Optimizing Your Site

- How to Write Meta Descriptions

One of the most easily disregarded aspects of online content production is the meta description.

Many website owners and managers forget that meta descriptions are frontline displays and have a significant impact on your search engine optimisation (SEO).

They are what Google shows as a description for your page on search engine results pages (SERPs). And they inform users what your web page is about so they can assess whether they’ll visit it or not.

Meta descriptions provide an excellent opportunity for you to get more traffic for your website. They provide readers and search engines with primary information about your pages.

An on-site SEO study by SemRush found that nearly 30% of websites had duplicate meta descriptions, and 25% had pages with no meta descriptions at all.

In this section of the SEO content hub, you’ll learn about how you should write or edit your meta description so that they help your SEO efforts.

What is a Meta Description?

A meta description is a type of HTML tag that is used to explain the content of a web page.

You can see the meta description of a page highlighted in the following example.

Meta Description

As you can see, this description appears below the headline and URL of your page in search engine results pages (SERPs).

And you have to ensure that they follow Google’s standards if you want to stay visible and rank.

So when you create a new page or post, you have to ensure that you provide SEO-friendly meta descriptions for them. And if you have older pages and posts, it would be wise to go back to them and edit them so that they are better.

Why do Meta Descriptions Matter?

Because meta descriptions appear alongside your title and URL on SERPs, they have the potential to increase or decrease the click-through rates (CTRs) for your results.

If they are written well enough to convince or encourage a user to click your URL and go to your page, then you’re doing the right thing.

In terms of search results, your meta description has the most real estate – the most character count you can exploit to explain what your page is about and why users should click to get to it.

Meta descriptions give you the opportunity to explain your content and convince people to read it using two lines of displayed text compared to one line for the title and one line for the URL.

pasted image

So it would be significantly helpful to your SEO results if you make an effort to take advantage of the opportunity to promote your website to searchers by sending a meaningful message with your meta description.

The more traffic your pages get, the more Google will know that their contents are reliable and worth showing to more people.

And the more people see your content on SERPs, the more potential traffic, conversions and revenue you can enjoy for your eCommerce store.

How to Write Meta Descriptions

How long should meta descriptions be?

One thing to keep in mind is that your meta description should be between 140-160 characters long or else it will be too short to make an impact or too long that it will become truncated.

In the below example, you can see that the meta description has been cut or truncated after the word “your.” 

Meta Description

Such a situation usually happens when the writer doesn’t provide a description that measures 160 characters or less.

On the other hand, if your meta description is too short, you’re simply missing out on giving more information about your web page.

What should you write for your meta descriptions?

Your CTR on SERPs is regarded as a potential ranking factor. So the best way to make SEO-friendly meta descriptions is to write them with the goal of generating more clicks.

Search results are similar to a traditional ad in a newspaper or magazine. 

To entice consumers to call a phone number or travel to an address to buy a product in-store, print advertising uses headlines and taglines.

When it comes to search results, your page title serves as your headline, the meta description serves as your tagline, and the URL serves as the address.

And because the meta description is like a micro-pitch for your webpage, it should be filled with active language that entices people to click on your result.

You want to write a meta description that conveys the unique selling point (USP) of your website.

When writing the copy, ask yourself why your page is superior to all of the other pages in the results.  And don’t be afraid to use your message to elicit an emotional response. 

According to a 2014 study conducted by the Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology at the University of Glasgow, human emotion can be divided into four categories:

  • Happy
  • Sad
  • Angry/Disgusted
  • Afraid/Surprised

Here’s an example of a search result with an excellent meta description for an article.

pasted image

In the above example’s case, the phrase “never buy dryer sheets again” is a strong motivational factor. It implies savings and elicits positive emotions related to relief and happiness.

Should you include keywords in your meta descriptions?

Yes, but only if they help explain your page’s content and if they grammatically fit your statement. 

Often, your keyword will match what your page is talking about. In that case you should use it in the meta description.

For example, if the keyword is shoe shop, you can quickly include a phrase like “your free delivery shoe shop next door” on your meta description.

But there are keywords that are a nightmare to use grammar-wise. If you encounter this, simply rephrase the keyword so that it doesn’t disrupt the language of your meta description.

