Among the many ways to boost SEO results, one of the most effective is to create a strong first impression. Known in digital marketing circles as the meta description, this first impression summarizes the content of a particular web page or post. Conveniently, you’ll find it right below the page title on the search results page. Done right, the description tells both users and search engines what your page or post is all about. Ideally, a meta description will encourage users to click the included link, thereby transporting them to your glorious webpage. But this user action provides a generous bonus. As everyone knows, click-thru rates are one of the leading criteria used by search engines to determine result ranking. The more clicks you get, the better your chances of climbing.
How can digital marketers maximize meta description performance? By implementing some of the many proven strategies. One of these is obvious – ensure each description reflects its linked content. If there’s a mismatch, users will feel misled – and inclined to ditch your website.
Also important is description length. Here, short and sweet is the way to go. Unfortunately, there’s no official character limit on the books. Digital marketers, however, can and should take a hint from the results pages. Most listings max out at about 150 characters or so. It’s safe to consider that the ‘unofficial’ number. What about keywords? You guessed it. Descriptions should contain the target keyword. This improves your chances of showing up in the search results. Not only that, Google and other engines often highlight keywords, making them irresistibly noticeable to users.
Finally, there’s the ever-popular call-to-action. Believe it not, each meta description should have one. As it turns out, phrases such as ‘try it now’ or ‘claim your gift’ work wonders when it comes to encouraging clicks – and ultimately converting users.
If you have questions or comments about metadata descriptions, or about any other brand-related topic, feel free to send them our way.
You can connect with the Young Company team at 949-376-8404 #4033 or bart@youngcompany.com. And be sure to follow us for the latest brand marketing news and tips.