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Meta Description Checker

Check whether a page has a meta description, how long it is, and where the snippet will be cut on desktop and on phones.

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Meta Description Checker - results and guide

What the Meta Description Checker checks

  • Whether a meta description exists, is empty or appears more than once
  • Length in characters and estimated pixel width
  • Where the text is cut on desktop and on mobile
  • Descriptions that only repeat the title
  • A description placed in the body, where it can be ignored
  • Optional: whether your target keyword is included

What is a meta description?

The meta description is a short summary of a page placed in its <head>: <meta name="description" content="...">. Search engines often show it as the grey text under the title in a result. It is your pitch to the searcher: one or two sentences on what the page offers and why to click.

Google has said the description is not a ranking factor. It still matters, because a clear snippet earns more clicks from the same position, and words that match the search are shown in bold.

How long should a meta description be?

Desktop results show roughly 155 to 160 characters and mobile results about 120. Aim for 120 to 160 characters and put the essential part first, so the message survives on a phone. Very short descriptions tend to be replaced by Google with text from the page.

Write a different description for every important page. If you cannot, it is better to leave the tag out than to repeat one description across the site. To see title and description together, use the Google Search Preview.

How to use the Meta Description Checker

  1. Enter the address of the page you want to check. You can leave out https://.
  2. Optionally add the keyword you want the page to rank for.
  3. Press Check description. The page is fetched from our servers, the way a search engine crawler would fetch it.
  4. Read the findings from top to bottom: problems first, then warnings. Each one says what to change.

Common problems and how to fix them

The page has no meta description

Add one to the head of the page. Most content systems have a field for it, often provided by an SEO plugin. Describe the page honestly and include a reason to click.

Google shows other text instead

Google picks whichever passage best matches the search. That happens more when the description is short, generic or does not mention what people searched for. Make it specific to the page.

The same description is on many pages

Template defaults cause this. Write unique descriptions for key pages and let the rest be generated from each page's opening sentence.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best meta description length?
Between 120 and 160 characters. Desktop shows up to about 160, phones about 120, so keep the main point at the start.
Is the meta description a ranking factor?
No. Google does not use it for ranking. It affects how many people click your result, which is why it is still worth writing well.
Should I include keywords in the description?
Yes, where they fit naturally. Google bolds words that match the search query, which helps your result stand out.
What happens if I leave it empty?
Search engines create a snippet from the page text. That is acceptable for minor pages, but you lose control over the message for the pages that matter.

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