Meta description checker
See where Google is likely to cut your description on a desktop and on a phone, measured in pixels rather than a character rule of thumb.
Meta description length: pixels, not characters
Searching for "meta description length" turns up confident numbers: 155, 160, 920 pixels. Google's own documentation gives none of them. It says a description can be any length and the snippet is truncated as needed, typically to fit the device width. Width depends on the letters you use and the screen it lands on. Drag the slider to see it.
Both lines above have almost the same number of characters. The one set in capitals and wide letters runs out of room far sooner, because Google measures space, not characters.
Writing a description that earns the click
- Lead with the answer to the search. The first 100 or so characters are the part that survives on every screen.
- Be specific. Google suggests including facts such as author, date, price, manufacturer or opening hours where they apply.
- One per page. Duplicated descriptions across many pages are less useful; Google may ignore them.
- No keyword lists. A string of keywords reads as spam and is unlikely to be shown.
Stuck for wording? The meta description generator drafts five options from your page copy.
Questions
How long should a meta description be?
Google does not set a limit. Its documentation says there is no limit on how long a meta description can be, but the snippet is truncated as needed, typically to fit the device width. In practice around 120 to 155 characters of ordinary text fills about two desktop lines; put the essential information first so a cut does not lose it.
Why does Google show different text than my meta description?
Google builds snippets from page content as well as the meta description and picks whichever matches the searcher's query best. A description that accurately summarises the page, and is unique to it, is more likely to be shown.
Do meta descriptions affect rankings?
Google has said the meta description is not a ranking factor. Its job is to persuade the searcher to click, so it affects traffic through click-through rather than position.
Can I stop Google from showing a snippet?
Yes. <meta name="robots" content="nosnippet"> removes the text snippet, and max-snippet:[number] caps its length in characters. The data-nosnippet attribute excludes specific parts of the page.