Meta Description
A short summary of your page that appears under the title in Google search results.
The meta description is the summary a page offers for its search result. It is not a ranking factor, and Google rewrites it more often than not — but when it is used it decides whether people click. Around 155 characters, written to match the query the page is targeting, is the practical shape.
Definition
A meta description is an HTML attribute that provides a brief summary of a webpage's content. It appears below the title tag in search results and influences click-through rates.
While Google has stated meta descriptions are not a direct ranking factor, they significantly impact CTR — which indirectly affects rankings. Ideal length is 150-160 characters. Google may generate its own snippet if the provided description doesn't match the query.
Across every site SlapMyWeb has audited, 62.2% write a meta description — which leaves 37.8% with no meta description, so Google writes one for them.
Measured from SlapMyWeb audits of live public URLs. The full aggregate is published as a CC-BY-4.0 dataset.
Why It Matters
A compelling meta description can increase CTR by 5-10%. It is your "ad copy" in organic search — the free space to convince searchers to click your result over competitors.
Example
<meta name="description" content="Free AI website audit. 240+ checks for speed, SEO, mobile, and security. Get savage roasts and code fixes in 30 seconds. No signup.">Related Terms
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