How to write useful meta descriptions for business pages

A meta description is a short summary of a particular page. Use it to help a visitor decide whether the page answers their question, rather than repeating the same sales line across the site.

Summarise what is actually there

Read the page, then state its most useful detail in plain language. For an illustrative package page: “Review the page allowance, revision process and handover before requesting a website quote.” This describes content. “The best agency for amazing results” makes an unsupported claim and tells the visitor less.

Make each description distinct

Compare descriptions in a sheet. If several only change a keyword while keeping the same opening and closing, rewrite them around the different page tasks. A refund information page, a service page and a how-to article should give different reasons to visit.

Put decision details first

Include relevant scope or the problem the page solves. Only mention a price, date or included feature when it is present and current on that page. Avoid a generic call to action attached to every description; some pages are for learning, others for commissioning work.

Check the tag in the published page

Confirm there is one description and that quotes or special characters are escaped correctly. Review whether its wording still matches after editing the page. Google's documentation explains that snippets are usually generated from page content and may use the meta description; your wording is not guaranteed to appear unchanged.

Judge the result in context

A search snippet may vary by query and can be shortened for display. Do not repeatedly change the description solely because a preview cuts a sentence. Make the most useful information understandable early, then observe relevant queries and clicks when you have sufficient data.

Keep approved descriptions with the page inventory. They make a useful final check for accidental duplicate content or a mismatch between the promised page and the actual content. Treat them as accurate summaries, not a place to add claims you would not publish visibly.

Practical guidance with illustrative examples. Read our editorial standards or send a correction.