Meta descriptions don't directly affect rankings, but they heavily influence click-through rate from search results, which does matter. Write them as persuasive ad copy, not keyword-stuffed SEO text. Your primary keyword should appear naturally near the beginning because Google bolds matching terms in the snippet, making your result more eye-catching. Keep length between 150–160 characters. Google truncates around 155–160 characters on desktop, sometimes shorter on mobile. If you go long, your most important message gets cut off with an ellipsis, weakening the click appeal. Aim to frontload the value proposition in the first 120 characters to be safe. Every meta description should answer "why click this result?" Include a specific benefit, number, or unique angle that distinguishes your page from the nine other results on the SERP. Avoid generic phrases like "Learn more about" or "Everything you need to know." Instead, call out what's concretely useful: a step count, a cost range, a local angle, or a contrarian take. A few structural elements that work well: - Target keyword in the first sentence - Specific number or data point when relevant - Action-oriented language or a soft call-to-action - Local qualifier if you're targeting geo-specific traffic For Ottawa SEO's portfolio sites, we treat meta descriptions as the difference between ranking #4 with a 6% CTR and ranking #4 with a 12% CTR. That CTR gap compounds into traffic differences that actually move revenue, especially in competitive commercial niches. Google sometimes rewrites your meta description using on-page content if it thinks it better matches the query, which happens about 60% of the time on average, but writing a strong default still controls the other 40% and sets the tone. Don't duplicate meta descriptions across pages. Each one should be unique and tailored to that specific page's intent and differentiation. Thin or missing meta descriptions signal low-effort content, even if that's not technically a ranking factor.