Glossary

Meta Description

An HTML attribute that provides a short summary of a page's content. It often appears as the description snippet in Google search results and directly influences click-through rate, though it is not a direct ranking signal.

Subject: SEO

A meta description is an HTML <meta> tag that summarises the content of a web page. It typically appears in search engine results pages (SERPs) as the text beneath the page title and URL.

Example

<meta name="description" content="DeNitro builds conversion-focused websites and SEO systems for SMEs in Hamburg and Germany." />

Does it affect rankings?

Google has confirmed that meta descriptions are not a direct ranking factor. However, they have a strong indirect effect: a well-written meta description increases click-through rate (CTR), and higher CTR is a positive signal that can influence rankings over time.

Google also rewrites meta descriptions frequently — studies suggest it rewrites them for over 60% of queries. This happens when Google believes it has found a better description within the page content. Writing good meta descriptions still matters because Google uses yours when it considers it relevant.

How to write an effective meta description

A strong meta description:

  • Matches search intent — Address what the searcher is trying to accomplish
  • Includes the target keyword — Not for ranking, but because Google bolds matching terms in snippets, improving visibility
  • States a clear benefit — What will the reader get from this page?
  • Contains a call to action — "Learn how to...", "Discover...", "Get the complete..."
  • Is 140–155 characters — Longer descriptions get cut off in SERPs

Common mistakes

  • Writing the same meta description for multiple pages (duplicate descriptions reduce differentiation)
  • Simply repeating the page title
  • Being too vague ("Welcome to our website")
  • Keyword stuffing

Related terms

Related terms

Backlink
A hyperlink on an external website that points to your site. Backlinks are one of the strongest ranking signals in Google's algorithm — a link from a trusted, relevant site acts as a vote of confidence for your content.
Core Web Vitals
A set of three metrics defined by Google to measure real-world user experience: Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), Interaction to Next Paint (INP), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS). They are a confirmed Google ranking signal.
Local SEO
Local SEO is the process of optimising a business's online presence to appear in location-based search results — particularly in Google's local pack and Google Maps.
On-Page SEO
On-page SEO refers to the optimisation of individual web pages to improve their relevance and ranking for specific search queries — including content, headings, metadata, and internal linking.

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