**Google Algorithm Update** Now accepting 300 Char Meta Descriptions

Hi Everyone,

Just wanted to share a recent SEO update with you all. In November last year Google updated their algorithm to accept meta descriptions (the grey text in search results) that are 300 characters in length. This seems to have been rolled out globally now and if you search for things you should notice longer descriptions are shown. This is a significant jump from the previously allowed 155 characters including spaces and is a great opportunity to increase the amount of traffic you get.

Meta descriptions hold no direct SEO value, but, having well written enticing descriptions can lead to higher click through rates which in-directly improve your positions in Google. Better CTR = more traffic = better positions.

If you’ve got any sites which suffer from low click through rates (check this in Google Webmaster Tools) then be sure to go in and expand the meta descriptions to make best use of the 300 character allowance.

Have fun and be good,
Chris

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Nice heads up @steelejamc !

Will webflow be updating the Search Preview on Page Settings to reflect these changes? @PixelGeek @Waldo

What’s the current limit set in Webflow ?

Webflow currently shows 155 characters which was the old limit…

Google has recently adjusted the number of characters for the seo title and seo description.

Ideal length meta description for 2018
»Title desktop: 70 characters
»Description desktop: 320 characters

For mobile, Webflow does not yet have appart input fields that are required.

Ideal length meta description for 2018
»Title mobile: 70 characters
»Description mobile: 210 characters

Can this be adjusted?

Click here to vote this idea on the wishlist:

https://wishlist.webflow.com/ideas/WEBFLOW-I-1082

I’m not following what you mean. The meta description box on the page settings can handle 320 characters.

I follow you… The best solution is four fields in case of two, 2 for mobile, 2 for desktop.

Hmmm. Why do you think that? I haven’t read anything that suggested doing it that way. But I’m always open to new information.

The count is really just about what Google is displaying or at least that’s my understanding. I would just keep the most important data first.

Hi Guys,

As now Google has officially increased it’s length of snippets around 266 characters that Google is displaying, some results on the Internet are displaying around 273 characters.

Does this mean we will see an increase in the meta description filed characters?

Hmm. Longer snippets. That will be interesting. Better search results, but less clicks due to the “bla bla bla” factor?

Below are two links to blog posts that tell about the changes that Google has made since 2018.

In the Netherlands there is already talk about introducing a separate seo description for mobile and for desktop. Within Webflow it would be useful to be able to enter this separately per page and collections.

Hi @steelejamc @Diarmuid_Sexton @Revolution @RickSupport @jdesign @Koen @Nosher @HammerOz

(I hope I didn’t forget anyone!)

Our team just pushed an update for this :tada:

There’s not a hard limit to the meta description in Webflow page settings, but the search results preview there was based on the 155 char limit.

We’ve deployed an update that will bump this up this from 155 to 300 characters so you will be able to see where your descriptions end. :slight_smile:

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Hi,

Thanks for the link to Vote -
Seems I having trouble voting for this feature, is voting locked out?

Chris

Thanks @Brando. Very responsive update from the team…

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agreed… . … … . …

Hey guys,
every source is saying something different about the number of characters in the current longer snippets. That is because it is always different. Snippets are measured in pixels, not in characters. And here is a little tool that can help you out with creating The meta description length in 2021 | Spotibo. Surely, it is good to consider editing descriptions to use its full potential.

Yo @Brando. I’m surprised everybody talks about characters on this one. In my understanding it’s more a pixel thing for meta description. I know it’s almost the same thing, but 300 characters in caps doesn’t take the same space as 300 characters lowercase.

Good point @zbrah! I chatted with the team on this a bit – since most users won’t be doing all numbers or all caps for their descriptions, we’ll probably just keep that preview showing 300 chars over pixel-based limits. If we see requests in the future, though, we’ll definitely give it another look. :slight_smile:

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Awesome, thanks guys. sorry for the slow response! :slight_smile:

Oh now Google have wound it back to 160! It is probably a good thing as it is in line with Bing and 300 did look kind of long. But imagine the total hours Google has cost the industry as a whole with that experiment.

Google confirms it shortened search results snippets after expanding them last December