Write Blog Descriptions People Actually Click (Template + Examples)

Most blog descriptions are… kind of invisible.

You know the ones. Vague. Polite. “In this post, we explore…” And then you wonder why your page is sitting there on Google getting impressions but no clicks.

A blog description is not a summary. Not really.

It’s a tiny piece of copy with one job: make the right person feel like, yep, that’s exactly what I need. Click.

And the annoying part is you do not get a lot of room. Sometimes it’s a meta description in search. Sometimes it’s the snippet on your blog index, or the preview on social. But either way, you’re fighting for attention in a very small space.

So let’s make this practical.

Below you’ll get:

• A plug and play template you can use on basically any post
• A few patterns that consistently work (without sounding spammy)
• Examples you can steal and adapt
• A quick workflow for doing this fast, even at scale

First, what a “blog description” actually is (and where it shows up)

People use the phrase “blog description” to mean a few different things:

1. Meta description: The snippet Google often shows under your title.
2. Blog card excerpt: The short text under the title on your blog list page.
3. Social preview text: What people read when your link is shared.

One description can sometimes do all three. But if you’re writing for clicks, the meta description mindset helps the most.

A couple quick truths:

• Google may rewrite your meta description. Still worth writing because it influences CTR when it’s used, and it forces clarity.
• Your description is an ad. A tiny ad. Not an abstract.
• If your title is “what,” the description often needs to be “why you should care” and “what you’ll walk away with.”

The biggest mistake: describing the post instead of selling the click

Here’s a common example:

“In this blog post, we discuss email marketing strategies and best practices.”

That’s not a reason to click. It’s a category label.

A better version:

“Steal 9 email sequences that turn new subscribers into buyers, plus the exact timing and subject lines that made them work.”

See the difference? It’s specific. It promises an outcome. It hints at details.

If you want a simple rule: your description should answer “what’s in it for me” in plain language.

What people actually click on (a quick cheat sheet)

These are the angles that get clicks again and again, because they match how people search and decide:

• Outcome: “Get X without Y”
• Specificity: numbers, timeframes, constraints, real deliverables
• Curiosity with boundaries: tease the method, not random mystery
• Pain to relief: call out the frustration, then promise the fix
• Credibility: data, examples, templates, scripts, screenshots
• Fit: who it’s for, who it’s not for

You don’t need all of them. Two is usually enough.

The blog description template (simple, flexible, not cringe)

Here’s the base template I use most:

Get [desired result] without [common pain]. Learn [what you’ll do] using [method/framework], plus [1-3 concrete takeaways].

And here are a few variations that are sometimes easier to write.

Template A: The “Do this, not that” template

Stop [bad approach]. Use [better approach] to [result]. Here’s [what’s included].

Template B: The “Reader fit” template

If you’re a [role] trying to [goal], this guide shows you [method] with [proof/assets].

Template C: The “Fast path” template

A quick guide to [topic]: [step count] steps, [tool/templates], and the mistakes to avoid.

Template D: The “Specific promise” template

[Number] ways to [result], including [intriguing item] and [intriguing item].

You can write these in 30 seconds once you know your post’s actual “deliverable.” Which is the point.

The 6 building blocks of a clickable description

If you want a clean mental checklist, it’s this:

1. Who is it for? (optional but powerful)
2. What result do they get?
3. What’s the mechanism? (how you’ll help them get it)
4. What’s included? (templates, examples, steps, scripts)
5. Why trust you? (experience, data, real tests)
6. What’s the friction reducer? (fast, simple, beginner friendly, no tools required)

Not all six. But if your description feels weak, it’s usually missing mechanism or included assets.

Before and after: quick rewrites (so you can feel it)

Example 1

Before: “Learn how to write better headlines for your blog.”

After: “Write headlines people actually click with a 7 point checklist, plus 25 real examples you can swipe and reuse.”

Example 2

Before: “We explain what topical authority is.”

After: “Topical authority, explained without the fluff. See how to build it with clusters, internal links, and a publishing plan that compounds over time.”

Example 3

Before: “This post covers keyword research tips.”

After: “Find low competition keywords that still bring buyers. This guide walks you through the exact filters, metrics, and shortcuts to build a list fast.”

Already better. Not louder. Just clearer.

Examples you can steal (by blog post type)

Below are ready to edit descriptions. Swap in your topic, your audience, and your asset.

1) How to guide

“Learn how to [do the thing] step by step, with a simple checklist and real examples so you can implement it today.”

2) List post

“[Number] proven ways to [result], including [surprising tactic] and [high leverage tactic] you can apply in under an hour.”

3) Template post

“Copy this [template type] to [result]. Includes examples, fill in the blanks prompts, and tips to avoid the common mistakes.”

4) Comparison post

“Trying to choose between [A] and [B]? Here’s the real difference, who each is best for, and which one wins for [specific use case].”

5) Case study

“Here’s how we went from [starting point] to [result] in [timeframe]. Full breakdown, numbers, and the exact steps we’d repeat.”

6) Beginner explainer

“New to [topic]? This guide breaks it down in plain English, with examples and a simple framework you can remember.”

7) “Mistakes” post

“Avoid these [number] [topic] mistakes that quietly kill results. Fixes included, plus what to do instead.”

