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Google Is Showing a Terrible Description for My Blog...Help!

by bluenetworx
11 replies
Hello,


I am having a hard time working out how to tell Google what to display for the description in its search results for the index page of my wordpress blogs.

For example: http://www.myblog.com is indexed and getting top Google rankings, so NOT a post page but the INDEX page, and Google is showing something like this for this for description:

"DATE...and then just some random text that it grabs..."

The date it is showing is months and months ago too!!

This is hurting my CTR and I can figure out how to change it. I can change it easily for a post page but not the index page.

Can anyway help me please?

Thanks
#bloghelp #description #google #showing #terrible
  • Profile picture of the author M Thompson
    Have you entered anything in the description box? or have you used an seo plugin?

    Originally Posted by bluenetworx View Post

    Hello,


    I am having a hard time working out how to tell Google what to display for the description in its search results for the index page of my wordpress blogs.

    For example: http://www.myblog.com is indexed and getting top Google rankings, so NOT a post page but the INDEX page, and Google is showing something like this for this for description:

    "DATE...and then just some random text that it grabs..."

    The date it is showing is months and months ago too!!

    This is hurting my CTR and I can figure out how to change it. I can change it easily for a post page but not the index page.

    Can anyway help me please?

    Thanks
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    • Profile picture of the author bluenetworx
      Hey All,

      Thanks for your replies,

      Mark: I have when I am in the editing view for the posts, but I don't know how to do this for the index page, because there is no editing view for the index page

      I am using AllInOne SEO pack and it is super easy for the posts, all you do is write the description, but what do you do about the INDEX page
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  • Profile picture of the author iYingHang
    Originally Posted by bluenetworx View Post

    Hello,


    I am having a hard time working out how to tell Google what to display for the description in its search results for the index page of my wordpress blogs.

    For example: http://www.myblog.com is indexed and getting top Google rankings, so NOT a post page but the INDEX page, and Google is showing something like this for this for description:

    "DATE...and then just some random text that it grabs..."

    The date it is showing is months and months ago too!!

    This is hurting my CTR and I can figure out how to change it. I can change it easily for a post page but not the index page.

    Can anyway help me please?

    Thanks
    Hey mate,

    I was facing your problem years ago and the easiest way to fix it is to install the plugin called "Platinum SEO Plugin"

    Cheers,
    iYingHang
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  • Profile picture of the author Dennis Gaskill
    Google pulls the description from one of two places, either the description meta tag, or from page content (which purportedly can be page content that is relevant to the search query or page content that Google thinks best represents your content).
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    Just when you think you've got it all figured out, someone changes the rules.

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  • Profile picture of the author NewbiesDiary
    you should be able to edit that in the settings area in the dashboard
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  • Profile picture of the author Shoaib
    Go to Settings > All In One SEO.

    Fill fields "Home Title", "Home Description", "Home Keywords".

    Scroll to bottom and click "Update Options".

    Now reload your homepage. Your problem should be solved. When Google crawls your page again, it should update with the correct title and description in results. May take up to a few days.
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  • Profile picture of the author bluenetworx
    Hey Shoaib,

    Thanks for your reply, however I did already have a description in there, but Google is not using it and is instead using the first line of text in the top post of the index page and also putting the date in front of it.

    Is there anyway to tell Google not to do that? and to use the home page description
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    • Profile picture of the author Elle Holder
      Originally Posted by bluenetworx View Post

      Hey Shoaib,

      Thanks for your reply, however I did already have a description in there, but Google is not using it and is instead using the first line of text in the top post of the index page and also putting the date in front of it.

      Is there anyway to tell Google not to do that? and to use the home page description
      How long ago did you add the description?

      Check the date of Google's cache. They may not have crawled your home/index page since you changed it.

      If that's the case, just be patient. They'll update it eventually.
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  • Profile picture of the author cashcow
    Check the privacy settings and make sure it is set to allow search engines instead of blocking them.

    Lee
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    • Profile picture of the author bluenetworx
      Hi Cashcow,

      Yes it was set to allow search engines,

      Thanks anyway

      Dogscout, it is not listed in DMOZ so I don't think this is the cause, but thanks

      ElleJ, it was chamged 2 months ago! So Google must have crawled it by now!, thanks anyway also

      This is driving me mad!!
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  • Profile picture of the author DogScout
    add a 'do not use DMOZ' description meta tag as that may be the source of the wayward info.

    The content of the description meta tag should be written the way Google prefers it. To be absolutely sure that Google uses what is offered in the meta tag rather than the description that may exist in the Open Directory Project, the following meta tag can be used:
    <meta name="robots" content="noodp" />
    This prevents all search engines (that support the meta tag) from using the Open Directory Project information in any way.
    To specifically prevent Google from using that information as a page's description, you can use the following:
    <meta name="googlebot" content="noodp" />
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