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5 Tips to Write Meta Descriptions That Get More Clicks

You've spent hours writing the perfect blog post. You hit "publish," and a few days later, you see it on Google. The problem? No one is clicking on it.

While your page title is the main headline, your meta description is the "ad copy" that convinces a user to choose your result over all the others. It’s a small piece of text with a huge impact on your click-through rate (CTR).

Getting it right is a science and an art. Here are 5 actionable tips to write compelling meta descriptions that beg to be clicked.

1. Treat It Like Ad Copy (Focus on Value)

Your meta description isn’t just a summary; it's a sales pitch. It must quickly answer the user's unspoken question: "What's in it for me?"

Instead of just describing what the article is, describe what it does for the reader. Use action verbs and focus on the benefit.

• Generic: This article contains information about compound interest.
• Compelling: Learn how compound interest works and use our free calculator to see how your savings can grow exponentially over time. Start your wealth journey today.

2. Include Your Focus Keyword

This is a fundamental SEO practice. When a user's search query matches a phrase in your meta description, Google will often bold those words. This makes your snippet visually stand out on the results page and instantly confirms to the user that your page is relevant to their search.

For this article, our focus keyword is how to write meta descriptions, so it's essential to include that phrase naturally in the text.

3. Stay Within the Length Limit

Google doesn't have a strict character limit for meta descriptions; it has a pixel-width limit. On most desktop devices, this is around 960 pixels. This typically translates to about 150-160 characters.

If your description is too long, Google will cut it off with an ellipsis (...), potentially removing your call-to-action or key information. Always aim to keep your message concise and place the most important information at the beginning.

4. Add a Call-to-Action (CTA)

Don't just describe the content—tell the user what to do next. A simple call-to-action can significantly increase the likelihood of a click. It creates a sense of urgency and purpose.

Examples of simple CTAs include:

• Learn more.
• Find out how.
• Try it now.
• Get the free guide.
• Read our review.

5. Be Honest and Accurate

While your description should be compelling, it must accurately reflect the content of the page. Writing a "clickbait" description that doesn't deliver on its promise will lead to a high bounce rate. Users will click, realize the page isn't what they wanted, and immediately leave.

This behavior tells Google that your page isn't a good result for that query, which can harm your rankings in the long run.

Preview Your Snippet Before You Publish

It's one thing to write a great meta description, but it's another to know how it will actually look. Different characters have different widths, so a 155-character description might get cut off while a 160-character one doesn't.

That's why we built a simple SERP Snippet Preview Tool. You can paste your Title, URL, and Meta Description to see exactly how it will appear in a live search result, including the pixel-width limits.

By previewing your snippet, you can ensure your message is perfect before you publish.