You put a lot of effort into promoting your business. You're proficient in creating product descriptions, optimizing photos, and most other aspects of successful search engine optimization (SEO). Meta Description.
However, if you're like many business owners, meta descriptions may be a challenge for you when it comes to ecommerce SEO. This article covers the definition of meta descriptions, writing effective meta descriptions, and search engine optimization for your website.
What is a Meta Description?
An HTML element known as a “meta description” summarises the information on a webpage. It's the text that shows underneath your page title on search engine results pages and is typically roughly 160 characters long.
When the meta description additionally contains the search terms, search engines display it in search results. While meta descriptions, unlike page titles, do not affect SEO rankings, they do encourage people to click through to a page and are an important component of efficient on-page SEO. They appear as <meta name=”description” content=, followed by the textual description, in a page's code.
Your promise to searchers is expressed in your meta description. It shouts to them from a sea of rival websites, “This is the page you're searching for.”
Let's take “temporary tattoos” as an example. When you enter a search term into Google, an algorithm presents results on the search engine results page (SERP).
Despite the fact that this page is incredibly complex, for the time being, let's disregard all the Shopping advertisements, photos, and videos in favor of the more conventional organic search results.
The “title tag” is the blue text at the top. They serve as the page's title. A page description no longer than 155 characters will appear beneath them. The meta description is as follows.
Does Google rewrite Meta Description?
According to research by Ahrefs, Google does indeed update meta descriptions for close to 63% of search results. Google rewrites meta descriptions 71% of the time in mobile search results and 68% of the time on desktop, according to research by the digital marketing firm Portent. How will this change affect retailers? Considering that Google will display whatever it wants, why bother creating meta descriptions?
The main cause is the association between lower rewriting rates and terms with larger search volumes. Kim Herrington, an SEO and SEM consultant, specializes in creating meta descriptions and search engine optimization strategies for ecommerce companies.
According to Kim's personal experience, your original meta description is more likely to show exactly as you typed it on your website if you target big traffic keywords. For ecommerce companies with a large number of items, SEO may be time-consuming and expensive. Making your meta descriptions with the understanding that they will be revised will save up resources, according to her.
She advises that generating excellent meta descriptions for your most popular keywords will be far more fruitful because Google is more likely to use them: Focus less on every single item you sell and more on the meta descriptions of your category pages.
Pay attention to the pages that receive the greatest natural search engine traffic. Ask yourself, “Are we selling the product here, or is there a method we can boost the click-through rate?” about your top 10 or 20 pages.
Meta Description Examples
Homepage
The procedure will appear to be deceptively easy when reading other people's meta descriptions, but that simplicity is exactly what makes it so challenging to write. The meta description isn't allowed to be much longer than a tweet because of the approximate 155-character restriction.
The effective descriptions provide you with a concise summary of the website's content and a persuasive argument for clicking the title tag. Many people who are searching won't even realize themselves making a selection because it all occurs so swiftly and smoothly. They won't have to think about it; they'll just click the link, quelling their curiosity.
Here’s an example of a great meta description:
Death Wish Coffee packs a punch thanks to its clever name. You may infer from the first three letters of the company's name, “Death Wish Coffee,” what it offers (coffee), and what makes it stand out from the competition (hardcore, but tongue-in-cheek about it).
After that, Death Wish declares that it is “here to fuel your desire.” It portrays itself as inspiring with these terms. Readers may tell they sell high-grade coffee items because of the phrase “highest quality arabica + robusta.”
Product page
Because your product pages aren't meant to represent your company as a whole, creating meta descriptions for them is a little simpler than writing them for your homepage.
Rather, they are advocating for something that directly benefits consumers:
- Do you sell spatulas? Tell the reader how much simpler cooking will be with this spatula.
- Do you sell lawnmowers? Ask the reader to picture a quick and simple trip through the grass.
Let's look at the search result for So Worth Loving stickers for an effective illustration of a compelling meta description:
The explanation immediately and in all caps lets, you understand that many stickers don't stay as long as you want them to. Then, SWL asserts that their stickers will address that issue.
