What it means
A meta description is the short text inside a <meta name="description"> tag in a webpage's HTML head. Search engines often, though not always, use it as the snippet shown beneath the page title in results.
The recommended length is 140 to 160 characters for desktop, 100 to 120 for mobile. Anything longer gets truncated.
Why it matters
Meta descriptions are not a direct ranking factor in Google's algorithm. They have been confirmed as not affecting rankings since at least 2009. What they do affect is click-through rate, which indirectly affects rankings over time and directly affects traffic.
A meta description that clearly answers the searcher's question and highlights a benefit will earn meaningfully more clicks than a generic one. For AI engines that pull live web search results, a clear meta description also helps the engine understand what the page is about.
How it's used
To write effective meta descriptions:
- Start with the main benefit or answer the page provides
- Include the primary keyword once, naturally
- Add a clear call to action when appropriate
- Match user intent - informational query needs informational description
- Stay within character limits to avoid truncation
- Write a unique description for every page (duplicate descriptions hurt CTR)
Google may rewrite your meta description if it judges another part of the page as more relevant. Aim for a description so good that Google leaves it alone.