The meta description is what users see under the page title in Google search results. If you write it carefully, it can be ideal for encouraging a user to click on your link rather than your competitors’.
Here’s how Gary Illyes, a specialist on Google’s search team, describes the most common problems with meta descriptions:
“Because meta descriptions are generally only visible to search engines and other software, webmasters sometimes forget about them and leave them completely empty. It is also common, for the same reason, for the same meta description to be used on several (and sometimes many) pages. On the other hand, it is relatively frequent for the description to be completely irrelevant, of poor quality, or downright spammy. These problems harm our users’ search experience, which is why we prefer to ignore these meta descriptions.”
To properly optimize the meta description, there are 5 basic rules
Make sure that each page of your site has a meta description and that it accurately describes that specific page .
Include a relevant keyword in the meta description.
Its length should be 1-2 sentences (140-160 characters). Although there is no limit to the length of a meta description, search result snippets are generally truncated to fit the device’s width.
Meta descriptions shouldn’t just be written as sentences ; they also help to gather key information scattered across a page. For example, product page descriptions can include the price, age, and manufacturer. This makes these descriptions even more appealing to both search engines and users.
Target an emotion and add a call-to-action when relevant.
The meta description is one of the best ways to attract the attention of new visitors: don’t hesitate to focus on this optimization step.
Structure your content to make it easier to read
Imagine opening a Google search result and landing on a text with enormous paragraphs. What are the chances you’ll keep reading? You’ll probably use the shortcut Ctrl+F, or leave to search for a better-structured article. If you abandon the search, the time spent on the site decreases and the bounce rate increases , which isn’t good for your site’s ranking.
A good structure is an essential element of high-quality content. Subheadings allow readers to scan your content and therefore read it more easily. According to our study, 36% of articles with H2+H3 tags perform better in terms of traffic, shares, and backlinks.
As formulated by Google, this translates to : “Internet users appreciate well-written and easy-to-read content. Avoid putting large amounts of text covering diverse topics on the same page without clearly separating them with paragraphs, subheadings, or formatting.”
Here are some recommendations on how
Make your text long if necessary. Long reads of over 3,000 words get three times more traffic , four times more shares, and 3.5 times more backlinks than articles of average length (901-1,200 words). But that doesn’t mean a short article is necessarily poorly ranked: it depends on what users need. Longer articles are more likely to provide more information on a topic and therefore perform better.
Consider adding a table of contents. If the article is long, add a table of contents at the beginning to allow visitors to quickly navigate to the desired section.
Use H2 and H3 headings. Well-structured articles with H2 and H3 tags are more likely to perform well. Structure the article to make it easy for the user to understand the content, but don’t overdo it by making the structure too complex and adding a multitude of subheadings.
One paragraph = one idea. Divide the content into brother cell phone list logical and digestible segments to maintain reader interest.
Answer users’ questions. Attract users’ attention by including their questions in the subtitles: those you found in Step
Highlight the important ideas. You can use bold text or change the font size
This emphasizes key points, makes the text easier to follow, and helps to solidify the main ideas in the minds of users.
Break up long sentences . As with dividing your content into paragraphs, break up long sentences into shorter sentences.
Use bulleted and numbered lists. They allow you to convey large amounts of information concisely. Bulleted lists also increase your chances of getting featured in a Featured Snippet .
It can seem impossible to keep so much information in mind when creating content. Fortunately, you can rely on smart tools to help you optimize your content before publishing, such as SEMrush’s SEO Writing Assistant . You’ll get all the necessary recommendations in real time and can evaluate your text directly in Google Docs or WordPress.
Check your overall optimization status — ensure your text is perfectly structured for a target keyword and written in an SEO-friendly style.
Adjust the length of your text and optimize reading time — check if your text matches the average word count of your top ten competitors.
Add recommended keywords — the tool will suggest adding keywords associated with your text to increase the article’s SEO potential.
Ensure your tone of voice is consistent
make sure your content aligns with your brand’s overall voice, whether it’s casual, neutral, or formal, and identify phrases that stand out.
Ensure your text is unique — avoid plagiarism by discovering the total percentage of words copied in your text and by consulting the original content sources on the internet.