{"id":4876,"date":"2017-06-13T07:30:21","date_gmt":"2017-06-13T07:30:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/?p=4876"},"modified":"2026-10-16T12:21:59","modified_gmt":"2026-10-16T12:21:59","slug":"wordpress-meta-description","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/my\/tutorials\/wordpress-meta-description\/","title":{"rendered":"How to add meta description in WordPress"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To add a meta description in WordPress, install an SEO plugin like Yoast SEO, open the post or page you want to optimize, and enter your description in the plugin&rsquo;s SEO settings. Save your changes to apply the description.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A meta description is a short summary of a webpage that search engines may display in search results. While it isn&rsquo;t a direct Google ranking factor, a relevant, well-written description can encourage users to click through to your website.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here&rsquo;s how to add a meta description in WordPress:<\/p><ol start=\"1\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Install and activate an SEO plugin.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Open the post or page you want to optimize.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Find the meta description field in the plugin&rsquo;s SEO settings.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Write your description and save the changes.<\/li>\n<\/ol><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can also customize meta descriptions for your homepage and configure default settings for different content types.<\/p><h2 id=\"h-how-to-add-wordpress-meta-description-meta-title-and-focus-keyphrase-in-wordpress\" class=\"wp-block-heading h-t-title-2\">How to add a meta description in WordPress?<\/h2><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The easiest way to add a meta description in WordPress is by using an <a data-click-id=\"hgr-post-content-link-seo-plugin\" href=\"\/my\/tutorials\/best-seo-plugins-wordpress\/\">SEO plugin<\/a> like Yoast SEO. It lets you customize meta descriptions for individual posts, pages, and your homepage without editing your website&rsquo;s code.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To get started, <a data-click-id=\"hgr-post-content-link-install-the-plugin\" href=\"\/my\/tutorials\/how-to-install-wordpress-plugins\/\">install the plugin <\/a>and activate it from <strong>Plugins &rarr; Add New Plugin<\/strong> in your WordPress dashboard. Then, open the post or page you want to optimize and find the Yoast SEO settings in the editor.<\/p><h3 id=\"h-meta-description-in-posts-and-pages\" class=\"wp-block-heading h-t-title-3\"><strong>Add a meta description to WordPress posts and pages<\/strong><\/h3><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To write a meta description using <strong>Yoast SEO<\/strong>, navigate to the list of all posts or pages and select the blog post or page you want to work on.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The meta box to add a meta description is in the same Yoast SEO section as the meta title. You&rsquo;ll find it under the <b>SEO Title<\/b> and <b>Slug<\/b> fields.<\/p><figure data-wp-context='{\"imageId\":\"6ad9b0ce6ab8b\"}' data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6ad9b0ce6ab8b\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"287\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--pointerdown=\"actions.preloadImage\" data-wp-on--pointerenter=\"actions.preloadImageWithDelay\" data-wp-on--pointerleave=\"actions.cancelPreload\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/imagedelivery.net\/LqiWLm-3MGbYHtFuUbcBtA\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/06\/meta-description.png\/w=1024,h=1024,fit=scale-down\" alt=\"Meta description box to modify and edit your meta description \" class=\"wp-image-30553\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/meta-description.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/meta-description-300x84.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/meta-description-150x42.png 150w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/meta-description-768x215.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" data-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.thisImage.triggerButtonAriaLabel\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"state.thisImage.buttonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"state.thisImage.buttonTop\">\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"><\/path>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Start writing your description of the post or page. Aim for approximately 150&ndash;160 characters when writing a meta description. This is a practical guideline rather than a strict limit, as Google may truncate descriptions based on the available display space.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A short meta description won&rsquo;t provide enough information to attract people. On the other hand, if it&rsquo;s too long, search engines will cut off your description on the SERPs.