For many SEOs, the 165-character limit Increase in the length was malaysia email list a basic guideline for meta description length :
<meta name=”description” content=”Google meta description content”/>
But Google has just ended that recommendation. In early December 2017, it updated the appearance of rankings and search listings on mobile and desktop devices, which, in some cases, resulted in an increase in the character of descriptions of more than 90%.
Google snippets and meta description length have undergone a positive change.
Of course, with each update Increase in the length comes a pdca cycle: the engine of continuous improvement and efficiency in your company bit of the unknown along with a bit of intrigue, but SEOs have begun to see snippets as long as 266, 273, and even 320 characters. This is a very good thing, as we can use it to our advantage and increase our website’s organic traffic with strategies that encourage users to click through to our website through Google search results.
In the example below, the highlighted section of the description represents the original 165-character limit, followed by an additional 153 characters, rounding out the total to 318 characters. With the increased character limit, VidalPRO Digital was able to provide a more complete description, while the 165-character limit would have left readers wondering about our digital agency’s services.
So how does Google’s new snippet description length work for SEO?
Beyond the flexibility of more characters, you might be surprised by the potential effects of this subtle change on SEO and user search results. Here are some thoughts on the change you should consider.
Does increasing description characters help Google and its users?
Google will likely try to Increase in the length answer database d more questions in search listings. This is especially compatible with the rise of featured snippets, but why would that help users? Well, it decreases the time it takes users to get answers and potentially eliminates the need to click through to a specific website.
While not all questions can be fully answered in . A snippets, it gives users and their smart devices, including voice search, the ability to find answers . A much faster than when descriptions were only a maximum of 165 characters.
This will likely negatively impact click-through rates as a percentage, but we won’t note a downward trend in CTRs for the time being. With more real estate being won . A sites above the fold can get a better end of the deal by making . A search engine optimization (SEO) much more important to achieve a higher percentage of search impression visibility.
What should SEOs do to optimize extended meta descriptions?
Time to update those descriptions! According to one SEO-focused company, using the recommended 300 characters to complete meta descriptions is optimal and allows you to answer users’ questions more thoroughly. Not only will you gain more leverage, but meta descriptions that provide thoughtful answers, including keywords relevant to a user’s search, may also gain a little more ranking weight.
Our recommended strategy would be to start with the pages that provide your site with the most organic traffic and work backward to gain an advantage and maintain those top rankings. To find these pages, consult your website analytics account or ask your search engine optimization team.
If you need help with your meta descriptions, page titles, or anything else related to search engine optimization, contact VidalPRO Digital Agency today for a free consultation and assessment of your website and your company’s SEO.
