name: meta-description
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: 2.0.0
SEO On-Page: Meta Description
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.
Inputs
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.
Rules
- 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
- 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.
Primary reference
Related Skills
- page-metadata, title-tag, heading-structure
- localization-strategy, translation, google-search-console