Along with the new year, Yoast SEO has released their latest plugin update, which includes an increase in the number of characters for meta descriptions from 155 to 320. Google has recently made the decision to increase the capacity for meta tags, which are the snippet descriptions you see when you’re doing a Google search. Not only does this make it easier for internet users to determine the legitimacy of a website, but it’s also an opportunity for the SEO (search engine optimization) on your website.
Going from 155 to 320 may not sound like much, but every character counts when it comes to your SEO campaign, as it’s used to highlight keywords for the search engine and for the users. What this means is that there’s more space to work with in your descriptions to get people to click your page, with call-to-actions and overviews of the content within the site. And even though Google doesn’t always show the meta description you write, it’s something that really makes a difference in reaching internet users organically.
Now Is The Right Time
This update is important whether or not you currently have an SEO campaign. Meta descriptions are one of the basic aspects of SEO, and since it is the first thing people will see, it’s important to ensure the information you want to show up will—whether it’s call-to-actions, services, products, or service areas. And since it’s the new year, now’s the time to take account of your website and the current status of your SEO.
So get a head start and stay ahead of the curve on the ever-changing world of search engines by starting an SEO campaign with the web team at Enter.Net.