Difference between revisions of "Glossary/Meta-description"

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< [[Glossary]]

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~~The meta~~ description ~~of a website is a piece of text written by the owner or website designer, usually 25 to 30 words. It is included in the coding, or computer language, that creates the website.~~

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==Meta description==

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----

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The meta description is ~~one~~ of the ~~first steps a~~ website ~~owner can take~~ to ~~deliver~~ the ~~message he~~ or ~~she wants~~ the ~~world to associate with that website~~. ~~Because the~~ meta description ~~shows up~~ in search ~~engine~~ results, ~~it's important for that description to be accurate~~ and ~~engaging enough to attract~~ the ~~right~~ people to ~~the site~~.

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The meta description of a web page is a piece of text written by the owner or website designer to describe what's on that page. It is included in the "source" code, or computer language, for the page.

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The meta description is often displayed below the title of the web page in search results. The title appears as a clickable link to the page, and both the title and the meta description help people decide whether they want to visit that web page.

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~~If the website does not have a specific~~ meta description~~, search engines will pick up~~ a ~~piece~~ of ~~text in~~ the website ~~that corresponds~~ to ~~the terms used for~~ a ~~search~~.

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Writing an accurate, engaging meta description for a site's home page is one of the first steps a website owner can take to create a strong online presence. Every important page on a website should also have a good title and an accurate, attractive meta description.

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~~Website designers and owners who pay attention~~ to ~~search engine optimization -- also known as SEO-- use relevant keywords in~~ the meta description. ~~This means using~~ the ~~terms people type in that best fit what~~ the ~~website owner is trying to promote~~. ~~For example, a site that sells dog supplies would attract more visitors by including keywords such as "dog" and "pet" in its meta description.~~

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Search engines will generally read 200 to 250 characters of the meta description, but usually display just 150 characters, including spaces. The first 150 characters should contain the most important keywords for the web page. Using fewer than 50 characters could mean you’re not saying enough about the page.

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~~Meta descriptions differ from meta tags, which are small pieces of text -- usually one to three words -- that tell search engines what~~ the ~~website is about~~.

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If a web page does not have a specific meta description, search engines will pick up a piece of text in the web page that corresponds to the terms used for a search, and will display that text as the description.

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Website designers and owners who pay attention to search engine optimization ([[Learn/Search-Engine-Optimization|SEO]]) use relevant [[Glossary/Keyword|keywords]] in the meta description. For example, a site that sells dog supplies would attract more visitors by including keywords such as "dogs" and "dog supplies" in its meta description. To learn more about using relevant keywords, read [[Learn/Keyword-Research-Is-Key-to-Online-Success|Keyword Research Is Key to Online Success]]

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For more information about meta descriptions, read [[Learn/Good-Meta-Descriptions-Bring-More-Site-Traffic|Good Meta Descriptions Bring More Site Traffic]]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 < [[Glossary]]
-The meta description of a website is a piece of text written by the owner or website designer, usually 25 to 30 words. It is included in the coding, or computer language, that creates the website.
+==Meta description==
+----
-The meta description is one of the first steps a website owner can take to deliver the message he or she wants the world to associate with that website. Because the meta description shows up in search engine results, it's important for that description to be accurate and engaging enough to attract the right people to the site.
+The meta description of a web page is a piece of text written by the owner or website designer to describe what's on that page. It is included in the "source" code, or computer language, for the page.
+The meta description is often displayed below the title of the web page in search results. The title appears as a clickable link to the page, and both the title and the meta description help people decide whether they want to visit that web page.
-If the website does not have a specific meta description, search engines will pick up a piece of text in the website that corresponds to the terms used for a search.
+Writing an accurate, engaging meta description for a site's home page is one of the first steps a website owner can take to create a strong online presence. Every important page on a website should also have a good title and an accurate, attractive meta description.
-Website designers and owners who pay attention to search engine optimization -- also known as SEO-- use relevant keywords in the meta description. This means using the terms people type in that best fit what the website owner is trying to promote. For example, a site that sells dog supplies would attract more visitors by including keywords such as "dog" and "pet" in its meta description.
+Search engines will generally read 200 to 250 characters of the meta description, but usually display just 150 characters, including spaces. The first 150 characters should contain the most important keywords for the web page. Using fewer than 50 characters could mean you’re not saying enough about the page.
-Meta descriptions differ from meta tags, which are small pieces of text -- usually one to three words -- that tell search engines what the website is about.
+If a web page does not have a specific meta description, search engines will pick up a piece of text in the web page that corresponds to the terms used for a search, and will display that text as the description.
+Website designers and owners who pay attention to search engine optimization ([[Learn/Search-Engine-Optimization|SEO]]) use relevant [[Glossary/Keyword|keywords]] in the meta description. For example, a site that sells dog supplies would attract more visitors by including keywords such as "dogs" and "dog supplies" in its meta description.  To learn more about using relevant keywords, read [[Learn/Keyword-Research-Is-Key-to-Online-Success|Keyword Research Is Key to Online Success]]
+For more information about meta descriptions, read [[Learn/Good-Meta-Descriptions-Bring-More-Site-Traffic|Good Meta Descriptions Bring More Site Traffic]]