This is going to be a long but thorough blog about Meta Titles and Descriptions. We will discuss what metadata is, how it works, how to add it to your blogs, and tips on writing better titles and descriptions. I try to break up content but this felt important to keep together.
Table of Contents
- What is Metadata?
- What are Meta Titles and Meta Descriptions?
- How to Add Meta Titles and Descriptions on WordPress
- Writing Better Meta Titles and Descriptions: Do’s and Dont’s
What is Metadata?
Adding Metadata to your web pages is a form of Technical SEO. Metadata is not only used in SEO but is used in many different forms in order to label and categorize digital assets. Metadata is easy for computers to read without scanning text. It can be a bit more complicated than that if you’re interested in reading more about Metadata, but those are the basics.
What are Meta Titles and Meta Descriptions?
Metadata is added to the very top of a website, in a coding language, to make it easy for search engine algorithms to find and read. Below is a snippet of what this website’s metadata looks like in its original format. You can access any website’s base code if you right-click on the web page and select “View Source” at the bottom. This is useful if you want to see what metadata or schema your competitors are using.
<title>Intro to SEO: What is It and Do I Need It? - MunroH - Digital Marketing and SEO Resource</title>
<meta name="description" content="There are 3 types of SEO: On-Page, Off-Page, and Technical. We go over the basics of each as well as answer the question, is SEO even important?"/>
<meta name="robots" content="follow, index, max-snippet:-1, max-video-preview:-1, max-image-preview:large"/>
<link rel="canonical" href="https://www.munroh.com/intro-to-seo-what-is-it-and-do-i-need-it/" />
<meta property="og:locale" content="en_US" />
<meta property="og:type" content="article" />
<meta property="og:title" content="Intro to SEO: What is It and Do I Need It? - MunroH - Digital Marketing and SEO Resource" />
<meta property="og:description" content="There are 3 types of SEO: On-Page, Off-Page, and Technical. We go over the basics of each as well as answer the question, is SEO even important?" />
The code above is the metadata for the blog “Intro to SEO: What is It and Do I Need It?“. You don’t need to be able to read code to get the gist of what is being said.
Under “og:title” you are seeing the specific Title I created to show up in search engines. Below it there is “og:description” which is a brief description of what the article is about. This information is what you will see when my blog ends up on the Search Engine Results Page.
Google Requirements for Meta Titles and Descriptions
Obviously, each search engine will have its own requirements and limits on metadata. Usually, it is based on pixel width but most metadata tools base it on character count. Google often changes the limits but as of August 2021 the current limits are:
- Meta Titles get cut off around 50 characters
- Meta Descriptions get cut off around 150 characters
How to Add Meta Titles and Descriptions on WordPress
Every site is different, but since I recommend WordPress I’ll give a brief explanation of how to add metadata to blogs on WordPress.
Free SEO Plugins: Yoast and RankMath
First, you need to add an SEO plugin. These tools will help optimize your website holistically and give guidance on SEO in many different ways. Currently, the two most popular plugins are Yoast and Rankmath. I have used and enjoy both, only using their free version.
Adding Meta Titles and Descriptions on a Post with Yoast
Scroll to the bottom of the post in edit mode and the Yoast Widget is there. You can edit the title, the URL (slug) and the meta description. The green bar at the bottom changes colours based on the character count. If the character count is too low it is orange, if it’s just right it is green, red is too long.
Adding Meta Titles and Descriptions on a Post with RankMath
RankMath is a little more hidden and was confusing to me at first. RankMath plugin details are in the top right hand corner of the post. The red box with the graph icon. It is next to the gear for post/block settings. Click on the blue button “Edit Snippet” and a box will pop up where you can update the meta description and title.
Writing Better Meta Titles and Descriptions: Do’s and Don’ts
Metadata will come down to good copy and keyword usage. Each page and post on your website will need a unique title and description that will grab the reader’s attention. Number one thing you need to remember is to be honest. Make sure your title and description are accurate. If someone clicks on your listing on google and then automatically leaves since you don’t have what they need, this increases your bounce rate.
What to Do when Writing Meta Titles and Descriptions
- Use Keywords: Make sure your keyword you are trying to rank for is added at least once in the title and the description.
- Be a Little Longer: I like to write descriptions a little longer than required. The elipses (…) often entice people to read more!
- Highlight Extras: If there is something extra about your post let people know! Add (Free Template) or (Infographic) or (no code) to the Title or description, these are big pulls for people.
- People Love Lists: Even if it isn’t list format people love titles like “5 Easy Ways to use SEO (no code)”. The readers may be able to get the information they need just from reading headers.
- Check your Competitors: Google the term you want to rank for and review what your competitors are using. If all the current websites are only offering complex explanations try something like “Learn to Sew in 3 Easy Steps” or “Easy WordPress Setup (No Coding)”.
What NOT to do when Writing Meta Titles and Descriptions
- Don’t Stuff Keywords: Adding a bunch of keywords can be hard to read and is considered a punishable offense by Google
- Don’t create duplicate Titles/Descriptions: Make sure all your pages and posts are unique. While there are some cases where it makes sense you could end up competing with yourself in certain keywords. It also looks spammy.
- Lying: Don’t mention things you don’t actually cover
- Be Boring: Make dynamic content that sounds descriptive and interesting. Use adjectives and Capitlize to make things easier to read.
- Don’t use Quotation Marks: Quotation marks are used in coding and can mess up the look of your copy.
What Tips and Tricks Do You Use?
Now as you head off to add metadata to every single one of the pages and posts of your website, you have all the information you need! What tricks have you found work best for your business? Let me know in the comments!