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How to write a page description
Under the headline of a Google result there are a couple of lines of text. Your page can suggest that text with a short summary called the meta description. Google often uses it. If your page has none, Google writes the lines from other text on the page, and that text may not be what you would choose.
The report flags a missing description, or one under 70 or over 160 characters.
What it does
The description helps a person decide whether your page answers their search. Google has said it does not use the description to rank pages, so its purpose is to get people to click.
Google may show different text for some searches, usually text from your page that matches the search more closely. This is normal, and it does not mean your description is wrong.
How to write one
- Use 70 to 160 characters. Put the most important point early, in case the end gets cut off.
- Say what the page offers and who it is for.
- Include a specific fact, such as a price, a location or a delivery time, if it is true for this page.
- Write a different description for each page you care about.
- Use full sentences. A list of keywords gives a reader little reason to click.
For example, Welcome to our website. is 23 characters and says little. This one is 84 characters and says what the page sells:
Light, waterproof boots with deep grip for muddy paths. Free returns within 30 days.
Where to change it
If a menu name below has changed, look for the SEO settings.
- WordPress: core WordPress usually has no description field, which is why most people add one with an SEO plugin.
- WordPress with Yoast: open the page in the editor and find the meta description field in the Yoast panel.
- WordPress with Rank Math: open the Rank Math panel in the editor, press Edit Snippet and fill in the description.
- Shopify: open the product or page and edit its search engine listing section. The homepage description is in the Online Store preferences.
- Wix: open the page's SEO settings and edit the description.
- Squarespace: open the page settings and edit the SEO description. Blog posts and products may keep these fields elsewhere.
A custom-built site needs a developer to add this line to the <head> section of each page, with its own text:
<meta name="description" content="Light, waterproof boots with deep grip for muddy paths. Free returns within 30 days.">How to check
- Press Rescan on your report. It reads the description and measures its length.
- Search for your page on Google some days later. Google needs to visit the page again before anything can change.