Meta Description Length

[craigmn3]

Still cleaning up an old site, google webmaster tools tells me there are 500 pages with short meta descriptions.

Anyone have a good number on the bottom limit on Meta Description length?

[deepsand]

Considering that Google gives little import to <meta description>, given their having been discounted owing to keyword stuffing, preferring instead to dynamically produce descriptive snippets for the SERPs, using at least 9 known different sources, it seems odd that GWMT should have any complaints in this regard.

FWIW, SEOmoz recommends 150-160 characters. See http://www.seomoz.org/learn-seo/meta-description .

[weegillis]

I've never nailed down a number, but when facing the same issue a couple of years ago I pushed the length of short descriptions to over 60 characters.

'Too short' probably does not refer to character or word count, but clarity and succinctness. A human might be able to make sense out of a word or two if they are descriptive enough, but a machine needs a little more to go on. Making a description read almost like a sentence, and making good sense that cannot be misconstrued, in a very few characters is not very easy to do.

[keyon]

Considering that Google gives little import to <meta description>...
Then would it be a problem to just repeat the title tag in the description tag? Sometimes my title tag says it all. Why create a unique description of something I've already described?

[weegillis]

Then would it be a problem to just repeat the title tag in the description tag? Sometimes my title tag says it all. Why create a unique description of something I've already described?

Manually; or generated? In either case, a little change-up from the title is recommended, but the whole, or most of the title itself can be included with no harm. I include the category in many instances, and a shortened title for generated. On manual pages it's an open playing field.

[keyon]

Manually; or generated?
I'm talking about manually creating the meta tags. I put a lot of effort into creating good, relevant, keyword-targeted title tags. But if the search engines don't really care about meta descriptions, then I don't want to waste time writing unique tags. I think I heard someone say that if you don't have time to write a unique title tag, description tag, and keyword tag -- just put the same line of text in all three. Don't know if that's the best advice or not, but it does save time.

[weegillis]

We mustn't continue to go on about the search engines not caring about the meta description. They do care, or it would be written out of the HTML specification. Last I checked it was not. Put the myth aside and concentrate on what your unseen visitors see. If you create meaningful descriptions, they will, repeat will, be put in the serps.



It's not just search engines that care about, or make use of the description. All manner of user agents and information aggregators refer to them, screen readers among them. Check the page info in Firefox. It's a valid field in the document tree, and does get the attention intended for it.

[craigmn3]

Then would it be a problem to just repeat the title tag in the description tag? Sometimes my title tag says it all. Why create a unique description of something I've already described?

The title tag should be much more succinct than the meta descriptions

Title "Red Oval Replacement Widgets"

Description "Red oval replacement widgets to fit many brands (45 characters) would by the standard of laid out by this question would be to short. (if it is indeed based on characters)

so one would probably have to change it to :

Description "Red oval replacement widgets to fit many brands including brand a, brand b and brand c"

And then making sure I included content for all those brands to keep the relevancy high.

I'll go with 60 characters and see what happens and report back

[claybutler]

I have noticed that meta descriptions do boost a page's relevance. It's not a huge difference but it does get factored in. Also, Google will generally use your meta description, if it contains a keyword match, over body snippets. So a good meta description also gives you a bit of control over your messaging in the SERPs. However, the claim as being "too short" is just an automated trigger based upon character length. It has nothing to do with quality or content. Personally, I tend to use the meta description to enforce the title tag and then add some elaboration on the title tag's theme.

Example of a post i just did:

Title: Shrink Sleeve Label Design - How to Design Shrink Sleeve Packaging

Meta: Tutorial - How to Design Shrink Sleeve Label Packaging, Choosing a Shrink Sleeve Printer, Shrink Sleeving Process, Prepare File For Shrink Sleeving

[Doc]

I've only heard passing mention from a couple of folks about the meta description not being valued by the SEs. Personally, I disagree. I've seen 70 characters mentioned as a good rule of thumb, but I've never seen anything official as to a bottom limit. I think the key is to make it as descriptive as reasonably possible. Remember... you should be writing for the users first, the SEs second. ;)

[deepsand]

Then would it be a problem to just repeat the title tag in the description tag? Sometimes my title tag says it all. Why create a unique description of something I've already described?
That would be the functional equivalent of having no <meta> Description> at all, as no SE has an interest in merely duplicating the Title in lieu of presenting a more substantive description.

