Automatic creation of meta descriptions – is it worth it?

What is a meta description?

The importance of the meta description in the context of SEO optimization and Google ranking factors

A meta description is a short paragraph of text that summarizes the content of a web page. It’s displayed in search engine results pages beneath the title of the page, and is intended to give users an idea of what the page is about before they click through to it. It can also affect how users perceive the relevancy of your page, as it will appear alongside other search engine results.

Google has stated that the content of your meta description is not a factor in its ranking algorithms. However, it is still important for both SEO optimization and for helping your website stand out in the SERPs. Having an effective meta description will make it easier for potential visitors to decide if they want to visit your website. This means that it has an impact on traffic, clicks, conversions, profits.

Automation of SEO activities

A website positioning strategy that involves automation involves using various SEO tools and software to automate tasks without much human intervention. Using automation will allow you not only to reduce the amount of work, but also to achieve results faster.

Creating meta descriptions is not an easy task, and it also takes time and commitment. No wonder that many website owners decide to generate them automatically. However, one must be very careful in this case. Each improperly optimized fragment of the website code can have a very negative impact on positioning, which will block the development of the brand and achieve great results.

Tools

There are a few tools available to help automate the creation of meta descriptions.

The first tool we recommend is Yoast SEO. It is a plugin that can help you with every aspect of your website’s SEO needs. It has a feature specifically designed to create meta descriptions automatically. All you have to do is enter the target keywords and the plugin will generate meta descriptions based on the content of the page. Another great tool for automating meta descriptions is Moz’s Title Optimizer. This tool uses an algorithm to generate meta descriptions for each page of your website. It also allows you to customize the meta description for each page as needed. Finally, there’s Screaming Frog. This is a desktop software that crawls your website and extracts data from each page. It includes a tool for generating meta descriptions based on content and keyword analysis.

The benefits and drawbacks of automatically generating a meta description

The benefits of using an automatic meta description generator are clear – it saves time and effort and ensures that each page on your website has a well-crafted meta description. But there are also some drawbacks to consider. Automatically generated meta descriptions may not be as powerful or effective as manually written ones, since they can often come across as generic and uninspiring. Additionally, you won’t have the same control over how your meta descriptions appear in search results, so you may need to tweak them before publishing.

Original or generated? Which description is better?

The truth is, it depends on the situation. The optimization process can be significantly sped up with this solution, particularly for websites with complex architectures such as online stores. When you are running a small website with a few subpages, it is worth developing your own metadata to attract visitors and make an excellent first impression.

Remember, that nothing can replace human work – especially when it comes to adapting the description to the requirements of the recipients. Google has tools that assess whether content is created by artificial intelligence or by a human.

Tips on how to create a good meta description by your own

Keywords

The key is to include relevant keywords that accurately describe the content of your page. When a user searches for those keywords, your page will appear higher in the search engine results. To make sure you include the right phrases, think about what someone would type into a search engine if they were looking for the information on your page.

Length and brevity

The meta description should be specific and concise. Due to the specific length, it is worth placing the most important, basic information about the website and a keyword important for us, which is often searched for, at the beginning of the description. The most optimal number of characters is 155. If the description is longer, it will be truncated in the SERP.

Uniqueness and user intentions

Speaking of uniqueness, automation will be of little use. It is your creativity that will make the description interesting for users. Adjust it to the needs of the selected target group and use the language of benefits.

Call to action and power words

A good CTA increases the interaction of users with the website – they are given a specific task to perform, and a direct return means that they do not treat it indifferently. Not without significance are also the so-called power words, i.e. words that strengthen our message, e.g. free, latest, up-to-date.

Emoji

Emojis, which are becoming increasingly popular, stand out from descriptions without these elements not only because of their content, but also because they captivate the user’s attention. Meta titles can include emojis as well.

Structured data

Schema structured data on the page can support extending results in the SERP. Structured data is not part of the meta description and this point can be considered a bonus, but together they can result in an enhanced description that users will find appealing.

Last words

Meta descriptions are a critical part of SEO, but creating them can be a tedious task. In conclusion, automatic meta description creation tools can help make your life easier by streamlining the process of creating compelling and effective meta descriptions. However, it is worth considering spending time and creating a good description yourself.

Aleksandra Pietrzak

Copywriter

Curator at the National Museum in Poznań, graduate of Art History at the Jagiellonian University and Contemporary Art at the Pedagogical University of Krakow, curator of exhibitions and author of scientific and popular texts. A lover of contemporary art, literature and travel.