8) Tool focused tutorial

“A practical walkthrough of using [tool] to [result], including setup, best practices, and real examples you can copy.”

If you’re building content at scale, this is the kind of thing you standardize. You should not be reinventing it every time.

A surprisingly effective formula: Outcome + asset + timeframe

If you only remember one combo, make it this:

Outcome: what they get
Asset: what you give them to get it
Timeframe: how fast they can see progress

Example:

“Plan a month of SEO content in 30 minutes using a simple topic map, a keyword shortlist method, and a ready to copy calendar.”

It’s not hype. It’s a promise with handles.

Writing meta descriptions that don’t get cut off (without obsessing)

If you’re writing specifically for Google snippets, character count matters a little.

Rough guidelines:

• Aim for 120 to 160 characters for meta descriptions.
• Put the strongest words up front. Google cuts the end.
• Avoid quotes and weird symbols that can get truncated or rewritten.

But honestly. Clarity beats perfect character math.

Write the best version first, then trim.

For those looking to optimize their website's performance, using an on-page SEO checker can provide valuable insights.

Quick process: write better descriptions in under 2 minutes

Here’s the workflow I use when I’m moving fast:

1. Write the real deliverable of the post in one line.
   Example: “A checklist to write meta descriptions that increase CTR, with examples.”
2. Add the reader pain.
   Example: “Low clicks despite good rankings.”
3. Combine into one sentence.
   “Low clicks despite ranking? Use this checklist to write meta descriptions that increase CTR, plus examples you can swipe.”
4. Trim the fat. Remove “this post,” “we’ll,” “in this guide.” Those words cost space and add nothing.

Done.

Where AI helps, and where it usually makes things worse

AI is great at variations. It’s not great at picking the angle that matters.

So the move is:

• You decide the outcome, audience, and asset
• AI generates 10 options
• You pick one, edit it like a human, and move on

If you want to generate descriptions at scale, you can do it while you generate posts too. For example, if you’re already using an SEO content workflow, have it produce a meta description, a blog excerpt, and a social caption as separate outputs.

This is one of those small “content ops” things that saves a ton of time over a year.

If you’re building a lot of content and want the whole pipeline automated, from topic planning to drafts to publishing, that’s basically what SEO software does. It scans your site, builds a strategy, creates SEO optimized articles, and schedules them. And yes, you can still control things like tone, rewrites, and structure.

If you want to see a direct example, their blog post generator is a good place to start, even just to get drafts and description variants quickly.

Also worth reading if you’re comparing options or workflows: AI writing tools for content marketing.

12 clickable blog description examples (with notes)

These are written in a natural style, not salesy, but still intentional.

1. SEO basics

   “SEO feels complicated until you see the few things that actually move rankings. This guide breaks it down into a simple checklist you can follow.”

2. Keyword research

   “Find keywords you can realistically rank for. We’ll show you how to spot low competition opportunities and build a list that brings qualified traffic.”

3. Content calendar

   “Plan your next 30 days of content with a simple calendar system. Includes topic ideas, prioritization rules, and an easy way to stay consistent.”

4. Internal linking

   “Internal links are the quiet cheat code for SEO. Learn a simple linking method, plus the exact pages to prioritize first.”

5. Meta descriptions (obviously)

   “Write blog descriptions people actually click. Use the template, steal the examples, and fix the small mistakes that kill CTR.”

6. Product led content

   “Turn your product into content ideas without writing boring feature pages. Here are 12 angles that attract buyers and still rank.”

7. AI content with guardrails

   “Use AI to write faster without publishing fluff. This guide covers prompts, editing rules, and a workflow that keeps quality high.”

8. Link building

   “A practical link building plan for people who hate outreach. These tactics focus on leverage, not spamming your way to backlinks.”

9. Comparison post

   “Choosing between [Tool A] and [Tool B]? Here’s what matters, what doesn’t, and which one is better for your specific use case.”

10. Case study

“We published [X] articles in [Y] days and tracked the results. Here’s what worked, what failed, and what we’d do again.”

11. Local SEO

“Want more local leads? This checklist covers the on page fixes and Google Business Profile tweaks that usually move the needle fastest.”

12. Ecommerce SEO

“Get more category page traffic without rewriting your whole store. Learn the structure, copy blocks, and internal links that help pages rank.”

Notice what’s happening in all of these. They don’t “introduce” the post. They pitch the benefit, and they hint at specifics.

Mini checklist: run this before you publish

Read your blog description and ask:

• Would a stranger know what they get from clicking?
• Is there at least one concrete detail? (number, asset, timeframe, method)
• Did I remove filler phrases like “in this post”?
• Does it sound like something a real person would say?
• Does it match the title, or does it oversell?

If you can say yes, you’re already ahead of most sites.

Wrap up (and a gentle nudge)

If your content is ranking but not getting clicks, blog descriptions are one of the easiest wins. Low effort, weirdly high impact.

Use the template. Keep it specific. Promise a real outcome and include one tangible asset.

And if you’re creating a lot of content and want a more hands off workflow, where the strategy, writing, rewrites, internal linking, and scheduling are handled in one place, take a look at SEO software at https://seo.software. It’s built for exactly that kind of “publish consistently without living in Google Docs” setup.