Meta Description Tag..To use or not to use?

[coolspot]

just a thought...
if i place meta description in the tag, search engines will display that text to the user right?
but if i leave blank, then search engine will choose most relevant description based on the search query and match to the content. surely the latter is better as the search engine will tie the content and the search term together?

[alcymart]

I found that not all SE's follow that rule. Even with meta description, some don't use it and instead will use H1.

Bernard

[bay37]

Definitely use meta description tags. Search engines will choose what they want to display to their users, but meta description tags are still useful (or seen as an important part of a website), so include them just in case.

[Kev Stevenson]

Use it - if it is is well written and the SE does display it, it can act like a well written tagline to go with your well crafted page title.

Otherwise the SE will display a fairly random excerpt from your page (not exactly random ) that may not show your page in it's best light to your potential visitor.

[ChrisRWS]

Always spend time on your meta description... It's 160 characters of free Sales Copy!! IM is about getting people to click your links not just get to #1 in Google

[John Hocking]

Use the meta description to create a reason for the user to click on your link.

What is the point of working hard to get a good rank to leave it up to the search engine to fill it in for you.

Most search engines will just grab text from the top of your page. Most often you end up with title of links in your menu.

If you search for any keyword. Take a look at the description and you will see which ones were crafted and when were auto generated most of the time.

Treat your title like the headline to an ad and your description like the supporting body.

[corycrabb]

yes I agree you still want to use META even now adays.

[Georgech]

Must use. Although it is not as important as before it still has some weight in terms of search rankings. Plus, like fellow warriors said, make it enticing but not look like advertising so that web searchers will click on your listing.

[Brian Lett]

I like your train of thought. However, I believe that you are giving artificial intelligence too much credit.

The truth is that it might be best to target your niche market to the degree which makes it possible to create a meta description which will compel those in your niche market to click your link in the SERPs. This way, you remain in control of what the user sees, and can ensure that it is always relevant.

[paulgl]

Whether you have a meta description or not, you do leave it up to
the search engine. You cannot force google to show your meta.

It has nothing to do with SERPs anyway. It's a moot point. These
metas just won't die because people have such a fondness for them,
and, dang it, they're gonna use em!

Funny. If you have good content, why are you worried about a snippet
of that showing instead? In fact, it's what you want for the search at
hand, which may be different than your meta d.

Paul

[msam]

No the later is not a good move .. We must give page specific meta description for each page

[GeorgR.]

Google IGORES the meta-description tag. You cannot force a description to your liking to appear in the Google listing.

Google will pick the relevant text snippets automatically from your content, this is what will appear in the listing.

[Aki Fagno]

You still have to make use of your META. Don't ever dare to take it for granted. It helps a lot.

[Kev Stevenson]

Originally Posted by GeorgR.

Google IGORES the meta-description tag. You cannot force a description to your liking to appear in the Google listing.

Google will pick the relevant text snippets automatically from your content, this is what will appear in the listing.

Sorry GeorgR - that's not always true.

Not true for B1ng either...

[spectrecom]

Originally Posted by coolspot

just a thought...
if i place meta description in the tag, search engines will display that text to the user right?
but if i leave blank, then search engine will choose most relevant description based on the search query and match to the content. surely the latter is better as the search engine will tie the content and the search term together?

The search engines tend to do a bit of both. Sometimes they use the meta description, sometimes they take random bits of copy.

You don't really need to keyword optimise your meta-descriptions though, better to write something likely to entice web-users into your website

[russjam]

Originally Posted by Kev Stevenson

Sorry GeorgR - that's not always true.

Not true for B1ng either...

Exactly!

Google and Bing use the meta description when they think it is appropriate.

They don't use it if they find other text on the page that is better suited to the search term typed by the user. (which is a good thing)

[Blimpy]

Originally Posted by russjam

They don't use it if they find other text on the page that is better suited to the search term typed by the user. (which is a good thing)

I'm having a huge problem with this right now where Google is just displaying my meta keywords, so for example:

Best Dog Trainer
Sep 12, 2010...Tags: best dog trainer, dog trainer tips, dog trainers, dog trainer advice

I'm sure that lowers the CTR, and it's kind of crazy Google just chose the most keyword stuffed thing it could find, especially considering those words aren't even on the page! I just tried writing a new meta description to see if it would get picked up instead, we'll see.

So a word of warning I guess. Anyone have some good tips to stop something like that from happening?

[rocky110]

Well comparing title tag and meta keywords tag.. meta description tag can't be ignored well 160 characters enough to define your page in description tag and it is very good to have unique lines in that description because in major onpage factors meta tags are of significant importance. So that's better to concentrate on your meta description tag also.

[Blimpy]

I had a meta description before, it was just the first 160 characters by default. I tried changing it to around 140 characters today and added the targeted keyword a couple times, so can report what happens when it gets crawled.

[Watch Store]

you must definitely write your own meta-description tag, to promote your own website and NOt rely on Google's random tag

[nitpat1]

I think that using unique, relevant description meta tag to each page keeping it between 25 and 150 characters in length are effective for search engine optimization

[iphonesupport]

I feel that Meta Description is something you can’t just ignore. Meta description should contain a brief description of your website focusing on the areas and services that your business is specialized in.

[Genesis1]

Sure, use it. google asks your meta teg and shows information in search results

[jackdsuza1]

I think that using unique, relevant description meta tag to each page keeping it between 25 and 150 characters in length are effective