What it means
A meta description is the content of <meta name="description"> in the page’s <head>. Google may use it for the snippet in search results when it describes the page better than text taken from the page itself.
We also flag descriptions over 160 characters, which are likely to be shortened.
Why it matters
Google says it sometimes uses the meta description, and builds the snippet from page content otherwise, depending on the search. A good description gives you a say in how the page is summarized, which can affect whether people click.
It isn’t described by Google as a ranking signal; its value is in the click.
How to find it yourself
- View the page source and search for name="description".
- The meta tag checker shows the description and its length.
How to fix it
On any website
- Write a unique description for each important page: one or two sentences that say what the page offers, with the details people look for, such as price, delivery or who it’s for.
- Don’t repeat one description across many pages, and don’t fill it with keywords.
On Shopify
- Edit the description in the “Search engine listing” section of each product, collection and page, and the home page description under Online Store › Preferences.
On WordPress and WooCommerce
- Use the meta description field of your SEO plugin, and set a template for content types you can’t write by hand.
How to check the fix
- Run the meta tag checker and read the search result preview.
- Google may still choose other text for some searches; that is expected.
How FixReports finds it
The SEO checker reads the meta description on every page it tests and flags pages without one, and descriptions over 160 characters.