How do I write a good meta description for my blog post?
Writing a meta description for your blog will require you to keep things short and simple, but – simultaneously – engaging and informative. You should incorporate different elements, such as a call-to-action (e.g. “read more”) and keywords that your user is going to search for.
It’s also vital that you identify your blog post’s unique selling point. For example, if you have experience in an industry that someone else doesn’t, highlight this. Taking this approach could also potentially align with Google’s E-E-A-T guidelines in an indirect manner.
Below are the most important features that your meta description should leverage:
- Concise/Informative: Clearly summarize what your blog post is about, and why the user should click on your page.Check character limits for each search engine and work within these guidelines.
- Keyword-rich: Add keywords that users will likely be searching for, but make sure that you don’t stuff too many.
- Call-to-action: Tell the user what they should do next. You can add the CTA at the start or finish (e.g. “Read this guide to learn more about blog post meta descriptions”). Experiment with different styles to determine what does and doesn’t work for your audience.
- Unique: Your meta description should never be copied from someone else; make sure that it’s unique for your blog. Look at competing search results and determine where your post is different from these, before portraying these in your meta description.
Example:
Let’s look at a blog post about improving on-page SEO. A meta description for this might be:
“Discover X tips that’ll help your blog improve its on-page SEO. Increase your search engines with simple (but effective) tactics.”
What happens if I don’t write a meta description?
In the absence of explicit instructions, it is common for search engines to incorporate elements of the text to formulate descriptions. While search engines offer convenience, several factors may hinder their effectiveness.
Your clickthrough rate may suffer if you don’t write the meta description yourself, so it’s worth spending some time thinking about this. But even if you don’t have a lot of time, writing anything – even a quick summary – will likely be more effective than leaving it to chance.
If you don’t have a lot of time, you can always write something and then optimize the description later when you have more data.
Does a meta description affect my blog post’s SEO?
While a meta description may not directly impact where your blog post ranks, it will have an indirect effect. You’re competing against other brands and blogs in search engines, and as a result, you need to grab a user’s attention. Your meta description is one way to do this, and since clickthrough rates are vital, this will impact where you rank in the long run.
Should every blog post have a unique meta description?
Yes – it’s important that all of your blog posts have a different meta description. Doing so is vital because it highlights what users will get from clicking on your post, and you also need to consider your target audience.
Besides writing new meta descriptions each time you publish a fresh post, you should audit your existing ones when you update an old article.
Here are some other tips to implement when writing or auditing a meta description.
- Stay under 160 characters: SERP meta descriptions should be short enough so that the user will see the entire text.
- Understand the reader: Users will click on your article if they think you can benefit them, and as a result, it’s vital that you know what your target audience is looking for.
- Active voice: Speak directly to the reader and use verbs. For example, you should use “Learn about [topic]” rather than “There will be lessons to learn about [topic]”.
Conclusion
While some bloggers and businesses see meta descriptions as an afterthought, you should leverage them to your advantage. Besides the indirect impact on SERP rankings, you must also think about standing out ahead of your competitors. All blog posts should have a different meta description, and it’s better if you make these yourself rather than relying on automatically-generated ones.
When creating meta descriptions, think about keywords that your users are more likely to search for. On top of that, you should also decide on the most unique points that only your blog covers. Be sure to stick within character limits, too.
