What Is a Meta Description?
A meta description is an HTML attribute that provides a short summary of a web page’s content. Search engines often display it beneath the page title in results, giving searchers a preview before they click.
Why it matters
While meta descriptions are not a direct ranking factor, they heavily influence click-through rate (CTR) — and CTR affects performance. A compelling, relevant description acts like ad copy for your organic listing, persuading users to choose your result over competitors. Google may rewrite it if it thinks another snippet fits the query better.
Example
For a page about link building, a strong meta description might read: “Learn how white-hat link building earns authoritative backlinks that lift your rankings — without risking Google penalties.” Aim for roughly 150–160 characters so it isn’t truncated.
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