How to Write Meta Titles and Descriptions That Get Clicks

Your page can rank on the first page of Google and still get very few visitors. Why? Because searchers decide in a second which result to click, and that decision is based mostly on two lines: the meta title and the meta description.

This guide shows you how to write both so more people choose your result.

What are meta titles and descriptions?

• Meta title (title tag): the blue clickable headline in search results and the text in the browser tab. It is also a ranking signal.
• Meta description: the short summary below the title. It does not directly affect rankings, but a good one increases click-through rate.

Google may rewrite either one if it thinks another snippet matches the search better, but a well-written version is used much more often.

Ideal length

Google actually measures width in pixels, so wide letters such as “W” take more space. Preview your snippet with our free Meta Title & Description Preview tool, and check exact length with the Word & Character Counter.

How to write a great meta title

1. Put the main keyword near the start. “Shopify Store Setup Services for Growing Businesses” beats “Our Company Offers Many Services Including Shopify”.
2. Add a benefit or angle. “Free”, “Step-by-Step”, “2026 Guide”, “With Examples”.
3. Make each title unique. Duplicate titles confuse both Google and users.
4. Keep the brand short and at the end. “… | DAD Technologies”.
5. Match the search intent. A “how to” search wants a guide; a “buy” search wants a product or service page.

Examples

• Weak: Home – My Website

• Better: Custom eCommerce Websites for Small Businesses | DAD Technologies

• Weak: Blog Post 12

• Better: How to Compress Images for Your Website Without Losing Quality

How to write a meta description that gets clicks

• Summarise the value in one or two sentences.
• Include the main keyword naturally – Google often bolds words that match the search.
• Add a reason to click: a number, a result, a free tool, or a clear outcome.
• End with a soft call to action: “Learn how”, “See examples”, “Get a free quote”.
• Be honest. If the page doesn’t deliver what the description promises, visitors bounce back quickly.

Example

Learn how to resize, compress and convert images to WebP so your website loads faster – with free tools that run in your browser.

Don’t forget the URL

Short, readable URLs also appear in search results and help users trust the link. Turn your title into a clean URL with the URL Slug Generator:

• Bad: /index.php?p=4821
• Good: /meta-title-and-description-guide/

Setting meta tags in WordPress and Shopify

• WordPress: Use an SEO plugin such as Yoast or Rank Math. Fill in the “SEO title”, “Meta description” and “Slug” fields under each post or page.
• Shopify: Scroll to Search engine listing at the bottom of a product, collection or page and click Edit.

Common mistakes

• Leaving the default “Home” or product name as the title
• Copying the same description to every page
• Keyword stuffing (“cheap shoes, best shoes, buy shoes…”)
• Titles that promise something the page doesn’t offer
• Forgetting mobile – shorter snippets show fully on phones

Frequently asked questions

Do meta descriptions affect rankings?
Not directly, but they influence clicks, and more clicks bring more traffic.

Why did Google change my title?
Google sometimes rewrites titles that are too long, stuffed with keywords or don’t match the page content. Clear, accurate titles are rewritten less often.

Should every page have a meta description?
Yes, especially important pages. Otherwise Google picks text from the page, which may not be ideal.

How often should I update them?
Review pages in Google Search Console that get impressions but few clicks, and rewrite their titles and descriptions first.

Need SEO for your website or online store? DAD Technologies can help you rank higher and get more clicks.