Term · Search & content
Meta description
The meta description is an HTML tag with a short summary of a page's content. Search engines may show it under the title in search results, and social platforms may use it for link previews. It does not directly affect rankings, but a clear description can increase the share of people who click.
[ 01 ]
Explained
Writing good descriptions
- Summarise what the page offers and why it is useful, in one or two sentences.
- Match the searcher's intent: for a service page, what is included and for whom; for a guide, what the reader will learn.
- Be specific: concrete details outperform generic phrases.
- Unique per page and language.
- Keep it concise — long descriptions are truncated; many sites aim for roughly 140–160 characters.
Google may choose its own snippet
Search engines often generate a snippet from the page text when it better matches the query. A good meta description is still useful: it is shown for many queries and used in social previews.
Example
For a guide: "How to accept online payments in Azerbaijan: bank acquiring, licensed payment providers, cash on delivery, onboarding steps and technical integration." It tells the searcher exactly what they will find.
[ 02 ]
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Do meta descriptions help SEO?
Not as a ranking factor. They help by making results more attractive and relevant, which can increase clicks.
What if a page has no meta description?
Search engines will generate a snippet from the page content, which may be less compelling.