v1.4.0 to v2.0.0

26 added, 54 removed. Audit A to A.

---

name: meta-description

- description: When the user wants to optimize the meta description or meta tag description. Also use when the user mentions "meta description," "meta desc," "page description," "SEO description," "search snippet," "SERP description," "description tag," "snippet for search," "meta description length," "rewrite meta description," or "description not showing." For title tag, use title-tag. For hreflang, robots, viewport, use page-metadata.

+ description: When the user wants to write, audit, or optimize a meta description, SEO description, SERP snippet candidate, duplicate description, description length, or description rewrite issue. For a sitewide metadata lifecycle including implementation and production validation, use page-metadata.

metadata:

- version: 1.4.0

+ version: 2.0.0

---

# SEO On-Page: Meta Description

- Guides optimization of the meta description tag for search engines and SERP display.

- **When invoking**: On **first use**, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On **subsequent use** or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

- ## Scope (On-Page SEO)

- - **Meta description**: CTA; unique value; target keyword; unique per page

- ## Length by Language

- Google truncates by **pixel width** (~920px desktop, ~680px mobile), not character count. Character limits are approximate—CJK chars are wider (~2× Latin), so fewer fit in the same pixels.

- | Script / Language | Meta description (chars) | Notes |

- |-------------------|--------------------------|-------|

- | **Latin** (English, Spanish, French, etc.) | 150–160 | Desktop ~158; mobile ~120 |

- | **CJK** (Chinese, Japanese, Korean) | 75–100 | Full-width chars; 70–80 conservative; 90–100 on some locales/fonts; use pixel checker when available |

- | **Cyrillic** (Russian, etc.) | 140–155 | Slightly wider than Latin |

- | **Arabic, Hebrew** | 70–90 | RTL; variable width |

- **Pixel tools**: Use a pixel-accurate meta tag checker for CJK—font and locale affect display; character counts vary by source (65–80 to 90–120 in practice).

- **Multilingual**: Use locale-specific limits; localize, don't just translate. See **localization-strategy**, **translation**.

- ## Initial Assessment

+ Owns writing and review rules for `<meta name="description">`. It is a candidate source for search snippets, not a guarantee of the text Google will display.

- **Project context:** Read root `contextus.md` when present and load only the modules relevant to this task. Without Contextus, use available project material or user-provided facts and ask for missing information; do not create a parallel context system.

+ ## Inputs

- Identify:

- 1. **Page type**: Homepage, landing, blog, product, etc.

- 2. **Primary keyword**: Target search query

- 3. **Language / script**: Apply length rule above

- 4. **CTA**: Primary action (sign up, learn more, buy, etc.)

+ Read root `contextus.md` when present. Confirm page type, primary search intent, locale, verified page-specific facts, current description, body coverage, sibling-page descriptions, and the intended next action when one exists.

- ## Best Practices

+ ## Rules

- | Item | Guideline |

- |------|-----------|

- | **Length** | Per language (see table above); ~150 chars sweet spot for Latin; truncates beyond pixel limit |

- | **Unique** | One per page; no duplicate descriptions |

- | **Intent** | Answer "why should I click?"; match search intent |

- | **CTA** | Include clear call-to-action when relevant |

- | **Keyword** | Naturally include target keyword |

- | **Content** | Include author, date, price where relevant |

- | **Impact** | Does not affect ranking; well-written descriptions improve CTR 5–10% |

+ - Write an accurate, useful summary or pitch for the specific page.

+ - Lead with information that distinguishes this page from sibling pages.

+ - Use query-relevant language naturally, without a keyword list.

+ - Length is a warning, not a hard gate. Google has no fixed meta-description length limit and truncates snippets as needed for the device and result context.

+ - A description may exceed traditional character guidance when it remains concise and useful. Flag descriptions too short to explain value or too long because of filler, repetition, or boilerplate.

+ - Use a CTA only when it suits the page task. Do not force marketing CTAs into legal, documentation, status, or informational pages.

+ - Include price, author, date, availability, or compatibility only when present and current on the page.

+ - Apply the **Swap Test**: if a description can move unchanged to a sibling page, it is not specific enough.

+ - Localize from the target market's query language and intent; do not translate and truncate.

+ - Google primarily creates snippets from page content and may show different text for different queries. Ensure the H2/body can substantiate the description's promise.

+ - Do not claim a fixed CTR, ranking, or traffic increase. A meta description is not a direct ranking control.

- ## Output Format

+ ## Output

- - **Recommended meta description** (with character count for target language)

- - **Alternatives** (if A/B testing)

+ - Recommended description and a non-binding length warning when useful.

+ - Brief rationale tied to intent and page-specific facts.

+ - Body-coverage warning if the page cannot substantiate the proposed description.

+ - Sibling duplication or cannibalization warning when applicable; do not restructure pages.

- ## GSC-Driven Optimization

+ ## Primary reference

- For pages with low CTR despite good position, use google-search-console to identify opportunities. Optimize meta description for pages with CTR gap.

+ - [Google: snippets and meta descriptions](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/snippet)

## Related Skills

- - **google-search-console**: CTR analysis, identify low-CTR pages for meta optimization

- - **title-tag**: Title pairs with description in SERP

- - **localization-strategy, translation**: Multilingual metadata; locale-specific length

- - **serp-features**: SERP features; standard result appearance in context

- - **heading-structure**: H1 should align with title; description summarizes content

- - **open-graph**: og:description for social sharing (often mirrors or extends meta description)

- - **keyword-research**: Keywords in content inform description

+ - **page-metadata**, **title-tag**, **heading-structure**

+ - **localization-strategy**, **translation**, **google-search-console**