Can using an exact sentence from your content as meta description hurt?
-
Hi Mozzers!
I'm uploading some press releases and the first sentence makes a perfect meta description. Would using the exact same wording ever hurt my rankings?
Thanks!
-
OK, now you don't want some very aggressive call to action sentence. I'd try to avoid words like "best", "leading" etc.
Try to describe what your website offers in a sentence.
-
This wont hurt at all. In fact, Google often uses a snippet from your content as the meta description.
With a meta description, your goal is to optimize for a click. So for that reason, the first sentence may not be you're best option.
-
Agreed, thanks for chiming in Chris!
-
Nope. Your description should help enhance your click through rate, though, so orient it towards a call to action.
Got a burning SEO question?
Subscribe to Moz Pro to gain full access to Q&A, answer questions, and ask your own.
Browse Questions
Explore more categories
-
Moz Tools
Chat with the community about the Moz tools.
-
SEO Tactics
Discuss the SEO process with fellow marketers
-
Community
Discuss industry events, jobs, and news!
-
Digital Marketing
Chat about tactics outside of SEO
-
Research & Trends
Dive into research and trends in the search industry.
-
Support
Connect on product support and feature requests.
Related Questions
-
How to use long tail keyword?
Hi I read in most of the SEO blogs that using longtail keywords can help us in our search rankings. But how can we actually get a traffic from longtail keyword if that particular longtail keyword is not having any search volume. For example, if I wanted to rank for the keyword "SEO" which has a huge search volume of 5,500 per month and if I wanted to concentrate on one of its longtail keyword "SEO basics for beginners" which has average search volume of only 40 per month, how can it help me?
Keyword Research | | sandeep.clickdesk0 -
Replacing Metas and Keywords
How often we need to replace our meta titles, meta descriptions and keywords so that we are able to find which one works and which does not. Can we make some schedule like on monthly or quarterly basis. What are the best practices in this regard?
Keyword Research | | Sequelmed0 -
Plural of exact domain name
Hello, I have the opportunity to buy the plural of an exact domain name in a niche I am interested. I would like to know if it helps to rank on the singular version of the keyword. To illustrate, is the domain cars.com good to rank for the word car? Or online datings for online dating? Thanks a lot.
Keyword Research | | EndeR-0 -
Help with understanding how to target keywords not in content ?
I have a customer suggesting the use of keywords related to his competitors but not in the content of his site or how he promotes his brand. The page content is product specific and I use keyword matches for page and site strength. 1.) Does it hurt or help to load up the keywords with misc. keywords (example- the site is for a premium product use the terms "cheap", "affordable") 2.) Any suggestion for almost blank/generic landing pages ? 3.) Any benefit or penalty for using fewer keywords on multiple pages ? (example - target 6-8 words on 30 pages) I need a few discussion points for my next meeting and to clarify my position.
Keyword Research | | sd11sine0 -
What do you consider a good Global Exact Match for a key word?
The following article implies that 2,400 isn’t bad……Quote from second to last paragraph of #2: “The real problem comes when you choose to target a keyword like 'ladies leather handbags' which has a broad match search volume of 2,400 but an exact match search volume of only 260” http://www.seomoz.org/blog/6-keyword-research-mistakes-you-might-be-making I like to keep mine under 50% competitive. For one site which is in high competition market (as far I can see) has SEO irrelevant brand name domain, a primary key word at 51% with 2900 Global EM for page name with a secondary keyword at 44% and 590 GEM. Another site with primary domain and keyword at 50% and 1000 GEM with other keywords between 40% and 50% and GEM’s of 1300 (also a page title), 1900 (also page title), 1000 (also a page title), 2400, 5400, 14800 (niche I might work on later), 1000, 1900, 4400, 3600, 5400, 1600, 3600 (also a page title), 1300, 1000, 2900, 1300. SEO won’t be my only approach but within my competitive capability I think that’s the best I can get. So, wondering what your thoughts where on a good Global Exact Match?
Keyword Research | | Zoolander0 -
Is there a Meta tag or Keyword Generator tool that I can use on SEMOZ ?
I need to identify a tool within SEMOZ that can automatically generate Keywords and Meta tags.
Keyword Research | | sherohass0 -
Do you get an error in the search numbers when using the keyword difficulty tool?
Do you get an error in the search numbers when using the keyword difficulty tool?
Keyword Research | | jest0 -
Broad match Vs Exact match
This may sound a little basic, but i'm going to ask anyway. On Googles keyword tool Ive always used broad match, knowing that they are never 100% accurate, and obviously inflated by other SEO's searching for their keywords, but used it all the same to get an idea of global monthly searches and potential targeted traffic. I have seen recently, on SEOmoz, and a post fromJill Whalen not long back, that unless you change the match to "Exact" your data is useless? Could somebody explain why this is the case? My initial thoughts were, a search for SEO on broad shows 6,120,000 per month Yet a search for the same keyword in exact match shows 673,000 per month. I had presumed that the broad match would include "learn SEO" "What is SEO" etc etc, where as 673,000 just search exactly for SEO. Is this correct? 3 points go to Richard Q&A answering animal dude Getz if he gets this first! Thanks in advance
Keyword Research | | Yozzer2