When we audit our clients' websites for optimization, one thing we always check for is quality meta descriptions for each page.

Unlike the page title and the page content, the page's meta description is not a factor when it comes to earning a higher search engine ranking. Google announced in September of 2009 that neither meta descriptions nor meta keywords factor into Google's ranking algorithms for web search.

So why do we focus on the meta description for the page? Since there is a very good likelihood (though not absolute certainty) that search engines will show the meta description for the page in the search results, we care very much what the customer sees at that point. The meta descriptions can have a huge impact on a page's CTR (click-through-rate) on search engines, which can indirectly positively impact a page's ability to rank, and of course determine how many customers actually follow the search result link and see your page! This may be the differentiating factor between your search results and that of your competitor.

Get in touch with Footprint today to enlist our help in auditing your meta descriptions and all the other factors that contribute to the optimization and success of your website!