How to add a meta description in Webflow?

A meta description is a brief summary of a page's content that appears in search engine results below the title. While it does not directly affect rankings, a well-written meta description improves click-through rate by helping users decide whether to visit your page.

For static pages

1. Open the Pages panel in the Designer.
2. Click the gear icon next to the page.
3. Scroll to the SEO Settings section.
4. Find the Description field and enter your meta description.
5. Publish the site.

For CMS template pages

1. Go to the CMS tab and open the Collection.
2. Click Template to edit the template page.
3. Click the gear icon for the template in the Pages panel.
4. In the Description field, use a mix of static text and dynamic fields. Click + Add Field to insert CMS values.

For example, a blog template might use: Learn about {Name}. A practical guide covering the key steps and common mistakes.

If your CMS Collection has a dedicated description or excerpt field, you can bind the meta description directly to that field for full per-item customization.

Writing effective meta descriptions

• Aim for 150–160 characters. Google truncates longer descriptions.

• Include the target keyword naturally — Google bolds matching terms in results.

• Write in active voice with a clear value proposition.

• Include a call to action when appropriate: "Learn how to...", "Discover...", "Get started with..."

• Make each page's description unique. Duplicate meta descriptions across pages are a missed opportunity.

What happens if you leave it blank

Google will automatically generate a description by pulling text from the page content, often the first paragraph. This is sometimes relevant, sometimes not. Setting a custom meta description ensures the right message appears in search results.

Checking your meta descriptions

Use Google Search Console to see which pages have missing or duplicate meta descriptions. The Page Indexing and Enhancements sections flag these issues. You can also use browser extensions like SEO Meta in Click to quickly check titles and descriptions on any page.

Publishing

Meta description changes only appear on the live site after publishing. If you have already submitted the page to Google, changes may take several days to show in search results. Use Google Search Console's URL inspection tool to request re-indexing after updates.