Google won't use my meta description

Details:
Read-only URL: https://preview.webflow.com/preview/visualizar-4-0?preview=ca8751ec4cdb4807a03826f2b8fe1b6d
Live URL: https://www.visualizar.co.uk/

I was fortunate enough to get some advice from @Waldo but was unfortunately unsuccessful in trying to rectify this issue. After purchasing a template from the Webflow marketplace, and creating my new website, Google stopped grabbing the meta description for the website.

The meta description should be: Visualizar is an innovative digital marketing agency based in London. We are dedicated to providing technology-driven digital services and strategies for our clients to help them generate more business.

Instead it is mirroring the meta title. Previously it was showing a random paragraph of content on the homepage instead for the description, but I since removed the name of my company and this seemed to rectify it.

I have checked the source code of the website, and this is rendering out correctly.

Interestingly, other SERPs (Duck Duck Go, etc) grab the description fine so the issue seems to be isolated to Google. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what could be going on?

I have re-submitted my sitemap, fetched and rendered and re-submitted for indexing and have checked the code and Webflow settings over and over so am a little lost for how to fix this!

It’s ok for me. Have you tried in an incognito browser session?

Google gives me the correct serp:

http://vincent.polenordstudio.fr/snap/ebhpr.jpg

However it’s truncated. Google has reverted some rules about the lenght of site’s description and I’m not sure Webflow is now on par with them.

You can use this simulator, it’s closer to the real thing:

Example with your description:

http://vincent.polenordstudio.fr/snap/shtpc.jpg

Hi Vincent, thanks for your reply.

It’s odd because when searching for just the name of my company, Visualizar, it shows the issue as mentioned previously.

But when searching with the URL it shows the same as what you have shown me.

If I were to Google ‘Visualizar marketing’ - then the metadata description seems to be showing fine? Very odd!

Perhaps it’s something to do with Google ‘finding the best’ content on the page for the metadata?

What’s even more odd is that the metadata descriptions for the other pages being listed in the results seems to be volatile. Some have the truncated description (that need amending) and others like the Contact page as shown below are grabbing the incorrect metadata.

Thanks for the note on the truncation, I have amended this.

Google can decide to show excerps from the page instead of the description. Usually parts of the page where your search terms were found (and terms appear in bold).

Hi oliverm,
As your concern about Google SERP Description, Google regularly updated there algorithms.
Google particularly focuses on Artificial Intelligence. SERP results will be change as per the query (Keywords).
Google is trying to give answer for respective queries as per user requirement.
Thatswhy you get this kind of results. For proper results you have to implement reach Snippet into your webpage content

Hi guys,

My website is Coast Byron, I’ve been trying for a while now to get Google to index/use the Meta Description used on my homepage. Unfortunately it’s just pulling a jumble of prices and their discounted special.

When you do site: https://www.coastbyron.com.au it shows up with correct meta description (see below).

Would very much appreciate any assistance in how I might force Google to use the second one instead of redesigning my page.

Cheers,

Will

@Will_Davison -

This forum is not the authoritative current source for Google matters. Google has provided guidance and documentation at Google Search Central. Please refer to that for answers to your question. That way you get the freshest and most accurate information to review.

https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/snippet

Google can decide to show excerps from the page instead of the description. Usually parts of the page where your search terms were found (and terms appear in bold).

1 Like