A meta description is a snippet of text stored in your page's HTML <head> section that tells searchers what your page is about before they click. Google and other engines display it below your blue title link in search results, giving you roughly 150–160 characters to convince someone your page answers their query. Think of it as ad copy for organic search. While meta descriptions carry zero direct ranking weight in Google's algorithm, they heavily influence click-through rate. A compelling description pulls more clicks from the same ranking position, and sustained CTR improvements signal relevance to Google, indirectly boosting rankings over time. We've seen pages jump from position 6 to position 3 simply by rewriting descriptions to match search intent more precisely. Write them in active voice with a clear value proposition. Include your primary keyword naturally because Google bolds matching terms in the SERP, drawing the eye. Avoid generic phrasing like "Learn more about X" — instead, specify what outcome the reader gets or what question you answer. For local Ottawa clients, we often add location signals when the search has geographic intent. Google doesn't always use your meta description. If it decides your written version doesn't match the query, it pulls text from your page content instead. This happens 30–40% of the time in our portfolio. That's not a failure — it means Google is optimizing for relevance. Still, write a strong default description because it controls the message for your target keywords. Length matters. Desktop cuts off around 155–160 characters; mobile is slightly shorter. Going over doesn't hurt rankings, but your message gets truncated with an ellipsis, losing persuasive power. At Ottawa SEO, we target 145–155 characters to stay safe across devices while packing in enough detail to differentiate from competitors ranking nearby.