How to Write Meta Descriptions That Get Clicks

To write a meta description that gets clicks, summarize the page in one or two sentences, put the main keyword and the benefit up front, keep it under about 155 characters so it isn’t cut off, make it unique to the page, and end with a reason to click. Google often writes its own snippet from your page content, but a clear meta description is still your best way to shape how the page looks in search results.

What is a meta description?

A meta description is a short summary of a page on your website. Technically, the meta description is an HTML attribute (the meta description tag) in the head of a web page, and it looks like this in the site’s HTML code:

<meta name=”description” content=”Learn how to write meta descriptions that earn clicks, with a 6-step formula and 10 examples.”>

The purpose of a meta description is to tell searchers what the page’s content offers before they click. Search engines can show it under the title of the page in the search engine results page (SERP), where the meta description will appear as the grey text below the blue link. Google’s SEO Starter Guide describes a good one as “a succinct, one- or two-sentence summary of the page” that is unique to that page.

Do meta descriptions still matter?

Yes, for clicks rather than rankings. Google’s snippet documentation says snippets are “primarily created from the page content itself”, and that Google “sometimes uses the meta description HTML element if it might give users a more accurate description of the page.” So Google won’t always show what you write, but when it does, your description is the sales pitch for the click.

The importance of meta descriptions is about clicks. In search engine optimization terms they aren’t a ranking factor that moves you up the SERPs; Google’s guidance discusses them only as a snippet source. Their value is click-through rate (CTR). A higher CTR at the same position means more traffic to your website from the same ranking.

How long should a meta description be?

Google says there’s no limit on length, but search results cut long snippets off, so the useful length for a meta description is roughly 120-155 characters. Put the most important words in the first 120 characters so they survive on mobile. The Yoast SEO plugin, for example, checks meta descriptions against a range of about 120-156 characters; treat that as a guide, not a rule.

How to write a meta description: a 6-step formula

These tips for writing work for any page type and help you write great meta descriptions. A compelling meta description gives the searcher a reason to choose your search result over the others:

1. Start with the answer or benefit. What will the searcher get? “Learn how to…”, “Compare…”, “Get…”
2. Include the main keyword naturally. Words that match the query can be bolded in the description, which draws the eye. Use it once; keywords in meta descriptions help only when they read naturally.
3. Add one specific detail. A number, a format or a proof point: “7 steps”, “free template”, “updated for 2026”, “ships in 24 hours”.
4. Match search intent. Informational queries want an answer; commercial queries want options and proof; transactional queries want price, availability or a next step.
5. End with a call to action. “See the examples”, “Download the template”, “Start your free trial”.
6. Check length and uniqueness. About 120-155 characters, and different from every other page on your site.

10 meta description examples by page type

The best meta descriptions follow patterns you can adapt. Each example of a meta description below is written for a different search engine result and follows the formula above.

The product, category, service and local examples use invented businesses to show the pattern.

Meta title and meta description: how they work together

Meta titles and descriptions are the core of on-page SEO for every page. The title and description appear together, so write them as a pair. The meta title (the title tag) carries the main keyword and the topic; the meta description expands on it with the benefit and the call to action. Don’t repeat the title word for word in the description: use the space to add something new, such as a number or a reason to choose your page over the other search results.

Meta description best practices

• Write a unique meta description for every page. Google warns that identical or similar descriptions on every page “aren’t helpful” in search results.
• Describe the page accurately. Your text should accurately reflect the page. A description that promises something the page doesn’t deliver hurts trust and engagement.
• Avoid keyword lists. Google says descriptions made of long strings of keywords don’t give users a clear idea of the page.
• Use active voice and plain words. Speak to the searcher: “you”, “get”, “see”, “learn”.
• Prioritize important pages. On large sites, write descriptions by hand for top pages and use templates for product or listing pages, filled with page-specific data.
• Review AI drafts. Google’s guidance on generative AI content says the same review applies to metadata like meta description elements.

Common meta description mistakes

Don’t write descriptions on autopilot. A great meta description avoids these traps:

• Leaving it empty, so Google picks a random sentence from the page.
• Copying the same description across templates or pages.
• Writing more than 160 characters and losing the CTA to truncation.
• Using quotation marks, which can cut the description short in some HTML setups; use single quotes or none.
• Promising “best” or “free” when the page doesn’t back it up.

How to add a meta description in WordPress

WordPress doesn’t add a meta description field by default; most sites install Yoast SEO or another SEO plugin to provide a meta description. With Yoast SEO, open the post, scroll to the Yoast panel, and fill in the Meta description field; the length bar turns green in the recommended range. Other SEO plugins have a similar field. To check what’s live, view the page source and search for name=”description”.

Can you control the snippet Google shows?

Partly. You can stop a snippet with the nosnippet meta tag, limit its length with max-snippet, or hide parts of a page with the data-nosnippet attribute, all described in Google’s snippet documentation. You can’t force Google to use your meta description; the best you can do is write one that describes the page better than any sentence Google could pick.

How to measure meta description performance

Use Google Search Console to see what changes after you rewrite meta descriptions. In the Performance report, compare CTR before and after you rewrite descriptions for pages with stable average position. Start with pages that have many impressions and a CTR below others at a similar position: they have the most room to gain people clicking on your link. This is where your SEO efforts on metadata pay off.

How Contadu helps you write meta descriptions

Contadu helps you get from keyword to a published page with its metadata in one workflow:

• Pick the right keyword: Content Strategy groups keywords into clusters, so each page’s description targets its own main keyword. See our guide to keyword mapping.
• Draft variations: generative AI templates in the Content Writer help you draft options quickly, which you then edit and fact-check.
• Publish without copy-paste: the WordPress integration and Chrome extension let you edit live text on your site.
• Work as a team: unlimited team members, so editors can review metadata before it goes live.

Try it with a 7-day free trial.

FAQ

Do meta descriptions still matter?

Yes. They don’t move rankings, but when Google shows them they influence whether searchers click. A clear, specific description can raise CTR at the same position.

Does Google always use the meta description I write?

No. Google creates snippets mostly from page content and uses your meta description when it describes the page more accurately for that query. Different queries can show different snippets for the same page.

What is the ideal character count for meta descriptions?

Google sets no limit, but aim for about 120-155 characters so the key message isn’t truncated, with the most important words first.

What makes a good meta title?

A good meta title is under about 60 characters, starts with the main keyword or topic, and tells the searcher what they’ll get. Write it together with the description so the two complement each other.

How can I find my meta title and description?

Open the page, view the source and search for <title> and name=”description”. In WordPress, your SEO plugin’s panel on the post shows both.

Can I use AI to write meta descriptions?

Yes, as a first draft. Check every AI-written description for accuracy, uniqueness and length before publishing; Google’s guidance on generative AI content applies to metadata too.

How do you keep your meta descriptions consistent across a big site?

Write a short style rule (length, voice, CTA) and make sure you know which pages use templates. Well-crafted meta templates for product and category pages should pull in each page’s name, key attribute and offer.

Should every page have a meta description?

Ideally yes, at least every page you want to rank. For thousands of similar pages, use a template filled with page-specific data rather than one shared description.

How do I rank a website on Google’s first page?

Meta descriptions alone won’t do it. Ranking takes helpful content that matches search intent, a crawlable site and authority. The meta description then helps you turn that ranking into clicks.