How to write a meta description for seic.com pages
What is a meta description?
Meta descriptions appear in search engine results, just under the page title. They’re teasers, telling the reader what to expect on your page. Unlike content on the web page itself, the reader may not have any other context about the company or what’s on our page, because they are not yet on the site where they would get multiple cues. So, in the space of 160 characters, you need to tell a web searcher about the company, the topic, and the service or resource you’re offering. In many ways, they’re like little organic ads.
Do metas really matter?
Yes. A strong meta description has indirect SEO benefits. It helps guide the right readers to the right pages.
When an interested reader clicks to your page, spends time on it, and continues to look at more pages, that helps our site-wide SEO. Conversely, when a non-interested reader clicks into a page and immediately leaves (the wrong reader), that works against us.
Strong, relevant meta descriptions means more people will go to your page purposefully. You'll have fewer bounces and more engagement—and that helps boost your rankings
Bounce rate, time on site, and page depth are elements in search engine algorithms.
What if my page doesn’t have one?
If you haven’t populated the meta description field in Drupal, you are not in control of what a searcher sees in their search results. The search engine will create one from various bits of information on your page. It could be the subtitle or the first line of your page content, or a sentence that seems to match the search engine query--whether or not it gives context.
How do I write a strong meta description?
SEER Interactive recommends the following four steps for writing effective meta descriptions:
- Be clear and descriptive. When someone encounters your meta description, they should clearly understand what they'll find on your page.
- Make it relevant. Include keywords that are directly related to your page’s topic. Don't go broad. Be specific.
- Keep it brief: Most search engines cut off the meta description after 160 characters, so use 150-160 characters for best results.
- Include a CTA: Include a call-to-action in your meta description to encourage users to click through to your page.
Example:
We offer fund administration, back office services and outsourced fund accounting for investment managers. Turn your back office into a competitive advantage.
Preview tool: This tool shows how your title and meta description will look on the search results page: https://www.portent.com/serp-preview-tool