What is a meta description?

A meta description is the HTML tag that provides a short summary of a page, shown below the title in search engine results.

How long should a meta description be?

Keep meta descriptions between 120 and 155 characters. Longer descriptions get truncated in search results.

Does Google always use my meta description?

No. Google sometimes rewrites the snippet using page content if it thinks another passage better matches the search query.

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How to Write a Meta Description That Gets Clicks

SEO Feb 1, 2026 2 min read

What the meta description check tests

The meta description is the short paragraph that appears below your title in search results. SiteCurl checks whether each page has a <meta name="description"> tag and whether the content is under 160 characters.

When a page lacks a meta description, Google auto-generates one by pulling text from the page body. The result is often a sentence fragment that does not represent the page well and does not include a call to action.

Why it matters

Meta descriptions do not directly affect rankings, but they directly affect click-through rate. A clear, specific description that matches the search query convinces people to click your result instead of a competitor’s.

Think of the meta description as ad copy for your page. You get about 155 characters to explain what the page offers and why someone should visit.

How to fix it

Adding a meta description

Add this tag inside the <head> section of each page:

<meta name="description" content="A clear summary of what this page covers. Include your main keyword and a reason to click.">

Writing effective descriptions

Good meta descriptions share three qualities:

Specific to the page: Do not reuse the same description across pages. Each one should describe that page’s unique content.
Under 160 characters: Google truncates longer descriptions. Front-load the important information.
Include a call to action: “Learn how to…” or “Find out why…” gives the reader a reason to click.

Before: “We are a company that does many things and has been in business since 2005 and we are dedicated to quality.”

After: “Fix common website SEO issues in minutes. Check title tags, meta descriptions, and 80+ other items with a single scan.”

Descriptions that are too long

If your description exceeds 160 characters, trim it. Cut generic phrases and focus on the specific value of the page.

How to verify the fix

View page source and search for meta name="description". Confirm the content attribute is unique, under 160 characters, and describes the page. A SiteCurl scan flags both missing and oversized descriptions in the SEO section.

Meta descriptions work alongside title tags and Open Graph tags. Fix all three for a complete search snippet.

Start a free trial to scan your site and find every page with missing or weak descriptions.