SEO is always evolving. Just when you think you’ve nailed best practices, something new shakes things up. The latest conversation stirring the pot? Whether you should bother writing meta descriptions at all.
That’s right – those short bits of text that show up in search engine results under your page title. For years, they’ve been a staple of on-page SEO. But now, some experts are suggesting you might be better off skipping them entirely.
Let’s break it down.
Why Some SEOs Are Skipping Meta Descriptions (On Purpose)
SEO expert Mark Williams-Cook recently ran a series of tests and claimed that not writing meta descriptions actually led to a small boost in traffic – around 3% on average. His main arguments:
- Google rewrites most of them anyway: According to him, Google changes around 80% of meta descriptions. So even if you write the perfect one, there’s a good chance it won’t show up.
- Dynamic snippets can perform better: When you leave the meta description blank, Google often pulls a snippet directly from your page that’s more relevant to the searcher’s query.
- Saves a ton of time: If you’re managing a huge site with thousands of pages, manually writing meta descriptions can be a major time suck. Letting Google handle it might be more efficient.
It’s a bold take, and one that’s gaining traction – especially among SEOs managing large-scale websites.
Why Others Say “Not So Fast”
Technical SEO consultant Jono Alderson pushed back hard on these claims. He wasn’t just criticizing the results, but the entire idea of drawing broad conclusions from small SEO tests. His perspective:
- SEO isn’t a lab experiment: There are too many moving parts – algorithm changes, competitors, seasonality, even the weather. You can’t truly isolate one change (like removing a meta description) and attribute all results to it.
- Beware of “surface-level” testing: Jono warns that obsessing over what’s easily testable (like meta descriptions) can distract from what really moves the needle – improving content, performance, and user experience.
His point? Just because a change can be tested doesn’t mean it’s the most important thing to focus on.
So What Should You Do?
If you’re using UltimateWB, here’s what this debate means for your website:
✅ For Key Pages: Keep Writing Meta Descriptions
Pages like your homepage, main service/product pages, or cornerstone blog content deserve thoughtful meta descriptions. Even if Google rewrites them sometimes, you’re still giving it a strong signal about what your page is about – and you get a chance to craft the message you want users to see.
With UltimateWB, it’s easy to customize your meta descriptions page-by-page, so you stay in control.
🤖 For Large Sites: Consider Letting Google Handle It
If you’re managing thousands of pages – say, product listings or old blog posts – it might make sense to skip writing meta descriptions for every single one. Google’s snippets are often tailored to the searcher’s query, and in many cases, they might actually outperform a generic one you’d write manually.
UltimateWB’s clean, fast-loading code makes it easier for search engines to understand and index your content, even without a meta description.
🚀 Focus on What Really Matters
This whole debate is a good reminder of the bigger SEO picture. At UltimateWB, we believe in focusing on what drives real results:
- Creating helpful, high-quality content
- Ensuring fast load times
- Providing a smooth, user-friendly experience
- Building on a solid, SEO-optimized foundation
UltimateWB gives you the tools to do all of that – whether you write meta descriptions or not.
Final Takeaway
Meta descriptions still have their place – but they’re not one-size-fits-all either.
- For your most important pages? Write them.
- For large batches of content? Maybe don’t.
- For your overall SEO strategy? Keep your focus on quality, performance, and user experience – because that’s what truly sets you apart.
With UltimateWB, you’re in the driver’s seat – equipped to make smart, strategic decisions that fit your site’s needs.
p.s.: Yes, we did write a meta description for this post :-)
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