Why the meta description is so important.

Quite a few people seem to think the Meta description is of little importance to a website based maybe on the fact that it has a minor role in improving a sites ranking for given keywords.

But the meta description is of paramount importance to a website.

After you have got your ranking with the title and other little SEO bits.

Its the one place to shout pick me ,pick me.

Also usefull for displaying your low,low prices,telephone number and any other .Pick Me Me,me,me, stuff.

Given the right meta description it is quite possible for a site ranked No4 to beat the No1 site for traffic as the average site tends to have very bland titles and meta descriptions.IMHO


Earl

 

[sess4561]

totally agree, the title and description tag are the first and possibly only impression you will make on a potential customer.

 

[seo next]

Cant Agree more with you sirearl !!
You are a rock star

 

[directmarketingadvice]

totally agree, the title and description tag are the first and possibly only impression you will make on a potential customer.

You're forgetting the domain. I've run tests in PPC and one domain can get up to 30% higher clickrate than another.

(That's between 2 domain with relevant names.)

Steve

 

[OldWelshGuy]

yep if you are selling yellow widgets then a url of
domain.com/yellow-widgets

wil get a lot more clicks that
domain.com/

 

[directmarketingadvice]

yep if you are selling yellow widgets then a url of
domain.com/yellow-widgets

wil get a lot more clicks that
domain.com/

The domain all-yellow-widgets.co.uk will get a different ctr than the domain cheap-yellow-widgets.co.uk.

And, I'd suggest, you don't know which of those ctrs will be higher.

Steve

 

yep if you are selling yellow widgets then a url of
domain.com/yellow-widgets

wil get a lot more clicks that
domain.com/

Oh excuse me but I thought the OP's post was about the benefits to be derived from the Meta Description Tag.:|

And not a guide to every nook and cranny on becoming a mega rich internet tycoon.

Earl

 

[Ali-v-8]

i have created a mega rich tycoon only last week lol
i dont mind cos good client means good bonuses

 

i have created a mega rich tycoon only last week lol
i dont mind cos good client means good bonuses

Law of business the first mega rich tycoon one should create ,should sleep in the same bed that you do at least.

Earl

 

[Ali-v-8]

*ali runs off with a print out of earls post to show his client*
ITS LAW
Why didnt you tell me this before. She just bought her 3rd aston and this is a volante.
Earl does this mean I get half

Law of business the first mega rich tycoon one should create ,should sleep in the same bed that you do at least.

Earl

 

*ali runs off with a print out of earls post to show his client*
ITS LAW
Why didnt you tell me this before. She just bought her 3rd aston and this is a volante.
Earl does this mean I get half

Well you can hope but I suspect you may be lucky to end up with the puncture outfit.

A mega rich tycoon should be someone you see in the mirror.

Earl

 

[Antiviruskey]

Meta title, description, and tags are important for search engines to recognize your site and match them with the contents. But the most important to me i think the backlinks i meant a link that lead to your website. It determine how high you are rank on the search result

 

[bdw]

Wow! Is that right? Do you have any evidence of this?

 

[herodigital]

But the meta description is of paramount importance to a website.

i certainly wouldn't say that meta description is "paramount". sure it's very useful but the page title is actually paramount as this is the line that screams "pick me, pick me".

 

i certainly wouldn't say that meta description is "paramount". sure it's very useful but the page title is actually paramount as this is the line that screams "pick me, pick me".

Not quite the title is the line that should be concerned with getting the site a high ranking,and should not be wasted on pick me pick me.text as this is very likely to be detrimental to ranking.IMHO.

Earl

 

[herodigital]

Not quite the title is the line that should be concerned with getting the site a high ranking,and should not be wasted on pick me pick me.text as this is very likely to be detrimental to ranking.IMHO.

Earl

a well crafted title tag is best for humans and search engines - I think it is the first and most prominent thing that users see. i'm not discounting the value of meta desc, i just regard title more highly

 

a well crafted title tag is best for humans and search engines - I think it is the first and most prominent thing that users see. i'm not discounting the value of meta desc, i just regard title more highly

In helping to get ranked the title is the most important obviously.

But getting people to click on your site the meta description is where its at.

you can not craft a title to encompass both humans and search engines efficently.IMHO

Earl

 

[herodigital]

In helping to get ranked the title is the most important obviously.

But getting people to click on your site the meta description is where its at.

you can not craft a title to encompass both humans and search engines efficently.IMHO

Earl

just out of interest when you search something in google do you choose a site based on it's title or it's description? i assume the latter, as that's what you're defending, but i choose the former. i suppose this answer is always a variable and produces different results dependant on user and site (and search term) in question.

 

just out of interest when you search something in google do you choose a site based on it's title or it's description? i assume the latter, as that's what you're defending, but i choose the former. i suppose this answer is always a variable and produces different results dependant on user and site (and search term) in question.

I search for whatever it is I am looking for which usually involves the search term being in the title.

I then decide which site I am going to click dependant on all the information on view to me.

If it so happens that a meta description happens to have the words "cheapest on the planet" or other inducing text. this may well influence me.

P.S non of the above may apply if I am looking for a brain surgeon.:|

Earl

 

[omnivore]

* She just bought her 3rd aston and this is a volante.

are you still banging on about them escort sites?

 

[herodigital]

I search for whatever it is I am looking for which usually involves the search term being in the title.

I then decide which site I am going to click dependant on all the information on view to me.