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pay attention to the bar underneath the meta box to see when it turns green &ndash; it will indicate that you&rsquo;ve reached the ideal length.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Again, you have the option to use the <b>Insert variable <\/b>feature to insert meta tags that will generate meta descriptions automatically. However, these descriptions may not be good enough, and search engines will replace them with their versions.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you&rsquo;ve added your meta description, check Yoast SEO&rsquo;s search preview to see how your page title and description may appear in Google results. Keep in mind that Google can generate a different snippet based on the user&rsquo;s search query.<\/p><h3 id=\"h-meta-description-in-homepage\" class=\"wp-block-heading h-t-title-3\"><strong>Add a meta description to your WordPress homepage<\/strong><\/h3><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since a homepage should shine some light on a website&rsquo;s purpose, you&rsquo;ll have to provide concise and understandable information about your business in its meta description.<\/p><ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Go to the <b>Pages <\/b>-&gt; <b>All Pages<\/b> section of your WordPress admin area.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Find <b>Homepage<\/b> and click<b> Edit<\/b>.<\/li>\n<\/ol><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alternatively, you can go to the Yoast SEO dashboard and click on the <b>editing the homepage itself <\/b>link in the <b>General <\/b>tab. This link will automatically take you to the homepage&rsquo;s editor.<\/p><div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure data-wp-context='{\"imageId\":\"6ad9b0ce6e724\"}' data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6ad9b0ce6e724\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"624\" height=\"379\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--pointerdown=\"actions.preloadImage\" data-wp-on--pointerenter=\"actions.preloadImageWithDelay\" data-wp-on--pointerleave=\"actions.cancelPreload\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/imagedelivery.net\/LqiWLm-3MGbYHtFuUbcBtA\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/06\/title-separator.png\/w=1024,h=1024,fit=scale-down\" alt=\"Adding a meta description to WordPress homepage and a preview of the Title Separator\" class=\"wp-image-30559\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/title-separator.png 624w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/title-separator-300x182.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/title-separator-150x91.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 624px) 100vw, 624px\" \/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" data-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.thisImage.triggerButtonAriaLabel\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"state.thisImage.buttonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"state.thisImage.buttonTop\">\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"><\/path>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure><\/div><ol start=\"3\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Once you&rsquo;re in the editor, navigate to the bottom section, where you can find the <b>Yoast SEO<\/b> section. Click on <b>Google preview<\/b> to add the meta description in WordPress.<\/li>\n<\/ol><div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure data-wp-context='{\"imageId\":\"6ad9b0ce6eeb3\"}' data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6ad9b0ce6eeb3\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"287\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--pointerdown=\"actions.preloadImage\" data-wp-on--pointerenter=\"actions.preloadImageWithDelay\" data-wp-on--pointerleave=\"actions.cancelPreload\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/imagedelivery.net\/LqiWLm-3MGbYHtFuUbcBtA\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/06\/meta-description.png\/w=1024,h=1024,fit=scale-down\" alt=\"Meta description box to modify and edit your meta description\" class=\"wp-image-30553\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/meta-description.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/meta-description-300x84.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/meta-description-150x42.png 150w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/meta-description-768x215.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" data-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.thisImage.triggerButtonAriaLabel\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"state.thisImage.buttonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"state.thisImage.buttonTop\">\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"><\/path>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure><\/div><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Aim for approximately 150&ndash;160 characters for your homepage meta description. Clearly explain what your website offers and what makes it relevant to your target audience.