What Is a Meta Description?
What a meta description is, the ideal length, whether it affects rankings, and how to write one that earns clicks from search results.
By the ToolsHub team · Updated May 1, 2026
A meta description is a short summary of a page, set in an HTML <meta name="description"> tag. Search engines often show it beneath your title in the results, so it's effectively the ad copy for your page. Build one with a live Google preview using our Meta Tag Generator.
How long should it be?
Aim for about 150–155 characters. Google truncates longer descriptions with an ellipsis, so put the key message first. Too short and you waste the space; too long and the end is cut off.
Does it affect rankings?
Not directly — Google has said the meta description isn't a ranking factor. But it heavily influences click-through rate, and a page that earns more clicks from the results tends to perform better overall. So it's worth writing well even though it isn't a ranking signal itself.
Writing one that earns clicks
- Lead with the benefit or answer, not throat-clearing.
- Include the search term naturally — it's bolded in results when it matches.
- Write a unique description per page; don't reuse one across the site.
- Add a light call to action where it fits ("Learn how…", "Compare…").