Title tag and meta description: Why they are important for SEO
Creating ameta descriptionfora homepage is an important part of search engine optimization. The topic should always be seen as a fundamental part of online marketing, and a few considerations need to be taken into account when writing the description. In this text, we explain what a meta description is and show why it is important to create one.
Last but not least, we'll discuss howour SEO agency can helpyoufind the perfect meta description.
What is a meta description?
When you start a search query on Google, you get the results on the Search Engine Result Page (SERP). It displays snippets (previews) of the websites that Google believes are most relevant to the search query. The snippets consist of a headline and a short description below it. They are also referred to as title tags and meta descriptions. Potential users see the snippet immediately in the search results before they even click on the link to the website. That's why it's important to use compelling text to guide users from the SERP to your own website.
How do you create a meta description?
Commoncontent management systemshavea section in the menu where you can customize the description. They often even simulate what the snippet will look like later on. This is important because there are conventions that should be followed when writing the description.
How long can the meta description be?
Depending on the number of pixels, the meta description shouldnot exceed 145–155 characters. Based on the number of pixels, we have amaximum of 1005 pixels. If it is longer, the excess words will not be displayed. If you display structured data such as the date here, the content of the meta description will be shortened. We would be happy to discuss how you can avoid having the date read out in an initial freeSEO consultation.
Incidentally, the title tag is significantly shorter. It can contain up to 60 characters or 554 pixels to be displayed in full. You should limit yourself to writing an exciting headline.
Why is it important to create a meta description for search results?
The meta description is the showcase for a website. If it is worded appealingly, this increases the likelihood that users will notice the search result on the SERP and visit the homepage. Surveys have found that the meta description is the most important factor in attracting users to a website. Nearly 63 percent of respondents said they initially orient themselves by the description. In contrast, the name of the company and the title tag play only a significantly minor role. This finding also means that webmasters shouldcreateanindividual meta description for each post and each section of a website. It is not effective to use one description text for the entire website.
If a webmaster does not create a meta description themselves, Google generates a description text from the beginning of the content. This does not function as a standalone teaser and therefore does not serve its purpose.
The more users click on a link, the more likely Google is to assume that the website offers high-quality and helpful content. The description is therefore an important key to a good search engine ranking. This illustrates a principle ofsearch engine optimization that is often neglected: the focus is on the user, not the search engine. SEO work should aim to offer users good content and usability, rather than fulfilling the ranking criteria of Google and other search engines.
If terms from the search query are used in the meta description, Googledisplaystheminbold on the SERP. For the user, they provide a visual anchor that attracts attention and at the same time signals that the topic they are looking for is covered in the text. To prevent keywords from being truncated, they shouldbe includedat the beginning of the meta description if possible.
The title tag has an impact on ranking. It is important to write a headline that contains the most important keyword and arouses the interest of users. This is not easy given the very limited space available.
How our SEO agency helps you create the ideal snippet
We have already summarized the most important points for writing a Google snippet. Despite the great importance of meta descriptions, many webmasters do not take on the task of writing descriptive texts themselves. An analysis of more than 192,000 websites that rank in the top 10 on Google revealed that 25 percent did not have a meta description. For more than 60 percent of the websites that did have a meta description, Google did not display it in the way that webmasters would have liked. This means there is a lot of potential to stand out from the competition on the SERP with your website's snippet.
Writing descriptive texts is not a trivial task. Research has shown that longer descriptions are more likely to entice users to click. It is therefore important to make use of the available space, but at the same time avoid the text being cut off. There are a few stumbling blocks that can trip you up.
Would you like to have the meta descriptions for your website created by professionals? Then our SEO agency is the right partner for you. Simply contact our team and arrange an initial free SEO consultation, during which we will discuss the next steps with you.
When creating metadata, we follow the AIDA model.
Take advantage of our free initial SEO consultation
Do you already have a website for which you need title tags and meta descriptions? Then you should contact us and take advantage of our offer of free SEO consultation . Our specialists will determine how your website can be optimized and draw up a list of measures. We combine many years of experience and a high level of expertise in search engine optimization and online marketing. Using analysis programs such as Google Search Console and tools we have developed ourselves, we examine the impact of our SEO measures on your website and can eliminate weak points through targeted improvements. This makes us the ideal partner to help your website achieve a better search engine ranking.