If it so happens that a meta description happens to have the words "cheapest on the planet" or other inducing text. this may well influence me.

P.S non of the above may apply if I am looking for a brain surgeon.:|

Earl

see i'm a little more impatient and tend to scan, clicking on whatever takes my fancy from the title. VERY rarely do i even read descriptions but as well know, all users behave differently!

also worth noting, as a more savvy user i tend to hold down CTRL when i click, opening 3/4 sites at a time then scanning through them individually.

 

see i'm a little more impatient and tend to scan, clicking on whatever takes my fancy from the title. VERY rarely do i even read descriptions but as well know, all users behave differently!

also worth noting, as a more savvy user i tend to hold down CTRL when i click, opening 3/4 sites at a time then scanning through them individually.

Fortunately I try not to cater for savvy users,as they are far to unpredictable.

Earl

 

[directmarketingadvice]

Given the right meta description it is quite possible for a site ranked No4 to beat the No1 site for traffic as the average site tends to have very bland titles and meta descriptions.IMHO

Here's a question: how do you know what the "right" meta description should say?

Steve

 

[Faevilangel]

Here's a question: how do you know what the "right" meta description should say?

Steve

Down to individual interpretation is it not? I believe it should offer an insight of what the website offers e.g. we sell custom, unique umbrellas" and a little about them.

 

Here's a question: how do you know what the "right" meta description should say?

Steve

By writting one thats better than the competitions and contains the words that the majority are interested in IMHO.

Next question.?

Earl

 

[OldWelshGuy]

Here's a question: how do you know what the "right" meta description should say?

Steve

That is where experience comes in, plus you should split test.

 

[SEO Lady]

Law of business the first mega rich tycoon one should create ,should sleep in the same bed that you do at least.

Earl

Is it a freshly washed duvet as well?

 

[KM-Tiger]

Here's a question: how do you know what the "right" meta description should say?

Probably very similar to "What should an Adwords ad say?"

My guess would be that if you can write good Adwords ads, you can write good meta-descriptions. Bonus is you have more characters to play with.

 

[UKSBD]

I use the odd special character in the meta descriptions on some pages

Try a search for Business Directory and you will see it makes the listing stand out more.

 

[KM-Tiger]

Try a search for Business Directory and you will see it makes the listing stand out more.

Yes, it does.

Good tip, thanks!

 

[Jeff FV]

I use the odd special character in the meta descriptions on some pages

Try a search for Business Directory and you will see it makes the listing stand out more.

Brilliant idea! Thank you &#9829; (<-- That's Alt + 3 by the way)

 

[UKSBD]

just don't overdo it, best to only do it on a special page when in 3rd or 4th position, draws the eye from the top position then.

 

[directmarketingadvice]

Down to individual interpretation is it not?

You mean "guesswork"?

Steve

 

[directmarketingadvice]

By writting one thats better than the competitions and contains the words that the majority are interested in IMHO.

Next question.?

Here it is: how do you know it's better than the competition's?

I suspect all you're doing is writing one that appeals to yourself and assuming everyone is identical to you.

Steve

 

[directmarketingadvice]

Probably very similar to "What should an Adwords ad say?"

But you only know what an adwords ad should say by split-testing.

I had a thread a couple of weeks ago where I asked people which is better "Save 50%" or "50% Off". One beat the other by 47%. Yet, when I asked people to guess, half got it wrong.

I had one test this week where one ad described something as "digital" and the other, "LCD". One got 50% more clicks than the other.

Guess wrongly in either of the cases and it's bye, bye to 1/3 of your traffic.

But, as I said, guessing at meta descriptions is pretty much what everyone does.

Seems a bit mad, given how much is at stake.

Steve

 

[MASSEY]

Well the genral view on here is to make the searcher want to click on it. And thats the same with adwords,

But like everything the descriptions that are supposed to entice people won't entice everyone. But it will a larger % than those who it does not.

 

But you only know what an adwords ad should say by split-testing.

I had a thread a couple of weeks ago where I asked people which is better "Save 50%" or "50% Off". One beat the other by 47%. Yet, when I asked people to guess, half got it wrong.

I had one test this week where one ad described something as "digital" and the other, "LCD". One got 50% more clicks than the other.

Guess wrongly in either of the cases and it's bye, bye to 1/3 of your traffic.

But, as I said, guessing at meta descriptions is pretty much what everyone does.

Seems a bit mad, given how much is at stake.

Steve

You see the problem with split testing is that its comparative.

Unlike the beautifully crafted unique descriptions that I use based on vast experience of selling to TGBP and being pretty well aware of what Mr&Mrs Jones digs..

Standard marketing triggers that have worked from time immemorial even old Nappy used them but we tend to use a slightly more modern twist to suit the new media's.

Nothing new under the sun,no more than mankinds basic nature has changed in yonks.

Earl

 

[MrTempleDene]

Certainly the description matters, in fact according to useability guru Jacob Neilson who tested users using eye tracking equipment, just the first four words matter even more.

It's why I set up my CMS to allow individual descriptions for each page, coupled with the general site description.

Admittedly, I haven't completely optimised my own site with this feature yet. (adds to "to do" list)

 

[MASSEY]

Brilliant idea! Thank you &#9829; (<-- That's Alt + 3 by the way)

how did you do that i push alt and 3 and it dint work.

 

[sunnyzhao]

how about the same of "title" and "descrtiption"?