SEO · Updated June 2026
A meta description is the HTML summary that can appear beneath the title in search results. It does not directly affect rankings, but a compelling description raises click-through rate — and Google rewrites weak ones, so write yours like ad copy.
A meta title (title tag) is the HTML title shown as the clickable headline in search results. It is the strongest on-page relevance signal and the biggest driver of click-through rate. Keep it under ~60 characters with the target keyword near the front.
A SERP is the page of results a search engine returns for a query. Modern SERPs mix organic listings with ads, shopping carousels, featured snippets, People Also Ask boxes, and AI Overviews — so visibility now means winning placements, not just rank #1.