EngineeringScoreSEO Small
Fix meta description length
Search engines display roughly 150-160 characters of a meta description before truncating it with an ellipsis, and descriptions under about 50 characters generally waste the space available to sell the click. Staying in that range keeps the full message visible in results.
Why it matters
A meta description that's too short under-sells the page, and one that's too long gets cut off in search results. Both reduce click-through rate.
How to fix
- 1 Rewrite the description to fall within roughly 50-160 characters.
- 2 Make sure it accurately summarizes the page's actual content.
Common mistakes
- Writing a long, thorough description that reads great in a CMS field but gets cut off mid-sentence in actual search results.
- Leaving a placeholder or auto-generated one-line description that is far too short to be persuasive.
- Not accounting for the fact different search engines and locales may truncate at slightly different lengths, and aiming for the safe middle of the range.
How to verify
- 1 Measure the description length and confirm it falls within roughly 50-160 characters.
- 2 Preview it in a SERP-simulator tool to check for visual truncation.
- 3 Confirm the description still makes sense and ends on a complete thought if it is near the upper limit.
Related checks
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