SEO glossary
What is a Meta Description?
Learn what a meta description is, how it pairs with the SEO title in SERPs, and how to write descriptions that support click-through without keyword stuffing.
Definition
A meta description is an HTML meta tag that summarizes a page’s content; search engines may use it as the SERP snippet beneath the title link when it matches the query well.
Titles and descriptions as a unit
The SEO title earns the click opening; the meta description closes it. Audit both together during crawls so compelling titles are not paired with empty or duplicated descriptions.
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
Is the meta description a ranking factor?
It is primarily a CTR and clarity control. Relevance still matters indirectly through engagement.
What if Google ignores my description?
It may generate an alternate snippet from page text that better matches the query.
References
Explore authoritative guidance and frameworks related to meta description.
Explore every glossary definition
Return to the glossary to search by term, alias, starting letter, or category.