On-page SEO · Meta description
Meta Description Checker
The meta description is the two-line snippet under your title in Google search results. It doesn't directly affect rankings, but it massively affects click-through rate. Paste your URL and we check length, presence, and quality, then stamp CLEARED / HOLD / DENIED.
Meta description problems we catch
Google auto-generates a snippet when your description is missing or bad — and it's usually worse than what you'd write.
Missing meta description entirely
Google scrapes page text for a snippet. You lose control of what users see in search results. Often a generic 'Skip to content' or nav text appears instead.
Description too short (under 50 chars)
Wastes SERP real estate. A 20-character description leaves most of the snippet blank or makes Google fill it with page text you didn't choose.
Description too long (over 160 chars)
Google truncates at ~160 characters on desktop (~120 on mobile). Your call-to-action or key benefit gets cut off with an ellipsis.
Duplicate description across pages
When every page has the same description, Google may ignore them all and auto-generate. Each page deserves a unique, relevant description.
Copy-paste description fixes
Target 50-160 characters. Write it as a compelling ad, not a summary.
Next.js App Router — metadata API
export const metadata = {
description: 'Scan your site before launch. Get a Go/No-Go ' +
'clearance report, typically within 30 seconds — HTTPS, headers, ' +
'robots.txt, OG tags, and more.',
}Plain HTML
<head>
<meta name="description" content="A clear 50-160 character summary of this page that compels users to click." />
</head>Per-page description (Next.js)
// app/blog/post-1/page.tsx
export const metadata = {
description: 'Learn how to fix missing security headers in ' +
'Next.js before your production launch.',
}Still check by hand
- □Target 120-160 characters (mobile truncates earlier than desktop)
- □Write it as an ad — include a value prop and implicit CTA
- □Each page needs a unique description — never copy-paste
- □Don't just repeat the title — add context and a reason to click
Related
- Title tag checker — title and description work together in SERPs
- H1 tag checker
- Open Graph checker — og:description for social shares
- Website launch checklist
- Methodology
- Go-Live Clearance home