When you search a query on Google, you see loads of results. Each result has a small description that will help you to grasp, exactly what you will get in each of the results. This way Google always help your viewer to get an idea of which website to choose so that they can get the best answer.
Apart from that, one more thing is there to note. The length of the meta description (The text which is giving you an idea of what is on the page) was 165 characters earlier. Just recently, Google increases the character limit so that the viewer can get more crisp idea about the content on the website.
In this post, I will disclose some of the insights that will give you a clear understanding how does this change is affecting the SEO of your website.
So, let’s get started with it,
What Did Google Do with The Snippet’s Length?
The old limit of the text snippet was 165 character which is now revamped by Google for better user interaction and understanding. The average of the meta description was 165 character which makes it barely of two lines. After the mid of November, this description is changed to 5-6 lines at least.
So, now you can imagine that a user querying about some services or product. He will get at least 4-5 lines description of products and services which will give him enough information about the product or service. A better understanding and relevant search result.
This also caters better opportunities to the SEO experts to make their websites more relevant by giving the better description about their products, services, and website. This makes their website more optimized for the query.
When This Change Actually Happen?
A neat question. This change was first observed by SISTRIX’s dataset. In the middle of November, it was believed that the change happened. Yet SISTRIX observed it on 22nd of November. The increase they noticed was over 50%.
They observed that till 2nd of December, 51% of total web results have a longer meta description. And at least one was there in the top 10.
Now, the base question still remains, what effects does it have on the SEO of your website. Let’s find out here in this section.
Will Longer Snippets Affect Your Website’s SEO?
Yes, you need to have a clear understanding of which effects does this change can bring on your website. So, let’s have a look at these effects and see how your website’s SEO can be affected.
Here we go,
01. It will Change the Way of Writing & Optimize the Meta description
As for now, we have more space, right? So, we need to write differently now. According to Rand Fishkin, you have more opportunity to entice people to click on your website. Still, you need to care enough not to be salesy at all. You need to be answering most of the question under these character limits.
If you really do that, then there is a majority of chances that Google will rank you higher in its search results for that set of the query. Never forget that Google ranks you well when you address your visitor’s concerns.
02. It Will Impact Your Click-Through Rate
This is merely a speculation that it might affect your website’s click-through rate. Why so? Because since the visitor is getting the information right in the search engine result pages, he doesn’t have to click your links to get any information.
Still, I believe that this will have a positive effect on your website’s bounce rate as you will get relevant visitors most of the time. With an increased character count, you can cater better information and easily serve & invite your viewer to your website with an effective message.
There is also another effect that you might be interested to know. The Click-Through rates can also decrease for you if you are further down in the search results.
Not to Worry Folks!!!
In spite of such negative results, you can still manage a lot more positive. Google is not making things difficult for you, they are making things better for the users. And as there are not more observations till now, so you can say nothing is so sure about this change.
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What Should You Do as SEOs?
You have certain things that you need to do because believe it or not, you have to be ready for everything. Let’s have a look at these pointers,
- First, you need to make a priority list. Which of your landing pages is converting most, which pages receive most of the organic traffic, which page has low bounce rate?
- Once you have that list, you need to start creating the meta description for these pages and landing pages for the higher limits.
- Go for the Search Engine result pages which are sending you the most of the traffic and then range their meta description between 250-300.
- If you are using a CMS then it will have the meta description limit which is set from 160-180 character. You need to update them from 230-320 characters.
This way you can easily observe the data surge. How your web pages are performing? And things like that will help you gain some more insights that can be helpful to you in the upcoming future.
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Conclusion
So, Google’s increase in snippet length may or may not have an effect on your SEO but it certainly has an effect on the way of your work. You need to adopt the new changes and embrace them. Google is initiating a new approach to ease the user and catering them with more relevant results for their queries.
I hope that you like this post. Let me know if I miss something out. Do you have a better solution regarding Google’s longer snippets, please let me know via comments. I love inputs from my readers. Till then, Adios.