When a product is in high demand, such as Jacuzzi components, the product page meta description should either provide the exact technical specifications and model number or describe why it is wonderful for the potential customer.
Myriam Jessier, SEO Consultant at Pragm
So's a risky move to capitalize the entire meta description, and I don't advocate doing it. But in this case, it works since it doesn't look like the capitalization is intended to draw attention. Additionally, it accomplishes the task of separating the remark from the main content. This description, which comes after the message, is effective because it keeps the reader in mind.
You must provide some insight into what makes the product unique. To achieve this, Worth Loving emphasizes durability and lets its website name imply that its stickers are going to be very awesome. But after that, everything revolves on enabling the buyer to see themselves using the goods.
The description hints at the delight a purchaser can experience when they use the sticker as a “great little reminder,” and it provides several examples of how the sticker might fit into their lives: Stick them everywhere you want to view them, including your vehicle, laptop, and water bottle.
Particularly the conclusion works nicely. The statement begins by implying that the product will cause you to experience a strong emotion, but it forces you to click the title tag to learn exactly what that reaction is.
Although some SEO specialists may advise you to ensure that all of your meta descriptions end with entire phrases, a half-sentence can increase your click-through rate significantly (CTR).
It's best to get your meta description as near to the approximate 155-character maximum as you can if you're planning to employ this method.
Category pages
Your category page's or collection page's meta descriptions are the next set of meta descriptions to pay attention to. This page's objective is to compile comparable items for customers to view. For broad, popular keywords like “woman's shoes” or “men's sandals,” collections sites may appear.
As DSW does in their category for women's shoes, you should provide relevant information about the collection in your category page meta description to pique interest.
To entice browser clicks, they also employ straightforward action verbs like “Shop online for…” and “enjoy a huge assortment and free shipping…”
More mid-tail keywords and plurals should be targeted on category sites than on product pages. On a category page for black women's sweaters, the description would mention black sweaters for women. Describe your brands if you're a reseller.
Myriam Jessier
Doug Pierce, Director of Hong Kong-based marketing firm Cogney, advises employing emojis to liven up your description. “If it's a product collection page, a tactic I like to do is utilizing check marks ✔️ to flag out the sub-collections of items we offer.”
Additionally, he advises utilizing figures in the description (where appropriate) and attention-grabbing phrases like “free” or “exclusive” to draw readers in. Fit Small Business' Katie-Jay Simmons, an e-commerce expert, concurs. If your shop is currently running any special promotions, such as free shipping, extended warranties, or bargains, she adds, “it might make for wonderful information to put in a meta description as well.”
How to Write a Good Meta Description
You might be wondering: What are the best methods to use this information for my business now that we've discussed meta descriptions?
- Consider the customer mindset
- Make it unique
- Keep it at an optimal length
- Make it actionable
- Add a call to action
- Use your target keyword
- Try to avoid meta description generators
1. Consider the customer mindset
Prioritize what would make a searcher click on your title tag in the first place. That necessitates responding to two inquiries:
- What are you offering?
- Why should I buy from you?
The first question for product pages has a straightforward answer: you're selling your goods. Because you are the one selling the product, the second issue will be handled.
Your home page's meta descriptions are a little difficult. The best course of action is to consistently highlight your brand, as we saw in the Death Wish Coffee example. They should buy from you since you only have that one item in your entire store.
2. Make it unique
Because the meta description is not the place for subtlety, let readers know what you do, tell them about your unique selling proposition, and repeat this information several times. It's advisable to be patient and give your brand some serious thought if you're having trouble coming up with a compelling meta description for your site.
Strong copywriting is similar to producing good meta descriptions. It must contain the product's features and distinctive selling propositions.
Francis Angelo Reyes, Founder of Lupage Digital
What do devoted clients say about your company if you've been there for a while? And if you're new, how did you come to believe that this company will attract clients?
Your meta description serves as an opportunity to showcase your business while also attempting to attract clicks. According to Stephen Light, CMO, and co-owner of Nolah Mattress, “Think of meta descriptions as a continuation of your brand and a chance to concisely express your USP (unique selling proposition) utilizing pertinent keywords. Although the character limit might feel limiting, they are wonderful brief bursts of promotion.
