Meta descriptions are the default text the search engines use under the link on the search engine results pages (SERPs). Many people think that what they find there they’ll also find on the page. With meta description tags, this isn’t always true. This is why I like to use actual page copy in the tag when possible.
My ideal SEO emphasizes proper keyword position, prominence and density along this path:
URL –> title tag –> H1 tags –> H2 tags –> page copy
Search engines love it when a single keyword or phrase lines up in succession along this path. No meta description and no meta keywords, which I hope soon fall off the SEO Best Practices list.
Here’s an interesting article from SearchEngineLand.com on thinking past SEO Best Practices.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
You made some good points there. I did a search on the topic and found most people will agree with your blog.