Google admits that it doesn’t use meta descriptions in its ranking algorithm. You can already see how such a description would encourage both users and the search engines to show this page at the top of the SERPs. The Most Common Meta Title Mistakes to Avoid

Create a compelling title that would encourage users to click, but don’t go clickbait about it.

Don’t use vague titles (Ex: Home page for your home page).

Keep your title tags compelling yet concise (try to go under 60 characters).

Make sure a title tag is present across all webpages.

With Google guidelines in mind, here are the key ways to fine-tune your meta titles:

Prompt users to choose your page over competitors.Īs with other SEO-related content recommendations, things like keyword stuffing are a big no-no.

Show users your page is the perfect fit for addressing their query.

Help web crawlers read and rank your page.

Taking the SERP example from above, the code of the meta title of the first result would look like this: Best Gyms in Los Angeles for a Next-level WorkoutĪs Google says, the title is the first thing users see when they assess the search results, so a well-crafted title tag can: While meta tags placed on the page are invisible to users, they actually appear within the SERPs.įor instance, check how this search results page reflects each page’s meta title and meta description: Googlebot and other web crawlers use this metadata to “read” the content of your page and to understand if it fits the users’ search intent. Meta tags are used to inform the search engines about what each page of your site stands for. Metadata is, well, data about your data, featured in the HTML code of your pages.

Meta Tags for SEO: Navigating the Mobile-First Era With a Meta Viewport Tag.The Most Common Robots Meta Tag Mistakes to Avoid.Meta Tags for SEO: Going Right About the Robots Meta Tag.The Most Common Meta Description Mistakes to Avoid.Meta Tags for SEO: Perfecting Meta Description Tags.The Most Common Meta Title Mistakes to Avoid.Meta Tags for SEO: Creating a Compelling Meta Title.This acts as a preview of the information on the page. For instance, for its history page, Coca-Cola highlights a major event. Preview Informationĭepending on the nature of your web page, you may want to use your meta description as a sneak peek of the content it contains. There are different approaches to meta descriptions and, depending on your goal, any one of these may be helpful. Remember, if your description is too long, it will be cut off by the search engine, so plan wisely. Include information that explains the page, but keeps the reader curious-you don't want to give away the answer to a question before the user clicks on your page.Using a call to action in the right instance can be helpful.Focus on writing a compelling description that includes target keywords.Here are a few things to keep in mind while writing your meta descriptions: Depending on what text is chosen, this may not be helpful for giving users a sense of your product or your company.

If you haven't added a meta description to your page, search engines like Google will often choose a snippet of text from the page itself. Websites fight for readers’ attention with their meta titles and descriptions-so for less interesting topics, that makes them that much more important. It isn't just your site's position on Google that draws traffic-interesting and well-written titles and descriptions are more likely to grab users' attention. Meta tags like title and description may not be visible on the actual webpage, but they do appear on SERPs. While it is longer than the title, your description is only about 155 to 160 characters, so you want to use it efficiently, incorporating your target keywords without it feeling forced. Your meta description provides a quick summation of your content. Meta description tags, on the other hand, are the bit of text that appears on search engine results page (SERP) below each result's meta title. Meta titles are simply the title tag or name of a webpage. Specifically, the 'meta title' and 'meta description' can help you dial in your optimization process. Many meta tags exist, but only a handful are worth your attention. Of course, to use meta tags effectively, you need to know what they are and how best to put them to work for you. While creating original and captivating content helps you gain readers, effectively utilizing meta tags drives traffic to your site. These tags do not appear on the actual page, but they inform search engines about the site's content and when used well, help improve a website's on-page SEO. Meta tags are snippets of 'hidden information' found in a webpage's HTML code, usually in the 'head' section.

Meta tag data