For example, there are keywords like buy shoes UK, which are problematic grammatically. You could however rephrase it to something like “the best place you can buy shoes in the UK.”

Tips on Writing Meta Descriptions

  1. Write a meta description for each page and post you create.
  1. Aim to connect with a searcher’s emotions in two sentences under 140-160 characters.
  1. Make it meaningful and descriptive and ensure that it matches the page content.
  1. Offer a compelling reason for users to click your URL. Address an emotional pain point for your readers and position your page as a potential solution.
  1. Make your message clear – people don’t care for vague descriptions and will go for other results.
  1. Add a clear call to action that entices people to click your URL.
  1. Ensure, you don’t have duplicate meta descriptions. While Google won’t penalise you for it, you can’t expect one key page to rank higher than another with the same meta description.
  1. Double-check how it looks with a SERP preview generator tool.

Tools for Checking Your Meta Descriptions

The tools listed below can help you test your meta descriptions as you write and edit them.

Semrush Site Audit

This tool analyses the health of your website. It lists issues that makes it easy for you to pinpoint where your website is struggling, including pages with missing and duplicate meta descriptions.

Warnings

Semrush On-Page SEO Checker

This tool checks if you have a keyword in your title and meta tag. And it suggests the right one if you don’t have it.

Don’t disregard your meta descriptions.

Your meta descriptions are frontline pitches on SERPs. And they can draw the line between a searcher clicking or not clicking your URL to go to your page.

So you have to ensure that all your posts and pages have excellent-standard, unique meta descriptions.

Simple as they may be, they contribute significantly to your overall SEO efforts.

Champ Biala

Champ Biala

Author

CHAMP BIALA is the Head of Content for KAMG and a seasoned writer. Past experiences in education, video production and music allows him to create varied content for multiple business types. He provides content for firms across Asia, the US, the UK and Canada when he is not organising beach festivals in the Philippines.

We can help you with

Digital marketing can be difficult and the competition is harsh. Hand the work to the experts.

Email Marketing

Email marketing can bring an insane average ROI of $36 for every $1 spent. We’ll handle everything from winning copy to beautiful design to precise targeting, making the most of every one of your dollars.

SEO Services

You want your website to pop up first on search engines like Google and Bing, right? Well Search Engine Optimization is the way to get that done. Page one of search is waiting for you, we’ll help you get there.

PPC Services

PPC ads are a bang-for-your-buck marketing channel because you only pay for the ads that get clicked. We’ll set you up with a winning strategy, engaging copy and beautiful design.

Privacy Policy

Last updated: June 08, 2022

This Privacy Policy describes Our policies and procedures on the collection, use and disclosure of Your information when You use the Service and tells You about Your privacy rights and how the law protects You.

We use Your Personal data to provide and improve the Service. By using the Service, You agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

Interpretation and Definitions

Interpretation

The words of which the initial letter is capitalized have meanings defined under the following conditions. The following definitions shall have the same meaning regardless of whether they appear in singular or in plural.

Definitions

For the purposes of this Privacy Policy:

  • Account means a unique account created for You to access our Service or parts of our Service.

  • Company (referred to as either “the Company”, “We”, “Us” or “Our” in this Agreement) refers to Kas Andz Marketing Group, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN.

  • Cookies are small files that are placed on Your computer, mobile device or any other device by a website, containing the details of Your browsing history on that website among its many uses.

  • Country refers to: United Kingdom

  • Device means any device that can access the Service such as a computer, a cellphone or a digital tablet.

  • Personal Data is any information that relates to an identified or identifiable individual.

  • Service refers to the Website.

  • Service Provider means any natural or legal person who processes the data on behalf of the Company. It refers to third-party companies or individuals employed by the Company to facilitate the Service, to provide the Service on behalf of the Company, to perform services related to the Service or to assist the Company in analyzing how the Service is used.

  • Usage Data refers to data collected automatically, either generated by the use of the Service or from the Service infrastructure itself (for example, the duration of a page visit).

  • Website refers to Kas Andz Marketing Group, accessible from kasandz.

  • You means the individual accessing or using the Service, or the company, or other legal entity on behalf of which such individual is accessing or using the Service, as applicable.

