# Document does not have a meta description: what it means and how to fix it
**Audit ID:** `meta-description` · **Category:** SEO
Your page is missing a `` tag. Google often uses this tag to generate the snippet under your search result. No description means Google guesses from page content, often badly, and your click-through rate suffers.
## TL;DR
- **What:** No `` tag in ``, or it's empty.
- **Why it matters:** This tag controls (or strongly influences) the snippet shown under your link in Google search results.
- **Fix:** Add a 140–160 character description that summarizes the page and includes the target query.
## What the audit checks
Lighthouse verifies that `` contains a `` tag with non-empty content. That's it. But the *quality* of the description matters far more than just having one.
## Why it matters for SEO and conversion
The meta description doesn't directly affect ranking, but it affects **click-through rate (CTR)**, and CTR is a strong indirect signal Google uses to assess search quality. A compelling description doubles the click rate of an apathetic one.
Without a meta tag, Google synthesizes one from the page. This often produces a fragment of your nav bar, a cookie notice, or an unrelated sidebar paragraph. Bad first impression.
## The fix
Add the tag to ``:
```html
```
## Length sweet spot
- **140–160 characters** is the safe range
- Google typically truncates at ~155–160 chars on desktop, ~120 on mobile
- Put the most important info in the first 120 chars so it survives mobile truncation
## A formula that works
```
[What the page is] + [for whom] + [unique value] + [call to action]
```
Example breakdowns:
| Page | Description |
|---|---|
| Pricing page | "Plans starting at $9/mo for teams. Includes Lighthouse audits, CI integration, and unlimited URLs. Free 14-day trial, no credit card needed." (146 chars) |
| Blog post | "Step-by-step guide to fixing CLS in Next.js apps. Covers image dimensions, font loading, and the one CSS rule that catches most layout shifts." (146 chars) |
| Product home | "Free tool that converts Lighthouse audits into CLAUDE.md fix plans for Claude Code. Mobile + desktop, all four Lighthouse categories, no signup." (149 chars) |
## Common mistakes
- **Duplicating descriptions across pages**, Google may collapse them under "duplicate content." Each page needs a unique description.
- **Keyword stuffing**, "Lighthouse audit Lighthouse pagespeed fix Lighthouse Lighthouse tool" is worse than a natural sentence. Google ignores stuffed text.
- **Marketing fluff**, "Welcome to our world-class platform" tells the searcher nothing. Be specific.
- **Truncating at a comma or mid-word**, write to a natural punctuation break under 160 chars.
- **No call to action**, invite the click: "Try free", "Read the guide", "See examples".
## Framework-specific patterns
### Next.js (App Router)
```jsx
export const metadata = {
description: "Free Lighthouse audit tool that..."
};
```
### Next.js (Pages Router)
```jsx
import Head from 'next/head';
```
### WordPress
Use Yoast SEO or Rank Math to set per-page descriptions in the editor. Avoid relying on the auto-generated excerpt fallback.
### Astro
```astro
---
const description = "...";
---
```
## Verification
1. Re-run Lighthouse, the audit should pass.
2. View page source (Cmd+U) and search for `meta name="description"` to confirm.
3. Use Google Search Console → URL Inspection → "Test live URL" to see how Google renders your snippet.
4. Use a SERP simulator (e.g. mangools, sistrix) to preview truncation on mobile vs desktop.
## Related audits
- [Heading order](/audits/heading-order), page structure
- [Document does not have a main landmark](/audits/document-main-landmark), semantic structure
- [Image alt attributes](/audits/image-alt), image SEO
---
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