What’s the Deal with Meta Descriptions?
Ah…the much maligned Meta description.
We write one for every piece of content we create for our clients. Our newbie clients often try to change them after we post their articles or send a written copy.
They want to make them longer. Or jam pack them with unnecessary “stuff”. Or skip loading them all together. We hear everything from “I read Google doesn’t count them anyway” to “I need to include everything about us so people want to read our article.”
So as the sun sets on another ridiculously beautiful day along the bay… here’s what you should know about Meta descriptions if you are working on your home care content or senior living content.
The Straight Scoop on Meta Descriptions for Your Senior Care Company
First, here’s what our long-lost pal Matt Cutts of Google fame had to say about this back in 2009. (Notice his panda t-shirt? Seems like a real departure for him?)
User Behavior and Google
While your Meta description doesn’t factor directly in to the search algorithm, it does make a difference.
Here’s how…
Because the Meta description is used for your snippet preview, it can help a searcher decide whether or not to click through to you from the search engine results.
And user behavior is factored in to Google’s algorithms.
Google looks at how long you review the search results before you click and who you click-through to visit.
Still with me?
(I know it’s not the most exciting stuff!)
So let’s look at my search from a few minutes ago. Our crew is heading over to Mackinac Island for the weekend. And while I know we have written copies of several of the ferry schedules, I’m too impatient to dig for them.
I searched for “ferry times to Mackinac.”
Shepler’s returned first with a snippet that was just what I’m looking for: Schedule.
A quick click and I knew our crew would have to roll early.
I also went on to visit their Overnight Parking page, their Plan a Visit page and Online ticketing (which offers tickets at a discount!).
My dwell time was high. They gave me what I wanted plus some. And my click through to them was quick! Their snippet convinced me to zip right over and check them out.
Both matter in profiling user behavior…
How to Write a Good Meta Description
What do you need to know to write a good Meta description?
Think of it the same way you would those 15 second elevator pitches we are always trying to get our community relations folks to master.
Or consider your Meta description as ad space!
Specifically:
- Make your copy inviting
- Give a little away but keep some of the mystery (you want them to click-through right?)
- Spelling and grammar matter –don’t embarrass yourself here!
- Be persuasive but not bossy
- Limit your copy to 155 characters (yes, spaces count as a character!)
- Use keywords sparingly – don’t stuff every one of yours in to one little Meta
- Skip the “quotation marks” – Google will cut off the description if you do
- Don’t use the same Meta description for Every. Single. Article.
This last tip is an important one. Be honest and accurate in your description. Don’t tell them your article is about tips for keeping a senior safe at home and then let them click-through to find an article that is one big sales pitch about moving to assisted living.
Not good, people. And we see it from the content mills all the time.
And that’s the straight scoop on Meta descriptions!
Still have questions? Shoot us a note…
Learn More:
Meta Description – from our friends at MOZ
What Google Does with Your Meta Description – from the folks at WordStream (yeah, we’re not wild that they open with a sales pitch but its good stuff so keep reading!)