THE ROLE OF THE META DESCRIPTION TAG

Don't think this tag has any importance? Wrong! With the latest changes in Google and Yahoo, now more than ever, careful attention should be given to how the Meta Description tag is formed for each page within your site. Not only does this tag provide users with a glimpse of the content of your Web page, the Meta Description tag also carries some weight within most search engines and can help to improve the search engine placement for it.

This translates to one word: opportunity!

In most cases, the contents of this tag often appears below the title in a search engine's list of results. This is where full advantage should be taken to construct a description that will make the user want to learn more. Thus, click on the link to your site.

Now, it's also just as important to point out that careful thought and consideration should be given as to the keyword phrases you use as part of your stellar description.

Where does the Meta Description Tag go?

The Meta description tag is usually placed after the Title tag and before the Meta Keyword tag, and looks like this:

<META NAME=”Description" CONTENT=”An awesome, well-thought out sentence goes here.”>

Description Tag Tips

1. Try and stick to a one-sentence description.
2. Keep your words to under 200 per tag.
3. Go ahead and integrate keyword phrases, but don't repeat them. Instead, use various forms or tenses.
4. If your site was written by someone experienced in search engine copywriting, you should be able to take a good descriptive sentence right out of the copy to use for the Meta Description tag,
5. If you wrote your own copy, take a good look at the first sentence on your page. Chances are you'll be able to either use that sentence as is, or with a bit of honing.
6. Read your tag as though you were a user. After reading just that sentence, would you want to click to learn more?