Meta Description

Definition

Meta Description - An HTML tag providing a brief summary of a page (recommended ~150-160 characters). Not a direct ranking factor, but it influences CTR because it appears as the snippet text under a search result title. Google often rewrites it, but a compelling meta description is still worth writing.

In more depth

The meta description is an HTML element in a page's <head> that provides a brief summary of the page's content. In Google search results, it typically appears as the grey text beneath the blue title link - the snippet that helps users decide whether to click. While Google frequently rewrites meta descriptions (especially when it thinks another portion of the page is more relevant to the query), a well-written description gives you more control over your search listing's presentation.

Despite being explicitly not a direct ranking factor (Google has confirmed this), meta descriptions have a measurable indirect impact on SEO through click-through rate. A compelling description that clearly addresses the user's query and includes a benefit or differentiator can increase CTR significantly. In competitive SERPs where all results have similar titles, the meta description often becomes the decisive factor in which result a user clicks.

Best practices: keep descriptions between 120-160 characters (longer descriptions get cut off, especially on mobile), include the primary keyword naturally (Google bolds it in the snippet when it matches the query), and write it like an ad - focus on the specific benefit the user will get from clicking, not just a generic description of what the page contains.

Related terms: Title Tag - CTR (Click-Through Rate) - SERP (Search Engine Results Page)

Frequently asked questions

How long should a meta description be?

Between 120-160 characters is the standard recommendation. Google typically truncates descriptions beyond 160 characters (sometimes shorter on mobile). Shorter descriptions (under 120 characters) may leave opportunity to add more compelling detail. Use Google's free SERP Preview Tool or our own to check how your description looks at different lengths.

Does Google always use my meta description?

No - Google rewrites meta descriptions frequently, particularly when it thinks another portion of the page better matches the query. An Ahrefs study of 20,000 keywords found Google used the provided meta description only around 37% of the time, and rewrite rates have generally trended higher since. Writing a good meta description is still worthwhile for the cases where Google does use it, and it also helps social sharing (social platforms use the meta description when no Open Graph description is provided).