You’re working onerous to market your organization. You’re writing your product descriptions, optimizing your pictures, and mastering a lot of the different parts of efficient search engine marketing (web optimization).
Nonetheless, should you’re like many enterprise house owners, one side of ecommerce SEO may very well be providing you with bother: meta descriptions. This information covers what meta descriptions are, and find out how to write compelling meta descriptions and optimize your web site for search engines like google and yahoo.
What’s a meta description?
A meta description is an HTML tag that summarizes a webpage’s content material. It’s the snippet of textual content, usually round 160 characters lengthy, that seems below your web page title in search engine consequence pages.
Within the screenshot beneath, the meta description reads “Strive Shopify free and begin a enterprise or develop an current one. Get greater than ecommerce software with instruments to handle each a part of your corporation.”
Significance of meta descriptions for web optimization
Engines like google present it in search outcomes when the meta description additionally consists of the key phrases being searched.
Not like the web page title, meta descriptions aren’t an SEO rating issue, however they do entice search engine customers to click on via to a web page and are a part of efficient on-page web optimization. You’ll see them in a web page’s code as <meta title=”description” content material=”a written description of the web page”>.
A meta description is the promise you make to searchers. Amongst a sea of competing webpages, it calls out to them and says, “That is the web page you’re searching for.”
While you kind a search question into Google—let’s use “momentary tattoos” for instance—the algorithm shows outcomes on the search engine outcomes web page (SERP).
This web page is extraordinarily sophisticated, however for now let’s ignore all of the shopping ads, pictures, and movies in favor of the extra conventional natural search outcomes.
The blue phrases on the prime are the “title tag.” They’re the title of the webpage. Under them you’ll see a web page description of not more than 155 characters. That is the meta description. It is chargeable for larger click-through charges to your internet web page and may not directly influence your web optimization rankings.
Does Google rewrite meta descriptions?
Sure, Google rewrites meta descriptions. So, why hassle writing distinctive meta descriptions if Google will show no matter it desires anyway?
The last word cause is the correlation between larger search quantity key phrases and decrease rewrite charges. Kim Herrington, an web optimization & SEM marketing consultant, has explicit experience in writing meta descriptions for ecommerce companies, in addition to with optimizing their shops for search.
Via Kim’s personal expertise, she’s realized that if shops goal excessive site visitors keywords, your authentic meta description is extra more likely to seem as you wrote it in your web site. “web optimization will be time consuming and costly for ecommerce shops with a excessive quantity of merchandise,” Kim says. “Approaching your meta descriptions understanding they’ll be rewritten can liberate assets.”
Way more productive, she suggests, is specializing in writing actually good meta descriptions to your highest quantity key phrases, as a result of Google is extra probably to make use of them: “Focus primarily in your bestsellers and class web page meta descriptions quite than each single merchandise you promote.”
Concentrate on probably the most trafficked pages. Those that get natural site visitors from search engines like google and yahoo. Take your prime 20 pages and ask, “Are we actually promoting the product right here, or is there a means we will enhance the click-through charge?”
Learn extra: SEO Is About Humans First, Search Engines Second
Meta description examples
Homepage
Studying different individuals’s meta descriptions will make the method look deceptively easy, however that simplicity is the very factor that makes it so onerous to write down. The tough 160-character restrict means the meta description needs to be longer than a sentence or two.
Good descriptions offer you a quick overview of what the location is about, in addition to a compelling cause to click on the title tag. All of it occurs so rapidly and painlessly, many searchers received’t even discover themselves making a choice. They’ll merely click on on the hyperlink, satisfying their curiosity with out having to consider it.
Right here’s an instance of a related meta description:
Intelligent naming helps Death Wish Coffee pack a punch right here. With the primary three phrases, “Loss of life Want Espresso,” you already get an concept of what the corporate sells (espresso) and its defining model function (hardcore, however tongue-in-cheek about it).
Loss of life Want then says it’s “right here to gasoline your ardour.” With these phrases, it positions itself as motivating. The phrases “highest high quality arabica + robusta” lets readers know the model sells good espresso merchandise.
Product web page