<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading h-t-title-2\" id=\"h-how-to-add-a-meta-title-and-focus-keyphrase-in-wordpress\">How to add a meta title and focus keyphrase in WordPress<\/h2><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Besides adding a meta description, you can use Yoast SEO to customize your SEO title and set a focus keyphrase. The SEO title helps users understand your page&rsquo;s topic in search results, while the focus keyphrase helps Yoast analyze how well your content targets a specific search term.<\/p><h3 id=\"h-meta-title\" class=\"wp-block-heading h-t-title-3\">Add a meta title using Yoast SEO<\/h3><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To add a meta title using the Yoast SEO plugin, you have to go to the specific post you want to work on and compose it there. Here&rsquo;s how:<\/p><ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>From your WordPress admin sidebar, navigate to <b>Posts <\/b>-&gt; <b>All Posts<\/b>. You should see the list of posts on your WordPress sidebar. Choose one and select <strong>Edit<\/strong>.<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"296\" class=\"wp-image-30560\" style=\"width: 730px\" src=\"\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/06\/wp-dashboard-all-posts.png\" alt=\"wordpress dashboard adding a new post\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/wp-dashboard-all-posts.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/wp-dashboard-all-posts-300x87.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/wp-dashboard-all-posts-150x43.png 150w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/wp-dashboard-all-posts-768x222.png 768w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/wp-dashboard-all-posts-1536x443.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Once you&rsquo;re in the post editor, scroll down to the <b>Yoast<\/b> <b>SEO <\/b>plugin section and open the<b> Google Preview <\/b>drop-down section.<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"574\" class=\"wp-image-30552\" style=\"width: 730px\" src=\"\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/06\/google-preview.png\" alt=\"Yoast SEO Google Preview drop down section\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/google-preview.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/google-preview-300x168.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/google-preview-150x84.png 150w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/google-preview-768x430.png 768w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/google-preview-1536x860.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You&rsquo;ll see the <b>SEO title <\/b>meta box &ndash; this is where you should type in your meta title. We recommend less than 55 characters to prevent the name from being abruptly cut. A bar underneath will be colored either orange or green, indicating how good your meta title is. Make sure that this bar is green.<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"569\" height=\"99\" class=\"wp-image-30556\" style=\"width: 730px\" src=\"\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/06\/seo-title-green.png\" alt=\"Yoast SEO title saying A Step-by-Step Guide to Add Meta Title the Right Way\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/seo-title-green.png 569w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/seo-title-green-300x52.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/seo-title-green-150x26.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 569px) 100vw, 569px\" \/> Alternatively, you can use the <strong>Insert variable<\/strong> function to include such variables as <strong>site title, title, primary category, <\/strong>and <strong>separator<\/strong>. This way, Yoast SEO will generate a meta title according to the arrangement of these variables. <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"565\" height=\"101\" class=\"wp-image-30557\" style=\"width: 730px\" src=\"\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/06\/seo-title.png\" alt=\"Yoast SEO title variable functions\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/seo-title.png 565w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/seo-title-300x54.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/seo-title-150x27.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 565px) 100vw, 565px\" \/><\/li>\n<\/ol><ol start=\"4\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Finally, see how your meta title snippet appears in the <b>Google Preview <\/b>section.<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"592\" height=\"322\" class=\"wp-image-30550\" style=\"width: 730px\" src=\"\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/06\/featured-snippet.png\" alt=\"Google Preview of meta description of a What is a Blog article \" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/featured-snippet.png 592w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/featured-snippet-300x163.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/featured-snippet-150x82.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 592px) 100vw, 592px\" \/><\/li>\n<\/ol><h3 id=\"h-focus-keyphrase\" class=\"wp-block-heading h-t-title-3\"><strong>Set a focus keyphrase using Yoast SEO<\/strong><\/h3><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Setting up the <b>focus keyphrase <\/b>using Yoast SEO will allow the plugin to analyze your content based on the keyword you want to rank for. It will also provide you with suggestions to optimize the site content. Here&rsquo;s how to achieve that:<\/p><ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Type your focus keyphrase in the <b>focus keyphrase<\/b> box at the top of the <b>SEO<\/b> tab. Choose a focus keyphrase that reflects the main topic and search intent of your content. Avoid creating multiple pages that target the same search intent without offering distinct value, as they may compete for similar search queries.<\/li>\n<\/ol><div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure data-wp-context='{\"imageId\":\"6ad9b0ce72dae\"}' data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6ad9b0ce72dae\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"613\" height=\"235\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--pointerdown=\"actions.preloadImage\" data-wp-on--pointerenter=\"actions.preloadImageWithDelay\" data-wp-on--pointerleave=\"actions.cancelPreload\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/imagedelivery.net\/LqiWLm-3MGbYHtFuUbcBtA\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/06\/focus-keyphrase.png\/w=1024,h=1024,fit=scale-down\" alt=\"focus keyphrase on Yoast SEO\" class=\"wp-image-30551\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/focus-keyphrase.png 613w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/focus-keyphrase-300x115.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/focus-keyphrase-150x58.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 613px) 100vw, 613px\" \/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" data-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.thisImage.triggerButtonAriaLabel\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"state.thisImage.buttonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"state.thisImage.buttonTop\">\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"><\/path>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure><\/div><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you have filled in the focus keyphrase, go to the SEO Analysis drop-down menu. You should see three sections &ndash; <b>problems<\/b>, <b>improvements<\/b>, and <b>good results<\/b>.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <b>good results<\/b> section will show the correct SEO practices, while the <b>problems <\/b>and <b>improvements <\/b>are some aspects and suggestions you can work on to further improve SEO.<\/p><div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure data-wp-context='{\"imageId\":\"6ad9b0ce7634f\"}' data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6ad9b0ce7634f\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"595\" height=\"452\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--pointerdown=\"actions.preloadImage\" data-wp-on--pointerenter=\"actions.preloadImageWithDelay\" data-wp-on--pointerleave=\"actions.cancelPreload\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/imagedelivery.net\/LqiWLm-3MGbYHtFuUbcBtA\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/06\/yoast-seo-analysis.png\/w=1024,h=1024,fit=scale-down\" alt=\"yoast SEO analysis and problems to fix \" class=\"wp-image-30561\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/yoast-seo-analysis.png 595w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/yoast-seo-analysis-300x228.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2017\/06\/yoast-seo-analysis-150x114.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 595px) 100vw, 595px\" \/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" data-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.thisImage.triggerButtonAriaLabel\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"state.thisImage.buttonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"state.thisImage.buttonTop\">\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"><\/path>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure><\/div><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Review Yoast SEO&rsquo;s recommendations and address any issues that are relevant to your content. A green indicator means you&rsquo;ve met the plugin&rsquo;s analysis criteria, but it doesn&rsquo;t guarantee higher search rankings or overall content quality.<\/p><h2 id=\"h-how-to-write-good-meta-descriptions\" class=\"wp-block-heading h-t-title-2\"><strong>How to write an effective WordPress meta description<\/strong>?<\/h2><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A good WordPress meta description summarizes the page&rsquo;s content, matches the user&rsquo;s search intent, and gives people a reason to visit your website. Although meta descriptions aren&rsquo;t a direct Google ranking factor, relevant descriptions can encourage clicks from search results.