Meta Description

An HTML attribute that summarises a page's content and appears as the snippet beneath the title in search results.

Definition

A meta description is an HTML <meta> tag placed in the <head> section of a page that provides a concise summary of the page content. While Google does not use the meta description as a direct ranking signal, it has a major indirect impact on SEO through click-through rate (CTR). A compelling meta description acts as ad copy in the search results page, convincing users to click your result over competitors.

Google typically displays meta descriptions that are between 120 and 160 characters (roughly 680–920 pixels wide on desktop). Descriptions longer than this are truncated with an ellipsis. If no meta description is provided, Google will auto-generate one from the page's body content — often pulling text that may not represent the page well.

Best practices: write a unique meta description for every page, include the primary keyword naturally (Google bolds matching terms), include a clear value proposition or call-to-action, and keep it within the pixel limit. Duplicate meta descriptions across multiple pages are flagged in Google Search Console as a quality issue. Use a SERP preview tool to check how your description renders before publishing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Google always use my meta description?

No. Google rewrites meta descriptions in approximately 62% of cases, especially for query variations where your written description isn't a strong match. Write a good default, but expect overrides.

How long should a meta description be?

Aim for 120–155 characters. Google truncates around 160 characters on desktop and roughly 120 characters on mobile. Pixel width is the true limit — around 920px — which is why pixel checkers are more accurate than character counts alone.