A meta description tag is an HTML attribute that provides a concise summary of a web page's content. It sits in the page's <head> section and looks like this: <meta name="description" content="Your summary here">. Google and other search engines typically display this text in the search results snippet below your page title and URL. The optimal length is 150–160 characters. Go longer and Google truncates it with an ellipsis, cutting off your message. Mobile displays are even tighter, around 120 characters, so front-load the most compelling information. Write for humans first—this is ad copy, not keyword stuffing territory. You want to answer the searcher's intent and give them a reason to click your result over the nine others on the page. Meta descriptions don't directly influence rankings. Google confirmed this years ago. But they heavily affect click-through rate, which is a behavioral signal that does matter. A page ranking fourth with a 12% CTR will often outperform a page ranking second with a 4% CTR over time. At Ottawa SEO, we treat meta descriptions as conversion opportunities, not SEO checkboxes. Each page needs a unique description. Duplicate meta descriptions across your site waste the chance to differentiate your pages in search results. If you leave the tag empty, Google generates one by pulling text from the page—sometimes effectively, often poorly. You lose control of your first impression. Include your target keyword naturally, but only if it fits the persuasive message. Google bolds matching query terms in the snippet, which draws the eye. However, a generic keyword-stuffed description performs worse than a specific value proposition. "Ottawa SEO Inc. has ranked 500+ domains since 2014 using technical audits and content strategy" beats "SEO services Ottawa, best SEO company, affordable SEO expert." Google rewrites meta descriptions roughly 63% of the time based on the specific query, pulling from page content instead. This isn't failure—it means your on-page content is relevant. Still, write a strong default description because it sets the baseline and controls the message for your primary keyword targets.