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What is meta description?

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<meta name="description"> is an HTML meta tag that contains a short description of a page's content. It is not displayed on the page itself, but is used by search engines and social networks.

What meta description does:

  • Appears in search results - as text below the title. This is what the user sees before clicking. Example:

    javascript
    <meta name="description" content="Buy laptops in Kyiv - wide selection, model comparison and delivery.">

  • Affects CTR (click-through rate) - the clearer and more attractive the description, the higher the chance the user will click.

  • Does not directly affect ranking (according to Google), but it affects it indirectly through user behavior (a higher CTR means better behavioral signals, which means higher positions).

Recommendations:

  • Write a unique description for each page
  • Length: up to 150-160 characters, otherwise it gets truncated
  • Include the main target keyword
  • Make the description clear, concise, and attractive

Conclusion: meta description is like a preview of the page. It does not rank a page directly, but it draws the user in, sets expectations, and can decide whether they click or scroll past.

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