A Tip of the Cap…to SEO
A Tip of the Cap…to SEOThis week’s SEO tip focuses on an onsite problem that we often run into when we first take on a new SEO account. As a website is built, it is simple to integrate some basic optimization techniques that provide value throughout the life of the site. However, many people overlook a fundamental one: page meta descriptions.
What is a page meta description?
Well, I’m glad you asked. The simple answer is that it’s that little paragraph that shows up when someone searches for you on Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc. It appears under the link to your webpage.
Why Wouldn’t Someone Write a Meta Description
There are 2 main reasons I can think of: first, they may not know to. Second, this meta data is not incredibly important to search engines anymore, so it may never help you with search rankings directly…Wait, isn’t this blog supposed to be giving an SEO tip?? Yes, it is, and that meta description can be extremely relevant to the person looking at the search results. Better conversions = better optimization.
Ok, so you’re on board. Now what?
How to Write a Great Meta Description
Keep your audience in mind. Tell them (briefly) what your page is all about and what benefit they will get from clicking your link, instead of the next one on the page. If possible, include a call to action. Here is a great guide from Moz.com that will give you a more detailed breakdown. http://moz.com/learn/seo/meta-description
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