Writing meta descriptions to your product pages is a little bit simpler than writing them to your homepage, as a result of your product pages aren’t supposed to talk for your corporation as a complete.
As a substitute, they’re talking for one thing that provides a tangible profit to customers:
- Promoting spatulas? Let the reader know that this spatula will make cooking a lot simpler.
- Promoting garden mowers? Have the reader think about a quick and straightforward journey via the grass.
For a very good instance of a persuasive meta description, let’s try the search consequence for So Worth Loving stickers:
Instantly, and in all caps, the outline makes you notice that plenty of stickers don’t final so long as you need them to. Then, SWL guarantees its stickers remedy that downside.
Capitalizing the meta description is a daring transfer, and nobody would suggest capitalizing the entire thing. However right here it really works, as a result of the capitalization doesn’t appear to be it’s there simply to seize consideration. It additionally does the work of separating the notice from the remainder of the textual content. After the notice, this description works effectively as a result of it retains the deal with the reader.
You do want to offer some concept of what differentiates the product. So Price Loving does this by emphasizing sturdiness and by letting its web site title recommend its stickers are going to be actually, actually cool. However after that, it’s all about letting the client visualize themselves with the product.
The outline suggests the enjoyment a purchaser may get once they see the sticker as a “finest little reminder,” providing numerous methods the sticker might simply match into their life: “Stick them in your automotive, laptop computer, water bottle, wherever you need to see them.”
The ending, specifically, works superbly. It begins the sentence by suggesting the product will make you are feeling some highly effective emotion, however then it makes you click on the title tag to search out out what that emotion truly is.
Although some web optimization specialists will inform you to ensure your meta descriptions all end with full sentences, a half-sentence can do wonders to your click-through charge (CTR).
Should you’re going to make use of this technique, it’s good to get your meta description as near the tough 160-character restrict as attainable.
Class pages
The following meta descriptions to deal with are your class web page, or assortment web page, meta descriptions. The aim of this web page is to group comparable merchandise collectively for patrons to browse. Assortment pages can present up for broad, high-volume key phrases, like “ladies’s sneakers” or “males’s sandals.”
Your class web page meta description ought to draw individuals in by displaying related details about the gathering, like how DSW lists out the completely different shoe varieties in its ladies’s sneakers class.
It additionally makes use of easy motion phrases like “Store on-line for …” and “take pleasure in a big choice and free delivery …” to encourage clicks from browsers.
If you wish to boost your description, Doug Pierce, director of Hong Kong–primarily based advertising company Cogney, suggests utilizing emojis. “A trick I prefer to make use of is utilizing test marks (✔️) to name out the sub-collections of merchandise now we have if it’s a product assortment web page,” he says.
Doug additionally suggests together with numbers within the description (the place related) and utilizing energy phrases like “free” or “unique” to seize individuals’s consideration. And in case your retailer is working any particular provides—like free delivery, prolonged warranties, or gross sales—it may be good to incorporate in a meta description as effectively.
Social media
Meta descriptions aren’t only for search engines like google and yahoo. The textual content you utilize additionally exhibits up on social media websites like Fb. With out your meta description, Fb will pull no matter textual content they will discover on the web page.
You may see this in a Fb submit from Moz, a software program firm. It is Fb submit exhibits the meta description from the net web page’s URL.
The right way to write a very good meta description
Now now we have an understanding of meta descriptions, you’re in all probability questioning: What are the most effective methods to use this data?
- Consider the customer mindset
- Make it unique
- Keep it at optimal length
- Make it actionable
- Add a call to action
- Use your target keyword
- Try to avoid meta description generators
1. Contemplate the client mindset
First, deal with what would compel a searcher to click on in your title tag. That requires answering two questions:
- What are you providing?
- Why ought to I purchase from you?
For product pages, the primary question has a easy response: you’re providing your product. The second can be resolved by the straightforward truth that you just’re the one promoting the product.
Meta descriptions to your homepage are a little bit trickier. As we noticed within the Loss of life Want Espresso instance, the most effective factor is to repeatedly emphasize your model. That’s the one factor your entire retailer provides, and it’s the explanation prospects can buy from you.