If you've no <meta> Description, you can be assured that the SEs will construct a descriptive snippet of their own. While yours may not be used in all instances, wouldn't you prefer that it at least be considered for use?

[Mel]

I have been using 160 characters for some years now, no real reason for it except that this is the region that Google starts truncating the description in the SERPs and I fully believe that good meta descriptions can have a positive effect on click thrus, so I want viewer to see it all.

[ESM]

Example of a post i just did:

Title: Shrink Sleeve Label Design - How to Design Shrink Sleeve Packaging

Meta: Tutorial - How to Design Shrink Sleeve Label Packaging, Choosing a Shrink Sleeve Printer, Shrink Sleeving Process, Prepare File For Shrink Sleeving

I think this style represents the best option for meta data. It can be configured as longtail and or LSI keyword additions.
Adding meta data during the articles creation should be a must do event. There are several ways this article/ post data can be used for the benifit of the website and visitors. It still does effect some search's and in the future might be even become more valuable. Would you like to go back and add to it on 500 + post later???

[DanielMoore]

It should precisely be 160 characters. I tested it myself, only 160 characters with spaces are visible.

[claybutler]

It should precisely be 160 characters. I tested it myself, only 160 characters with spaces are visible.

You're confusing what is visible with what is weighted. Just because it's visibly truncated in the SERP's doesn't mean it's not being factored in the results.

[DanielMoore]

You're confusing what is visible with what is weighted. Just because it's visibly truncated in the SERP's doesn't mean it's not being factored in the results. I merely meant that when only 160 characters are visible in SERP's, there is no need to extend it. Additionally meta descriptions are not considered by major search engines. They might or might not take the one we update, so one can always concentrate on other important factors. Yes stress should be laid to optimize description and at the same time make it such that reader finds it worth a click, which is quite achievable in 160 characters.

[claybutler]

I merely meant that when only 160 characters are visible in SERP's, there is no need to extend it. Additionally meta descriptions are not considered by major search engines. They might or might not take the one we update, so one can always concentrate on other important factors. Yes stress should be laid to optimize description and at the same time make it such that reader finds it worth a click, which is quite achievable in 160 characters.

I agree..........

[claybutler]

150-200 characters limit for meta description & you can add content upto 500 words on the pages...
Wrong. Like completely wrong. Google stops indexing after 500 words? Nonsense! Did you just make that up to sound important?

[Sweet Tooth #3]

A compelling meta description is one of the most under rated traffic generating techniques. It can often double your click through rate (when combined with a good title tag), whether you're in the #1 spot or the #10 spot.

I'm glad so many people neglect it. ;)

Just try to think like your searcher. What's going through their mind when they type those words into that search box? What are they feeling? It's soooo worth it.

[Sweet Tooth #3]

The Meta description tag provides short information on webpage as a summary. Meta description will not appear in web page but it display in SERP (Search Result Pages). Google search engine give much important to Meta Description Tag to display in search result pages , but yahoo and other related search engines give somewhat different important to meta description tag, so you should not neglect it altogether.

Dude, you are so moderated!!!

[deepsand]

Now he went and got himself modulated as well.

[morestar]

I'm talking about manually creating the meta tags. I put a lot of effort into creating good, relevant, keyword-targeted title tags. But if the search engines don't really care about meta descriptions, then I don't want to waste time writing unique tags. I think I heard someone say that if you don't have time to write a unique title tag, description tag, and keyword tag -- just put the same line of text in all three. Don't know if that's the best advice or not, but it does save time.

I'd personally never do that - making the title, desc and keyword tags the same (and I don't use the keyword tag anymore unless I haven't edited it out yet).

One can see that the search engines use the tag, it's usage is applied and seen right there in the search results and I think it has good weight too. I've always found using the first paragraph of the page as the meta description works great and is always used. Well not the first paragraph, the first keyword rich and/or action compelling first sentence.