---
title: "Meta Description"
description: "An HTML attribute that provides a 150–160 character summary of a web page, often displayed as the snippet text beneath the title link in search engine results."
url: "https://skribra.com/glossary/meta-description"
type: "glossary-term"
category: "Content Creation"
updated: "2026-06-08"
---

# Meta Description

**Definition.** An HTML attribute that provides a 150–160 character summary of a web page, often displayed as the snippet text beneath the title link in search engine results.

**In short.** The meta description is the pitch beneath your title in Google results. It doesn't directly affect rankings, but it heavily influences click-through rate — a compelling description can significantly increase organic traffic.

## Key points

- Meta descriptions are not a direct Google ranking factor, but they influence CTR, which may indirectly affect rankings
- Google rewrites meta descriptions approximately 60–70% of the time, substituting its own snippet based on the user's query
- The optimal length is 150–160 characters on desktop; Google may truncate longer descriptions with an ellipsis
- Including the target keyword in the meta description causes Google to bold it in the snippet when it matches the user's query, improving visual salience

## Writing an Effective Meta Description

A good meta description functions as a mini-advertisement for your page[1]. It should: clearly state what the user will find on the page, speak directly to the user's [search intent](https://skribra.com/glossary/keyword-intent), include the primary keyword naturally (Google bolds matching terms in the snippet), and have a soft call to action ('Learn how,' 'Discover,' 'Get started'). Avoid vague filler like 'This article is about...' or repeating the [Title Tag](https://skribra.com/glossary/title-tag) verbatim. Quantify where possible: '7 proven techniques' or 'used by 10,000+ marketers' are more compelling than generic descriptions. The best meta descriptions read like a benefit statement, not a content description — and they directly affect [CTR](https://skribra.com/glossary/click-through-rate) even though they are not a direct ranking signal.

## When Google Rewrites Your Description

Google's algorithm frequently ignores author-specified meta descriptions and generates its own snippet from the page content, selected based on how relevant it is to the specific search query[1]. This is particularly common when: the query uses different words than those in the meta description, the page targets multiple keyword variants (Google picks the most relevant passage), or the existing meta description is [too short, too long](https://skribra.com/tools/meta-description-checker), or contains unrelated content. To reduce rewrites, ensure your meta description directly addresses the most common queries you expect the page to receive. Monitoring [Impressions](https://skribra.com/glossary/impressions) versus clicks in Google Search Console reveals when Google-generated snippets are underperforming your authored ones — a signal to rewrite and re-test.

## Meta Descriptions Across Content Types

The ideal meta description varies by content type and [search intent](https://skribra.com/glossary/keyword-intent)[2]. For informational guides: promise a clear outcome ('Learn how to do X in 5 steps'). For product pages: lead with the key benefit and include a trust signal ('The only SEO tool that...'). For comparison pages: acknowledge both sides ('Which is better? We tested both'). For glossary pages like this one, meta descriptions should directly define the term in one sentence — users searching '[term] definition' should see their answer in the snippet itself, which tends to boost [CTR](https://skribra.com/glossary/click-through-rate) for definition-intent queries. Pair meta description optimization with [title tag](https://skribra.com/glossary/title-tag) optimization for maximum impact on [Organic Traffic](https://skribra.com/glossary/organic-traffic).

## Related terms

- [Title Tag](https://skribra.com/glossary/title-tag): An HTML element that specifies the title of a web page, displayed as the clickable headline in search engine results and in browser tabs — one of the most important on-page SEO elements.
- [Click-Through Rate (CTR)](https://skribra.com/glossary/click-through-rate): The percentage of users who click on a search result after seeing it in the SERP, calculated as (clicks ÷ impressions) × 100.
- [SERP](https://skribra.com/glossary/serp): The page Google or another search engine displays in response to a user's query, containing organic results, paid ads, and rich features like featured snippets, image packs, and knowledge panels.
- [Impressions](https://skribra.com/glossary/impressions): The number of times a URL from your website appeared in a Google search result, regardless of whether the user scrolled to see it or clicked on it.

## Sources

1. [Google Search Central — Control Your Snippets in Search Results](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/snippet)
2. [Ahrefs — How to Write the Perfect Meta Description](https://ahrefs.com/blog/meta-description/)

## Machine-readable index

- HTML version of this page: https://skribra.com/glossary/meta-description
- Site index for agents: https://skribra.com/llms.txt
- Sitemap: https://skribra.com/sitemap.xml
- Public REST API: https://skribra.com/api/v1
- OpenAPI specification: https://skribra.com/openapi.json