase your sales.
The meta description is a very visible and useful part of an online marketer’s toolkit. It helps you draw readers in from SERPs to your website. In a way, it serves the function of an advertising copy. It will help you maximize click-through rates for your website on search engines.
When a search engine recognizes certain keywords in your meta description that matches a search query, it will bold those keywords for additional emphasis. The bold text draws the eyes of the user doing the searching, which will help your website get the attention it needs.
Search engine algorithms are designed to get the most relevant information to the user in a short timeframe. This means weeding through thousands of searches that are eliminated using a couple of methods. One of these methods is cancelling out duplicates. If you have exactly the same meta description on different pages, it’s not going to be a good look for your website.
Many websites use automated pages to relay certain information. Twitter is a prime example of this. If your business is regularly posting news, you might consider automating this process to save time. The automatic process in question can be modified to have a more dynamic approach when creating a meta tag. Implement a dynamic and programmatic way for your twitter bot to create meta tags when it posts something.
Alternatively, you can create a custom meta tag for every post. Going the creative route is the best way to tell search engines that your content is worth displaying.
The right length for a description meta tag doesn’t really exist. Search engines like Google often change the optimal length of meta descriptions based on their algorithms and some statistical analysis. It’s not uncommon to see the number of characters vary from as little as a hundred to as much as three hundred. Nowadays meta descriptions are usually 155 characters in length.
You should keep your meta description informative while at the same time keeping it short and snappy. Stick to a length that can get the right message across.
If you consider your meta tag an invitation to your page, then it has to be created in this fashion. Make sure it’s written in a way that seems actionable and direct. A mixed metaphor that includes vague information won’t catch the attention of inquiring users.
Calls to action are a great way to get your point across. A description of your product should be followed by snippets like “Find out more”. These calls to action can come in handy if the user isn’t already sold on the meta description. There are countless examples of well-applied calls to action, but they depend on the business and product in question. You won’t use the same kind of call to action for a physical product and a software demo. They have their place and they aren’t always necessary in a meta description.
Another way to make your on-site Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) effective is to use a description meta tag. It offers a significant contribution in converting visits into sales. It summarizes your content so search robots can easily identify its relevance to the inquiry of the user and include your site in the search results. It does not guarantee higher ranking in search results pages but what it assures is a higher rate of site visitors. Because searchers will easily find your description fit to their inquiry, they will surely click on the URL. However, if you fail to give justice to your meta tag, Google and other search engines may bring you to inappropriate search results.
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