How to Write Meta Descriptions That Actually Get Clicked
< Small Business Marketing Questions & Answers

How do I write meta descriptions that actually get people to click on my search results?

Keep it under 160 characters, include your target keyword naturally, promise a specific benefit, and create urgency or curiosity. Meta descriptions are like mini-ads for your content—they need to be compelling enough to make people choose your result over the nine others on the page.

Quick summary

The "Stop the Scroll" Strategy: Meta descriptions are your chance to sell your content in search results.

  • Character Limit: Keep it under 160 characters or Google will cut it off
  • Keyword Inclusion: Use your target keyword naturally (Google bolds matching terms)
  • Benefit Promise: Tell people what they'll get from clicking
  • Urgency Creation: Give people a reason to click now
  • Question Hook: Ask a question that makes people curious
  • Avoid Duplication: Every page should have a unique meta description

Longer Explanation

Most small business owners either skip meta descriptions entirely or write something boring like "Learn about our services." That's like having a billboard that says "We sell stuff." Your meta description is basically a mini-advertisement for your content.

You've got about 160 characters to make someone think "I need to read this right now." Every character matters because Google will cut off anything longer.

Include your target keyword naturally because Google bolds matching terms in search results. If someone searches for "wedding photography tips" and your meta description includes that phrase, it'll stand out visually. But don't just stuff the keyword in there—make it flow naturally.

Promise a specific benefit or outcome. Instead of "Tips for better photography," try "5 photography mistakes that are ruining your wedding photos (and how to fix them)." The second version tells people exactly what they'll learn and implies they'll improve their photos.

Create urgency or curiosity. Use phrases like "right now," "before it's too late," or "the secret that." You want people to feel like they need to click immediately, not bookmark it for later.

Ask a question that makes people curious. "Are you making these SEO mistakes?" is more compelling than "SEO tips for small businesses" because it makes people wonder if they're doing something wrong.

Avoid duplicating your page title in the meta description. The title and description should work together to tell a complete story. If your title is "How to Start a Blog," your meta description might be "Skip the overwhelm and launch your business blog in 30 minutes with this step-by-step guide."

Make every page's meta description unique. Don't copy and paste the same description across multiple pages—each page should have its own compelling mini-ad. Enji's blog copywriter can help you craft compelling meta descriptions for blogs you create that stand out in search results and improve your click-through rates.

Example

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AI Copywriter

Stop Writing Meta Descriptions That Get Ignored

Your content deserves to be clicked, but boring meta descriptions are keeping people from ever seeing it. Enji's blog AI copywriter help you craft compelling meta descriptions that stand out in search results and improve your click-through rates. Turn your search results into traffic magnets because ranking on page one doesn't matter if nobody clicks on your result.

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