Google’s John Mueller answered the query about whether or not a meta description can be utilized to affect the search rankings.
It’s query as a result of Google advises to make use of distinctive meta descriptions on internet pages. So there may be some sort of affect however is that affect associated to rankings? John Mueller solutions that query.
Meta Aspect
The meta tag is formally often called a meta factor. The meta factor is used to explain (characterize) document-level details about an online web page.
So as to describe totally different properties of the online web page the meta factor (like all HTML components) has attributes which sort of extends the meta factor in order that it might present a particular sort of info to an online browser or to an online crawler (like Googlebot).
For instance:
- A meta robots tag communicates to crawlers.
- A meta refresh tag communicates to a browser.
There are various different meta tags that talk on to serps and browsers:
- meta identify=”viewport”
- meta http-equiv=”refresh”
- meta identify=”google-site-verification”
- meta identify=”googlebot” content material=”notranslate”
Meta factor information is info that’s not meant for web site guests to straight see (though it may be seen not directly by way of the search outcomes).
Meta Description
The W3C is the standards-making physique liable for defining HTML (amongst different issues)
The official W3C specification for the meta description tag says that the meta description is designed to be used by serps.
“The worth should be a free-form string that describes the web page. The worth should be applicable to be used in a listing of pages, e.g. in a search engine.
There should not be multiple meta factor with its identify attribute set to the worth description per doc.”
Google’s Use of Meta Descriptions
Google’s documentation of snippets notes that meta descriptions are used for producing search outcomes snippets.
If a meta description is correctly used then the meta description displayed within the search outcomes will talk to the potential web site customer what the web page is about and provides them an concept of what to anticipate in the event that they click on the hyperlink and go to the web site.
There is no such thing as a restrict on how lengthy a meta description might be.
Nonetheless there’s a restrict on how a lot of the meta description that serps will select to indicate. The restrict is outlined by how a lot might be proven on the person’s browser system.
Does Google Use Meta Description for Rating?
The particular person asking the query was particularly asking about including location identify info to the meta description and if it could assist rankings.
Google’s John Mueller answered with a broader scope than simply including the situation identify, his reply was about whether or not something within the meta description affected rankings.
That is the query requested:
“Does including the situation identify within the meta description matter to Google when it comes to rating if the content material high quality is maintained?”
John Mueller answered:
“So the meta description is primarily used as a snippet within the search outcomes web page.
And that’s not one thing that we might use for rating.
However clearly, having snippet on a search outcomes web page, that may make it extra attention-grabbing for folks to really go to your web page after they see your web page rating within the search outcomes.”
Meta Description and web optimization
There’s quite a bit to find out about HTML meta components and this query is an efficient instance of the worth of understanding HTML and the way they’re utilized by browsers and serps.
Understanding the background details about meta components and the meta description tag specifically helps construct a greater understanding of how all of the items match collectively for web optimization.
Quotation
Does Meta Description Matter for Rankings?
Watch John Mueller reply the query on the 26:47 mark within the video:
