Why preview your snippet?
Your snippet is your shop window in Google. A title that is cut off mid-word, a description that ends with "…" before the key benefit, or a vague message all lower click-through rate — even if you rank well. Previewing lets you polish it in seconds.
Length limits
- Title: Google truncates at about 580 pixels — roughly 55–60 characters. Wide letters (W, M) use more space than narrow ones (i, l).
- Description: about 155–160 characters on desktop and around 120 on mobile.
Writing a snippet that wins the click
- Match the query. Use the words people search; Google bolds them.
- Lead with the benefit. "Check 301 vs 302 Redirects Instantly" beats "Redirect Tool – Home".
- Add specifics: numbers, the current year, "free", "step-by-step".
- Keep the brand short and at the end.
- Be accurate. Clickbait that does not match the page raises bounce rate and gets rewritten by Google.
When Google rewrites your snippet
Google may replace your title with your H1 or anchor text, and your description with page text that better matches the query. Clear, unique, honest tags that summarise the page are rewritten far less often.
When your snippet looks right, generate the HTML with the Meta Tag Generator and check a live page with the Meta Tags Analyzer.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a title be for Google?
About 55 to 60 characters, which fits in roughly 580 pixels before Google truncates it.
How long should a meta description be?
About 150 to 160 characters for desktop, with the key message in the first 120 characters for mobile.
Why is my snippet different in Google?
Google rewrites titles and descriptions when it thinks other text on the page matches the search better, or when your tags are missing or duplicated.
Does the meta description affect rankings?
No, but a compelling description can increase clicks, which brings more traffic from the same ranking.
Is this preview exact?
It closely matches Google's desktop layout. Exact truncation varies with font rendering, device and query.