How to write a meta description that actually gets clicked
The 155-character snippet that controls your click-through rate from Google
“Your meta description is your ad in Google's search results. Most sites treat it like an afterthought.”
Meta descriptions don't directly affect Google rankings. But they control click-through rate — which does affect rankings indirectly. A well-written description can double your organic clicks without changing your position at all.
The formula that works: 1. Lead with the outcome the user gets, not what your page is about 2. Include the primary keyword naturally (Google bolds it in search results) 3. End with a low-friction call to action ("See how", "Learn the fix", "Try free") 4. Keep it under 155 characters — Google truncates anything longer
Bad example: "Welcome to Acme Inc. We offer a wide range of software solutions for businesses of all sizes."
Good example: "Cut your site's SEO issues in half with a free 30-second audit. No signup. See exactly what's blocking your rankings."
The difference: the good version tells the user what they get, not what you sell.
What happens without one: Google auto-generates a snippet from your page content. It usually starts with navigation text or a random sentence from your hero section — rarely your best pitch.
Check every page. Fix the ones that are missing or auto-generated. It takes 3 minutes per page and can meaningfully lift traffic within weeks.