A meta description is a snippet of text—typically 150 to 160 characters—placed in the <meta name="description"> tag of your page's HTML head. Search engines display it below your page title in search results, giving users a preview of what they'll find if they click through. Meta descriptions don't carry direct ranking weight in Google's algorithm. Google confirmed this back in 2009 and has reiterated it since. However, a well-written meta description improves click-through rate (CTR), and higher CTR sends positive user signals that can indirectly boost rankings over time. If your snippet compels more clicks than competing results, Google interprets that as relevance. Google doesn't always use your meta description. If the search query matches text elsewhere on the page better, Google rewrites the snippet dynamically. We see this happen roughly 60–70% of the time across our portfolio. That means you should still write a strong default description, but also ensure your on-page copy includes natural keyword variations and clear answers. For Ottawa SEO clients, we write meta descriptions that include the primary keyword near the start, a clear value proposition, and a subtle call to action when it fits naturally. For local pages—say a plumber in Kanata—we include the city name. For blog posts, we focus on the specific question or outcome the reader gets. Avoid keyword stuffing or writing for search engines. The meta description is sales copy aimed at humans scanning ten blue links. If it reads like spam, your CTR tanks. Also, don't duplicate meta descriptions across pages—each one should reflect that specific page's unique content. We audit for duplicates during technical SEO reviews because they dilute the relevance signal and confuse users. Length matters. Go past 160 characters and Google truncates with an ellipsis, cutting off your message mid-sentence. Stay closer to 150 if the keyword is long. Mobile snippets can be shorter, so front-load the most important words.