How to Write Compelling Meta Descriptions That’ll Boost Your Rankings

If you’re looking to increase your organic SEO rankings, meta descriptions might be the answer.

That is, if they are written well!

A great meta description should compel users to click on your page in the search results to learn more.

It should also contain keywords to boost your SEO.

Below, we’ll explain the best practices for creating meta descriptions to help you dominate Google search results.

What Are Meta Descriptions?

Meta descriptions are 160-character snippets used to summarize a web page’s content. Search engines display these snippets in search results to let visitors know what a page is about before clicking on it.

Meta descriptions help users decide if they want to click on your website in a search result. They are also an important factor in where your website ranks in the search results.

Below, you can see a quick example of a meta description on our site.

How to Write Meta Descriptions - Neil Patel example

Why Are Meta Descriptions Important?

Meta descriptions are important because meta tags (including meta descriptions) are used by the Google algorithm, which helps determine what pages should rank well for certain keywords.

If you’re using meta descriptions properly, you have an opportunity to add a meta tag that isn’t in your content. This could be the difference between ranking on page four for “best shoes,” or on page one.

Meta descriptions help:

Increase click-through rates, which in turn will boost your conversions and sales.
Improve indexing so you rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs).
Make it easier for visitors to find the content they’re looking for without scanning page titles or meta tags.

Pages with meta descriptions see an average of 5.8 percent more clicks than pages without.

Even search engine giant Google recommends writing meta descriptions on your site.

On the user-experience side, meta descriptions show searchers what your website is all about and what information they can expect to find if they click.

Meta descriptions can also show up on social media sites when a link is shared.

How to Write Meta Descriptions - Neil Patel Facebook Video with Meta Description

If a meta description is not present, or if you have written it outside of best practices, a search engine may create one for you. The problem is, it might not be as accurate or compelling as the one you write yourself.

That’s why it’s crucial to write your own meta descriptions.