Google’s assist doc on controlling your snippets in search outcomes has added some examples of “dangerous” and “higher” meta descriptions.
The dangerous. Google advises avoiding these 4 kinds of “dangerous” meta descriptions:
- Listing of key phrases: “Stitching provides, yarn, coloured pencils, stitching machines, threads, bobbins, needles”
- Identical description used for each information article: “Native information in Whoville, delivered to the doorstep. Discover out what occurred as we speak.”
- Doesn’t summarize the web page: “Eggs are a supply of pleasure in everybody’s life. Once I was a small baby, I keep in mind selecting eggs from the hen home and bringing them to the kitchen. These have been the times.”
- Too brief: “Mechanical pencil“
The higher. Google’s examples of higher meta descriptions:
- Explains what the store sells and particulars like opening hours and placement. “Get every thing you must sew your subsequent garment. Open Monday-Friday 8-5pm, positioned within the Trend District.”
- Use a snippet from the precise information article: “Upsetting the small city of Whoville, an area aged man steals everybody’s presents the night time earlier than an essential occasion. Keep tuned for stay updates on the matter.”
- Summarize the entire web page: “Learn to cook dinner eggs with this entire information in 1 hour or much less. We cowl all of the strategies, together with: over-easy, sunny aspect up, boiled, and poached.”
- Are particular and detailed. “Self-sharpening mechanical pencil that autocorrects your penmanship. Contains 2B auto-replenishing lead. Obtainable in each Classic Pink and Schoolbus Yellow. Order 50+ pencils, get free delivery.”
The up to date doc. Google revealed its documentation on controlling your snippets in search leads to October. You possibly can see all the brand new additions, right here.
Why we care. Whereas there’s nothing earth-shattering and that is largely simply fundamental search engine optimisation, it’s good to see Google present some extra particular steerage on easy methods to create useful and descriptive meta descriptions which can be extra prone to get clicks and site visitors. Not that we are able to ever depend on Google to make use of these meta descriptions, after all.
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About The Writer
Danny Goodwin is Managing Editor of Search Engine Land & SMX. Along with writing day by day about search engine optimisation, PPC, and extra for Search Engine Land, Goodwin additionally manages Search Engine Land’s roster of subject-matter consultants. He additionally helps program our convention sequence, SMX – Search Advertising Expo.
Previous to becoming a member of Search Engine Land, Goodwin was Govt Editor at Search Engine Journal, the place he led editorial initiatives for the model. He additionally was an editor at Search Engine Watch. He has spoken at many main search conferences and digital occasions, and has been sourced for his experience by a variety of publications and podcasts.