Collecting and Using Your Personal Data

Types of Data Collected

Personal Data

While using Our Service, We may ask You to provide Us with certain personally identifiable information that can be used to contact or identify You. Personally identifiable information may include, but is not limited to:

  • Email address

  • First name and last name

  • Phone number

  • Address, State, Province, ZIP/Postal code, City

  • Usage Data

Usage Data

Usage Data is collected automatically when using the Service.

Usage Data may include information such as Your Device’s Internet Protocol address (e.g. IP address), browser type, browser version, the pages of our Service that You visit, the time and date of Your visit, the time spent on those pages, unique device identifiers and other diagnostic data.

When You access the Service by or through a mobile device, We may collect certain information automatically, including, but not limited to, the type of mobile device You use, Your mobile device unique ID, the IP address of Your mobile device, Your mobile operating system, the type of mobile Internet browser You use, unique device identifiers and other diagnostic data.

We may also collect information that Your browser sends whenever You visit our Service or when You access the Service by or through a mobile device.

Tracking Technologies and Cookies

We use Cookies and similar tracking technologies to track the activity on Our Service and store certain information. Tracking technologies used are beacons, tags, and scripts to collect and track information and to improve and analyze Our Service. The technologies We use may include:

  • Cookies or Browser Cookies. A cookie is a small file placed on Your Device. You can instruct Your browser to refuse all Cookies or to indicate when a Cookie is being sent. However, if You do not accept Cookies, You may not be able to use some parts of our Service. Unless you have adjusted Your browser setting so that it will refuse Cookies, our Service may use Cookies.
  • Flash Cookies. Certain features of our Service may use local stored objects (or Flash Cookies) to collect and store information about Your preferences or Your activity on our Service. Flash Cookies are not managed by the same browser settings as those used for Browser Cookies. For more information on how You can delete Flash Cookies, please read “Where can I change the settings for disabling, or deleting local shared objects?” available at flash player.
  • Web Beacons. Certain sections of our Service and our emails may contain small electronic files known as web beacons (also referred to as clear gifs, pixel tags, and single-pixel gifs) that permit the Company, for example, to count users who have visited those pages or opened an email and for other related website statistics (for example, recording the popularity of a certain section and verifying system and server integrity).

Cookies can be “Persistent” or “Session” Cookies. Persistent Cookies remain on Your personal computer or mobile device when You go offline, while Session Cookies are deleted as soon as You close Your web browser. Learn more about cookies on the Free Privacy Policy website article.

We use both Session and Persistent Cookies for the purposes set out below:

  • Necessary / Essential Cookies

    Type: Session Cookies

    Administered by: Us

    Purpose: These Cookies are essential to provide You with services available through the Website and to enable You to use some of its features. They help to authenticate users and prevent fraudulent use of user accounts. Without these Cookies, the services that You have asked for cannot be provided, and We only use these Cookies to provide You with those services.

  • Cookies Policy / Notice Acceptance Cookies

    Type: Persistent Cookies

    Administered by: Us

    Purpose: These Cookies identify if users have accepted the use of cookies on the Website.

  • Functionality Cookies

    Type: Persistent Cookies

    Administered by: Us

    Purpose: These Cookies allow us to remember choices You make when You use the Website, such as remembering your login details or language preference. The purpose of these Cookies is to provide You with a more personal experience and to avoid You having to re-enter your preferences every time You use the Website.

For more information about the cookies we use and your choices regarding cookies, please visit our Cookies Policy or the Cookies section of our Privacy Policy.

Use of Your Personal Data

The Company may use Personal Data for the following purposes:

  • To provide and maintain our Service, including to monitor the usage of our Service.

  • To manage Your Account: to manage Your registration as a user of the Service. The Personal Data You provide can give You access to different functionalities of the Service that are available to You as a registered user.

  • For the performance of a contract: the development, compliance and undertaking of the purchase contract for the products, items or services You have purchased or of any other contract with Us through the Service.

  • To contact You: To contact You by email, telephone calls, SMS, or other equivalent forms of electronic communication, such as a mobile application’s push notifications regarding updates or informative communications related to the functionalities, products or contracted services, including the security updates, when necessary or reasonable for their implementation.

  • To provide You with news, special offers and general information about other goods, services and events which we offer that are similar to those that you have already purchased or enquired about unless You have opted not to receive such information.

