What are meta descriptions? Why do I need them?

You might not know what a meta description is. But, chances are you see them everyday. Every time you use a search engine, you read meta descriptions to understand what a page is about. 

A meta description is the short summary of the page below its title in a search engine. It often includes a short description of what the page is about and a call to action.

Meta descriptions aren’t required to publish a website, but they’re a great way to optimize your webpage. By including popular search terms in your description, you can find customers that are searching for exactly what you offer.

If you’re trying to write your own meta descriptions, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, they are short and sweet. You might want to describe your product in lots of words to encompass all of its qualities, but a meta description is not the place for that. Most marketing professionals suggest keeping meta descriptions to 155 characters or less. If they are any longer, the text may be cut off in the search results. However, you want to make sure you fully explain the page. A meta description that is too short is just as bad as one that is too long. 

Try your best to include a call to action, as well. For example, you could say something like “check out our website to learn more about…” or “call us to book now.” This tells potential customers what to do if they’re interested in your business. 

As you write, try to think of what someone would google if they were looking for a service your business provides. If you’re local to a certain area, consider adding that location into your description. Also, you should include the services you offer and information relevant to the page.

For example, pretend that you are a veterinary clinic. If you were looking for a vet in your area, what would you search? Likely the pet and the area. So, your meta description for your homepage could be something like: “Our Halloweentown office offers full-service veterinary care to dogs, cats, spiders, and toads. Call us today to schedule or learn more!” This shows what animals you serve, what you offer, and where you’re located. It also includes a call to action for interested customers.

Even using these tips, you might be struggling to write your own meta descriptions. Maybe you’re having trouble condensing to 155 characters or having trouble meeting the character count. Maybe you’re lost on what to say or what popular search terms may be. If this is the case, reach out to us at Fuhrman Creative to see how our team can help you. We have years of experience helping businesses create stellar websites that attract customers.