How long should a meta description be?

Google sets no fixed length for a meta description, but it shortens snippets that run long. A practical range is about 120 to 160 characters, which usually displays in full on most screens. Write a plain sentence or two that says what the page offers, and keep the most useful part near the start.

Why it matters

The meta description is a short summary of a page, placed in the page's head. Google's documentation says it may use that text as the snippet shown under your title in search results. A clear summary helps a searcher decide whether your page answers their question.

How to write one

Describe the page in one or two sentences. Say what the reader will get, not just what the topic is.
Aim for roughly 120 to 160 characters. Mobile and desktop results differ in width, so treat the number as a guide rather than a limit.
Use the words people would search for, but write for a human reader. Repeating a keyword adds nothing.
Make it different for every page. Identical descriptions across a site tell a searcher nothing new.
Add it to the head of the page:

<meta name="description" content="Learn how to create a sitemap.xml file, check it for errors and submit it in Google Search Console.">

Publish and check the result later. You can look at the page in search, but expect that Google may show different text.

Google often writes its own snippet from the page text when it judges that text to be a better match for the query. A missing description is not an error, but it removes your chance to suggest the wording.

Common mistakes

Copying the first paragraph of the page word for word.
Using the same description on every page.
Filling it with a list of keywords.
Leaving it empty on important pages such as the home page.
Promising something the page does not deliver, which loses the reader's trust.

Crawvix's scan checks that every page has a unique meta description.

Frequently asked questions

Is the meta description a ranking factor?

Google's documentation describes it as a possible source for the snippet. Treat it as copy that earns clicks rather than a ranking lever.

Why does Google show a different snippet from mine?

Google picks the snippet it thinks best fits the search. It may draw from the page text when that suits the query better than your description.

Can I stop Google from using a snippet?

Yes, with robots directives such as nosnippet, but that is rarely wise because snippets help searchers decide to visit.

To see how your descriptions are checked, Try the free website sample.