  • To manage Your requests: To attend and manage Your requests to Us.

  • For business transfers: We may use Your information to evaluate or conduct a merger, divestiture, restructuring, reorganization, dissolution, or other sale or transfer of some or all of Our assets, whether as a going concern or as part of bankruptcy, liquidation, or similar proceeding, in which Personal Data held by Us about our Service users is among the assets transferred.

  • For other purposes: We may use Your information for other purposes, such as data analysis, identifying usage trends, determining the effectiveness of our promotional campaigns and to evaluate and improve our Service, products, services, marketing and your experience.

We may share Your personal information in the following situations:

  • With Service Providers: We may share Your personal information with Service Providers to monitor and analyze the use of our Service, to contact You.
  • For business transfers: We may share or transfer Your personal information in connection with, or during negotiations of, any merger, sale of Company assets, financing, or acquisition of all or a portion of Our business to another company.
  • With Affiliates: We may share Your information with Our affiliates, in which case we will require those affiliates to honor this Privacy Policy. Affiliates include Our parent company and any other subsidiaries, joint venture partners or other companies that We control or that are under common control with Us.
  • With business partners: We may share Your information with Our business partners to offer You certain products, services or promotions.
  • With other users: when You share personal information or otherwise interact in the public areas with other users, such information may be viewed by all users and may be publicly distributed outside.
  • With Your consent: We may disclose Your personal information for any other purpose with Your consent.

Retention of Your Personal Data

The Company will retain Your Personal Data only for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy. We will retain and use Your Personal Data to the extent necessary to comply with our legal obligations (for example, if we are required to retain your data to comply with applicable laws), resolve disputes, and enforce our legal agreements and policies.

The Company will also retain Usage Data for internal analysis purposes. Usage Data is generally retained for a shorter period of time, except when this data is used to strengthen the security or to improve the functionality of Our Service, or We are legally obligated to retain this data for longer time periods.

Transfer of Your Personal Data

Your information, including Personal Data, is processed at the Company’s operating offices and in any other places where the parties involved in the processing are located. It means that this information may be transferred to — and maintained on — computers located outside of Your state, province, country or other governmental jurisdiction where the data protection laws may differ than those from Your jurisdiction.

Your consent to this Privacy Policy followed by Your submission of such information represents Your agreement to that transfer.

The Company will take all steps reasonably necessary to ensure that Your data is treated securely and in accordance with this Privacy Policy and no transfer of Your Personal Data will take place to an organization or a country unless there are adequate controls in place including the security of Your data and other personal information.

Disclosure of Your Personal Data

Business Transactions

If the Company is involved in a merger, acquisition or asset sale, Your Personal Data may be transferred. We will provide notice before Your Personal Data is transferred and becomes subject to a different Privacy Policy.

Law enforcement

Under certain circumstances, the Company may be required to disclose Your Personal Data if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g. a court or a government agency).

Other legal requirements

The Company may disclose Your Personal Data in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to:

  • Comply with a legal obligation
  • Protect and defend the rights or property of the Company
  • Prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing in connection with the Service
  • Protect the personal safety of Users of the Service or the public
  • Protect against legal liability

Security of Your Personal Data

The security of Your Personal Data is important to Us, but remember that no method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While We strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect Your Personal Data, We cannot guarantee its absolute security.

Children’s Privacy

Our Service does not address anyone under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from anyone under the age of 13. If You are a parent or guardian and You are aware that Your child has provided Us with Personal Data, please contact Us. If We become aware that We have collected Personal Data from anyone under the age of 13 without verification of parental consent, We take steps to remove that information from Our servers.

If We need to rely on consent as a legal basis for processing Your information and Your country requires consent from a parent, We may require Your parent’s consent before We collect and use that information.

Links to Other Websites

Our Service may contain links to other websites that are not operated by Us. If You click on a third party link, You will be directed to that third party’s site. We strongly advise You to review the Privacy Policy of every site You visit.

We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies or practices of any third party sites or services.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update Our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify You of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page.

We will let You know via email and/or a prominent notice on Our Service, prior to the change becoming effective and update the “Last updated” date at the top of this Privacy Policy.

You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes to this Privacy Policy are effective when they are posted on this page.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, You can contact us:

  • By email: team@kasandz.com