What is Meta Description?
TL;DR
The summary text that appears below your page title in search results. While not a direct ranking factor, a compelling meta description improves click-through rates. Keep it under 160 characters, include your target keyword naturally, and give people a reason to click. Google sometimes rewrites these based on the search query.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Meta Description
Does the meta description affect SEO rankings?
Meta descriptions aren't a direct ranking factor, Google has confirmed this. However, compelling descriptions improve click-through rates, which can indirectly help rankings. A good meta description convinces searchers to click your result.
What makes a good meta description?
Keep it under 155-160 characters. Include your target keyword (it's bolded in results). Focus on benefits and what makes you unique. Include a call-to-action. Make it specific to the page, not generic.
Why does Google show a different description than what I wrote?
Google sometimes rewrites meta descriptions to better match the specific search query. This is more likely if your description is too short, too long, doesn't match the search intent, or if Google finds better content on your page.
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