Writing a good meta title and meta description is one of the quickest SEO improvements you can make yourself. The meta title is the clickable blue title in Google. The meta description is the short bit of text below it. Together they decide whether someone clicks your result or your competitor's.
The meta title also helps Google understand what your page is about. The meta description does that less, but it does persuade the searcher. In this article you'll read how long they can be, how to build them and which mistakes to avoid, with examples.
What is a meta title and what is a meta description?
Both sit in your page's code, in the part visitors don't see directly. You usually fill them in through your CMS or an SEO plugin.
- Meta title, also called title tag or page title: the title in the search results and in your browser tab. It's an important signal to Google about the page's topic.
- Meta description: a short summary below the title. It isn't a direct ranking factor, but a good description often leads to more clicks.
More clicks means more visitors, without having to rank higher. That's why this is such a nice, quick win.
How long should a meta title and meta description be?
Google measures the space in pixels, not characters. A wide letter like W takes up more room than an i. Still, these rules of thumb help:
- Meta title: roughly 50 to 60 characters. Anything longer is often cut off with dots.
- Meta description: roughly 120 to 155 characters. On mobile, some text sometimes drops off sooner.
- Always put the most important part first, so it stays visible if something does get cut off.
Writing a meta title: the formula
A good meta title is short, clear and contains the keyword you want to be found for. A handy formula:
- Keyword first, for example the service plus the town.
- Then a benefit or differentiator, such as fast, fixed price or across the Netherlands.
- Optionally your brand name at the end, if there's room.
Examples:
- Service page: Appliance repair at home across the Netherlands
- Local page: Driving school in Den Helder, book a trial lesson fast
- Blog article: Website development: how to go about it
- Product page: E-bike rental in Haarlem by the day
And the homepage? There you usually choose your main service plus your brand name or town, for example: Transport company Nijkerk, groupage to France. That says much more than just Home or your company name. People already searching for your company name will find you anyway. The title mainly needs to convince new customers who don't know you yet.
You decide which keyword to use with keyword research. Don't write a title on gut feeling, but based on what people really type.
Writing a meta description that earns clicks
Think of the description as a small ad. The searcher scans it in a second. This works well:
- Start with what the reader gets or solves.
- Use the keyword once. Google often shows it in bold when it matches the search.
- Mention something concrete: a price indication, a delivery time, a service area, the number of steps.
- End with an invitation, such as: see the options or request a quote.
- Write in the tone of your website, formal or informal, just as you do in your other copy.
An example for an installation company: Central heating boiler broken? We often come by the same day in the Haarlem area. Clear price up front. Book an appointment now.
Notice there are no exaggerated words in it? Terms like the very best or number one inspire little trust. Concrete facts work better.
Why does Google rewrite my meta description?
Sometimes Google doesn't show your text but a snippet of its own from the page. That happens often with titles and even more often with descriptions. Google does this when it thinks another piece of text matches the search better.
You can't prevent it completely. But you can reduce the chance:
- Make sure your title and description truly match the content of the page.
- Avoid cluttered titles with a string of keywords in a row.
- Stay within the length limits.
- Make sure your page's main heading, the H1, lines up with your title.
Common mistakes with meta titles and descriptions
- The same title or description on several pages. Every page deserves its own text.
- Empty descriptions, so Google picks something itself.
- Only your company name as the homepage title.
- Stacking keywords, such as: Plumber Amsterdam, plumber Amstelveen, best plumber. It reads badly and doesn't work.
- Promises the page doesn't deliver. Visitors click and leave straight away.
- Titles on a new website accidentally left as Home or New page.
How to tackle it for your whole website
If you have a small site, you can do this in an afternoon. On a larger site, it's smartest to work in order of importance.
- Make a list of your pages, for example with an export from your CMS or Google Search Console.
- Start with the pages that bring in the most: homepage, service pages and local pages.
- In Search Console, look for pages with lots of impressions but few clicks. That's where a better title pays off most.
- Write new text, publish it and compare the number of clicks after a few weeks.
This is part of the SEO basics. Read our technical SEO checklist for the other points you can check.
Having meta titles written or checked
Every website we build at Violexa includes the SEO basics. That covers proper meta titles and descriptions too. A custom website starts from €1,799 excl. VAT (€2,177 incl. VAT) per project. Already have a site and want to work on your visibility on an ongoing basis? We do that within online marketing, from €599 excl. VAT (€725 incl. VAT) per month, cancel any month.
Want to know how your pages are doing on Google right now? Book a free quickscan. In 30 minutes, online or on site, we take a look with you. Afterwards you get short written advice with a price indication, with no obligation.
Frequently asked questions
How do you write a good meta title and meta description?
Put the main keyword at the start of the title and keep it around 50 to 60 characters. Write a description of roughly 120 to 155 characters that says what the reader gets and ends with an invitation. Write unique text for every page.
Is the meta description important for SEO?
Not directly for your position on Google. But a good description does help decide whether people click your result. More clicks bring more visitors from the same position.
Why does Google show a different title from the one I set?
Google sometimes adjusts titles and descriptions when it thinks another piece of text better matches the search. That happens more with titles that are too long, vague or cluttered. A short, honest title that matches the content is used more often.
Where do I fill in the meta title?
Usually in your CMS, under a page's SEO settings, or through an SEO plugin. Can't see such a field? Ask your web developer to add it.