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Follow these best practices when writing your meta descriptions:<\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Match search intent.<\/strong> Consider what users want to find when searching for your target keyword. Explain how your page answers their question or addresses their needs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Aim for 150&ndash;160 characters.<\/strong> Keep descriptions concise and informative. Google doesn&rsquo;t enforce a fixed character limit, and snippets may be truncated depending on the available display space.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Include your primary keyword naturally.<\/strong> Use the main keyword when it accurately describes your content. Avoid repeating keywords unnecessarily, as this makes descriptions harder to read.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Highlight the page&rsquo;s value.<\/strong> Mention what readers will learn, find, or accomplish. For example, a tutorial description can briefly explain the task and the steps involved.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Use a call to action when relevant.<\/strong> Phrases like &ldquo;Learn how,&rdquo; &ldquo;Explore,&rdquo; or &ldquo;Discover&rdquo; can encourage users to visit your page, provided they fit naturally.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Write unique descriptions for important pages.<\/strong> Avoid using identical descriptions across multiple pages. Each description should reflect the specific content of its page.<\/li>\n<\/ul><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Keep in mind that Google may generate a different search snippet based on the user&rsquo;s query, even when you&rsquo;ve added a custom meta description.<\/p><p><div class=\"protip\">\n            <div class=\"protip__heading\">\n                <svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                    <path d=\"M1.49234 23.5024C1.23229 23.5024 0.972242 23.4024 0.782206 23.2123C0.562165 22.9923 0.452144 22.6822 0.502153 22.3722C0.562165 21.9221 1.14227 17.9113 3.00262 16.351C3.63274 15.8209 4.43289 15.5509 5.26305 15.5609C6.09321 15.5909 6.87335 15.9109 7.47347 16.4911C8.6937 17.6913 8.76371 19.6717 7.6435 20.9919C6.0832 22.8523 2.08245 23.4324 1.63237 23.4924C1.59236 23.4924 1.54235 23.4924 1.50234 23.4924L1.49234 23.5024ZM5.16303 17.5613C4.84297 17.5613 4.53291 17.6713 4.29287 17.8813C3.60274 18.4614 3.07264 19.9317 2.75258 21.242C4.06282 20.9219 5.5331 20.3918 6.11321 19.7017C6.55329 19.1716 6.54329 18.3814 6.0832 17.9213C5.85316 17.7013 5.5431 17.5713 5.20304 17.5613C5.19304 17.5613 5.17303 17.5613 5.16303 17.5613ZM11.7243 21.8821C11.4942 21.8821 11.2642 21.8021 11.0841 21.652C10.8541 21.462 10.7241 21.1819 10.7241 20.8819V15.9109L8.08358 13.2705H3.11264C2.81259 13.2705 2.53254 13.1404 2.3425 12.9104C2.15246 12.6803 2.07245 12.3803 2.12246 12.0902C2.19247 11.7102 2.84259 8.36953 4.70294 7.12929C6.33325 6.04909 8.96375 6.49918 10.244 6.80923C11.5442 4.96889 13.2546 3.4286 15.2349 2.33839C17.4553 1.11816 19.9858 0.518051 22.4963 0.498047C23.0464 0.498047 23.4865 0.948132 23.4865 1.49824C23.4865 5.0389 22.3763 9.97983 17.1753 13.7605C17.4853 15.0408 17.9354 17.6613 16.8552 19.2816C15.615 21.1419 12.2744 21.7921 11.8943 21.8621C11.8343 21.8721 11.7743 21.8821 11.7143 21.8821H11.7243ZM12.7245 16.181V19.6016C13.7146 19.2916 14.7948 18.7915 15.2049 18.1814C15.675 17.4812 15.605 16.091 15.385 14.9008C14.5248 15.3808 13.6346 15.8109 12.7245 16.181ZM9.66388 12.0302L11.9643 14.3307C13.1845 13.8306 14.3648 13.2204 15.485 12.5103C19.9358 9.51974 21.2361 5.60901 21.4561 2.53843C19.6157 2.67846 17.8254 3.20856 16.2051 4.09872C14.2847 5.14892 12.6544 6.68921 11.4942 8.54956C10.7841 9.65977 10.174 10.82 9.66388 12.0302ZM4.39289 11.2701H7.81353C8.1936 10.3599 8.63368 9.46974 9.11377 8.60957C7.92355 8.38953 6.51329 8.31952 5.81315 8.78961C5.19304 9.19968 4.70294 10.3099 4.39289 11.2701Z\" fill=\"#673DE6\"\/>\n                <\/svg>\n                <p class=\"protip__title\">\n                    Expert Tip\n                <\/p>\n            <\/div>\n            <p class=\"protip__content\">Align your meta description with your content to provide a preview for the audience and increase the chance of getting clicks. For a top list-based product review, list some products for a quick snapshot. For a how-to guide, briefly mention the steps you&rsquo;ll cover.<\/p>\n                <div class=\"protip__expert\">\n                    <div class=\"protip__expert-image\">\n                        <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" src=\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1ac51b8c5ae07cda4b35e33d341c5b24c5a6ba6a1b63fd785ebe1070dd6fdc7c?s=65&d=mm&r=g\" alt=\"Editor\" \/>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div>\n                        <p class=\"protip__expert-name\">Leonardus Nugraha<\/p>\n                        <p class=\"protip__expert-position\">Content Specialist (WordPress Category)<\/p>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/p><h2 id=\"h-conclusion\" class=\"wp-block-heading h-t-title-2\"><strong>Next step: Complete your WordPress SEO checklist<\/strong><\/h2><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now that you&rsquo;ve added meta descriptions to your WordPress posts and pages, the next step is to optimize the other elements that influence your website&rsquo;s search visibility.