2. Make it distinctive
Let readers know what you do, inform them about your unique selling proposition, and convey this data a number of instances, as a result of the meta description isn’t a spot for subtlety. Struggling to give you an efficient meta description to your homepage is frequent, so it’s finest to be affected person and suppose onerous about your model.
Should you’ve been round for some time, what do returning prospects say about your corporation? And should you’re new, what made you suppose this enterprise would get prospects?
The purpose of your meta description is to get clicks, nevertheless it’s additionally an opportunity to indicate off your model. “Consider meta descriptions as a continuation of your model and a possibility to obviously outline your USP [unique selling proposition] utilizing related key phrases,” says Stephen Gentle, CMO and co-owner of mattress firm Nolah. “They’re little advertisements and, although the character size can really feel constraining, are glorious brief bursts of promo.”
Discuss to individuals about your corporation, formulate the outline such as you would an elevator pitch. You’ll in all probability need to undergo a pair drafts. It’s essential to get issues proper as a result of this would be the first publicity many purchasers should you and your model. You additionally don’t need to have duplicate meta descriptions all through your web site, as a result of it might hurt your probabilities of rating.

3. Preserve it at optimum size
Keep between the 155- to 160-character restrict when contemplating your meta description size. Google will probably lower off any textual content after that. Put your most essential textual content to start with of your description, similar to motion phrases or just a few phrases about your model, like Fashion Nova does beneath.

4. Make it actionable
Consider meta descriptions because the welcome mat to your ecommerce retailer. Ensure your description is evident, thrilling, and actionable. Inform readers what they need to anticipate in your web page.
Keep away from utilizing too many adjectives or fancy phrases—whereas it’s tempting to write down “superior” or “showstopping,” it’d detract searchers from clicking via. Utilizing an energetic voice makes the textual content extra direct and fascinating, which might encourage them to click on your hyperlink. Should you do use inventive copy, be certain that it’s related.
This description beneath from Bonobos is a superb instance. It’s brief and motivating, and it addresses the reader instantly. You recognize you’re going to search out an incredible pair of gown pants by clicking via.

Picture: courtesy of Google
5. Add a name to motion
A call to action in your meta description will compel individuals to click on via to your web page. They assist readers perceive what you supply and what to anticipate after clicking. For ecommerce stores, deal with completely different motivations behind their search.
If somebody’s searching for a extra broad search time period, like ladies’s sneakers, you’ll discover plenty of class pages rating. Folks use class pages to browse, versus product pages the place they purchase. Replicate these intentions in your name to motion.
Some name to motion examples for ecommerce are:
- Store now
- Discover the gathering
- Uncover new traits
- Browse our merchandise

6. Use your goal key phrase
Discover a method to embody your target keyword to assist search engines like google and yahoo rank your web page. Ensure it appears like a human wrote it. For instance, stuffing all of your goal key phrases right into a meta description like “Purchase Girls’s Sneakers, Girls’s Tennis Sneakers, and Girls’s Sneakers on Sale right here!” shouldn’t be a very good search for your model, as a result of it feels compelled and robotic.
As a substitute, naturally tie the key phrase into your description, just like the Shoe Carnival instance beneath:

Remember to try the keywords your competitors are targeting as effectively.
7. Keep away from meta description mills
There’s some debate about whether or not or to not use mills to write down meta descriptions. Mills can produce descriptions that appear uninteresting and lack persona. However they will work should you’re a model with 1000’s of SKUs and never sufficient assets to write down them.
As a small enterprise, you’re higher off writing meta descriptions manually—particularly these for pages that get plenty of search site visitors. Melanie Bedwell, ecommerce supervisor at drink model Olipop, agrees.
“Meta descriptions needs to be one-of-a-hand. It’s simpler to make them distinctive when you have somebody in your crew to write down them,” she says. “The meta description is likely one of the finest possibilities for somebody to click on in your search consequence. I consider it’s too essential to depart as much as an automatic generator.”
These automated instruments are an enormous cause why Google has began intervening and rewriting descriptions. The search engine is aiming to keep away from low-quality boilerplate content material that doesn’t fulfill search intent. You may argue it’s higher to haven’t any description than a poorly written mechanically generated one.
Write your individual meta descriptions
Whether or not you’re a model new retailer proprietor or seasoned ecommerce webmaster, compelling meta descriptions are essential to increase website traffic, present good user experience, and enhance conversion rates. By checking the containers above, you’ll be heading in the right direction to optimizing your pages for the net and can quickly see the advantages of extra site visitors and better gross sales.
Meta description FAQ
What ought to I write in a meta description?
A meta description ought to embody a compelling abstract of the web page somebody is about to click on on. It ought to clearly inform them what they’ll achieve by clicking via. Meta descriptions ought to embody a goal key phrase to assist search engines like google and yahoo index and rank the web page.
Are meta descriptions essential for web optimization?
Sure. A meta description tag is efficacious for each search engines like google and yahoo and internet browsers. They assist browsers perceive what your web page is about and in case your web page will reply their question. A singular meta description can improve clicks and visibility in search.
What are the most effective meta description practices?
- Contemplate a browser’s mindset
- Make it distinctive
- Preserve it at optimum size
- Make it actionable
- Add a name to motion
- Use your goal key phrase
- Haven’t got the identical meta description for a number of pages
- Keep away from meta description mills