Inform them about your company by describing it as you would in an elevator pitch. You should read through a few draughts. Since many clients will be exposed to you and your business for the first time through this, it's critical to get everything perfect. Additionally, redundant meta descriptions on different pages of your website might hurt your SEO efforts.
3. Keep it at an optimal length
When determining the length of your meta description, stay under the 155-character restriction. Any more text will likely be deleted by Google. Put the most crucial text—action verbs or a few lines about your business, like Fashion Nova does below—at the front of your description.
4. Make it actionable
Think of your e-commerce store's meta descriptions as its welcome mat. Ensure that your description is concise, captivating, and practical. Inform readers of what to expect from your page.
“Don't use too many adjectives or fancy phrases,” advises Fazal Khan, Head of SEO at Epos Now. The like “amazing” or “showstopping” could be appropriate, but they might discourage searchers from clicking through. He continues, “Make sure it is relevant to your page even if you are using intriguing terminology.”
A good example is the one from Bonobos below. It is succinct, inspiring, and speaks straight to the reader. By scrolling through, you may be sure to uncover a fantastic pair of dress pants.
5. Add a call to action
People will be persuaded to go through to your page if there is a call to action in your meta description. They aid readers in understanding what you have to offer and what to anticipate after they click. Pay attention to the various reasons why customers may be searching for ecommerce stores.
A lot of category sites will score highly if someone searches for a more general keyword, such as “women's shoes.” As opposed to product sites where people make purchases, people explore category pages. Your call to action should reflect their aims.
Some call-to-action examples for ecommerce are:
- Shop now
- Discover new trends
- Browse the collection
- Explore the collection
6. Use your target keyword
To help your page rank higher on search engines, find a way to incorporate your goal term. Make sure it sounds like it was written by a person. For instance, it doesn't look good for your company to cram all your target keywords into a meta description that reads, “Buy Women's Shoes, Women's Tennis Shoes, and Women's Shoes on Sale here!” since it comes across as robotic and forced.
Instead, incorporate the term in your description organically, like in the following example from the Shoe Carnival:
7. Avoid meta description generators
The usage of generators to create meta descriptions is up for discussion. Descriptions generated by generators can come off as flat and uninteresting. However, they may be effective if your brand has thousands of SKUs and insufficient resources to write them.
You're better off manually creating meta descriptions as a small firm, especially for pages that receive a lot of search traffic. The ecommerce Manager at OLIPOP Melanie Bedwell concurs. She thinks that meta descriptions ought to be unique. If you have a writer on your team, it will be simpler to make them distinctive.
“One of the finest opportunities for someone to click on your search result is in the meta description. It's too crucial, in my opinion, to be left in the hands of a machine.
Myriam Jessier, an SEO consultant, concurs: “Google started revising certain things because of meta description generators—to avoid boilerplate information that is low quality and doesn't meet search intent. The stated rule is that a poor-quality boilerplate explanation is preferable to none at all.
Make your own Meta Descriptions one of a kind
In order to boost website traffic, give a positive user experience, and raise conversion rates, it's crucial to write appealing meta descriptions, regardless of your expertise as a rookie or seasoned ecommerce webmaster. You may optimize your pages for the web by ticking the boxes above, and you'll soon reap the rewards of increased traffic and revenues.
Meta Description FAQ
Yes. A meta description tag is useful for both web browsers and search engines. They aid browsers in determining the purpose of your website and if it will respond to their query. Clicks and visibility in search can both rise with a distinctive meta description.
A persuasive explanation of the page that a user is about to click on should be included in the meta description. It needs to be crystal apparent what they stand to gain if they click through. To aid search engines in indexing and ranking the page, meta descriptions should contain the target term.
1- Consider a browser’s mindset
2- Make it unique
3- Keep it at an optimal length
4- Make it actionable
5- Add a call to action
6- Use your target keyword
7- Avoid meta description generators
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