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Start by reviewing your SEO titles, headings, and internal links. Then, use our <a data-click-id=\"hgr-post-content-link-wordpress-seo-checklist\" href=\"\/my\/tutorials\/wordpress-seo-checklist\/\">WordPress SEO checklist<\/a> to work through other important tasks, including configuring your sitemap, improving website performance, and making sure search engines can access your content.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Following these steps will help you build on your meta description improvements and create a more complete SEO strategy for your WordPress website.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>To add a meta description in WordPress, install an SEO plugin like Yoast SEO, open the post or page you want to optimize, and enter your description in the plugin&rsquo;s SEO settings. Save your changes to apply the description. A meta description is a short summary of a webpage that search engines may display in [&#8230;]<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"btn btn-secondary understrap-read-more-link\" href=\"\/my\/tutorials\/wordpress-meta-description\/\">Read More&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":172,"featured_media":137182,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_title":"How to add a meta description in WordPress","rank_math_description":"Learn how to add a meta description in WordPress using Yoast SEO. Follow simple steps to optimize posts, pages, and your homepage for search results.","rank_math_focus_keyword":"wordpress meta description","footnotes":""},"categories":[22666],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4876","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wordpress"],"hreflangs":[{"locale":"en-US","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wordpress-meta-description\/","default":0},{"locale":"pt-BR","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/br\/tutoriais\/meta-descricao-wordpress\/","default":0},{"locale":"fr-FR","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/fr\/tutoriels\/meta-description-wordpress\/","default":0},{"locale":"es-ES","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/es\/tutoriales\/agregar-meta-descripcion-wordpress\/","default":0},{"locale":"id-ID","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/id\/tutorial\/cara-membuat-meta-keyword-wordpress\/","default":0},{"locale":"de-DE","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/de\/tutorials\/wordpress-meta-beschreibung\/","default":0},{"locale":"it-IT","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/it\/tutorial\/meta-descrizione-wordpress\/","default":0},{"locale":"en-PH","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wordpress-meta-description\/","default":0},{"locale":"en-MY","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wordpress-meta-description\/","default":0},{"locale":"en-GB","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/uk\/tutorials\/wordpress-meta-description\/","default":0},{"locale":"en-IN","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wordpress-meta-description\/","default":0},{"locale":"en-CA","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ca\/tutorials\/wordpress-meta-description\/","default":0},{"locale":"en-AU","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/au\/tutorials\/wordpress-meta-description\/","default":0},{"locale":"en-NG","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ng\/tutorials\/wordpress-meta-description\/","default":0},{"locale":"es-AR","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ar\/tutoriales\/agregar-meta-descripcion-wordpress\/","default":0},{"locale":"es-MX","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/mx\/tutoriales\/agregar-meta-descripcion-wordpress\/","default":0},{"locale":"es-CO","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/co\/tutoriales\/agregar-meta-descripcion-wordpress\/","default":0},{"locale":"pt-PT","link":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/pt\/tutoriais\/meta-descricao-wordpress\/","default":0}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4876","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/172"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4876"}],"version-history":[{"count":41,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4876\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":137181,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4876\/revisions\/137181"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/137182"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4876"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4876"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/my\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4876"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}