Meta descriptions are not used by search engine ranking algorithms, but they can influence your page’s search ranking because they directly influence a page’s click-through rate and bounce rate.
This article explains what a meta description is and how to use them for your car website.
Here is an example of a meta description in search results for the phrase – ‘audi cars for sale’.
The text within the red box is an example of a meta description.

A meta description is a short summary of your page.
When a search is performed in Google, it will display below the Page Title, the Meta Description.
Users will be influenced by this text and whether (or not) they will click through to your website – based on what you say.
How to create a Meta Description on your car website
Most modern website platforms provide options to add both page titles and meta descriptions to your content. (e.g. a specific car page)
But we can’t fully control what Google displays in its search results.
Sometimes Google will show the meta description as you have entered it on your website and other times it may take other sentences from your content that it determines is more appropriate.
9 Tips for a great car website meta description
- Keep it short – we suggest up to 155 characters – but not too short.
- Add a clear call to action that encourages users to click through to your website.
- Use ‘active voice’ – e.g. ‘Great deals on used a used Audi today‘
- Use your keywords
- On car pages use some of the key car specifications e.g. ‘2.0 litre, diesel’
- Don’t try and trick Google – keep the meta description relevant to the actual content on the page – or you could be penalised.
- If you can, make your meta descriptions unique. You need to stick out in the crowd
- Google may edit your meta description by cutting off the content – so ensure that your main point is near the front of your description.
- You will want all your pages indexed in Google so don’t use duplicate meta descriptions as this may lead to some of your valuable pages dropping down the rankings.
Meta Descriptions used by car dealers
One way to learn about meta descriptions is to view examples.
We all choose a search result every day to click through to a particular website – so ask yourself why you clicked on one and not another.
Here is a list of the meta descriptions created for the home pages of the top 100 car dealer websites – which would you click on?
Some of the descriptions (e.g HR Owen) concentrate on information about the dealership, while others (e.g. Hatfields) concentrate on what they offer.
Understanding what text performs better for your dealership in terms of click-thru can generate more enquiries and sales.
Click on the car dealer to view more detail.
Car Dealers Top 100 Meta Descriptions
Car Dealer | Meta Description |
---|---|
Yeomans | Visit Yeomans in Devon, East Sussex & West Sussex, established dealership and servicing specialist. Get in touch today to arrange a test drive. |
Peter Vardy | Huge range of New and Used cars in Scotland, with showrooms in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Kirkcaldy, Motherwell and Perth. Visit us today or Call 0333 456 0505. |
Peoples | Visit Peoples in Liverpool & Scotland, established dealership and servicing specialist. Explore our website to browse through our stock and discover our full range of offers. Get in touch today to discover the benefits we provide and book a test drive. |
Sandicliffe Motor Group | Your local car dealer in the Midlands, offering a wide range of used cars online, new Ford, Mazda and Nissan, servicing and car accessories. |
Helston Garages Group | Today Helston Garages is one of the 25 largest in Britain, with 37 franchise dealerships throughout Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Dorset. |
Jardine Motor Group | View New and Used cars from Jardine Motors. Official Dealer for 16 Brands in 60+ Locations across the UK. |
Jemca | Missing |
Vines Group | Visit Vines Group in Guildford, Crawley & Redhill established dealership and servicing specialist. Explore our website and browse through our stock for the full range of offers. |
Drift Bridge Garage | Visit Drift Bridge Group in Surrey & West Sussex, established car dealer and servicing specialist. Explore our website to browse through our stock and discover our full range of offers. |
Vertu Motors | |
Allen Ford | Allen Motor Group incorporating Allen Ford, Essex Auto Group & SMC Cars are approved dealerships covering Ford, Ford Transit Centre, Kia & Mazda in the South of England and Midlands. Browse our range of New and Used Cars or Book a service today! |
Bowker BMW | The Bowker brand has been established in Lancashire for over 100 years. We have motor dealerships in Preston and Blackburn representing brands of BMW, MINI, Porsche, Motorrad and a Ribble Valley site retailing all makes of performance and sports cars with a full Service Centre. |
Williams Motor Co | |
Ancaster | Welcome to Ancaster Group where we sell new & used cars from manufacturers such as Nissan, Hyundai, Jeep, Alfa Romeo & Fiat across London, Kent & Surrey |
Barrets of Canterbury | We are privileged to be official retailers of; Jaguar | Land Rover | BMW | MINI | Citroen | DS | Honda. Find your perfect car today and book your free test drive. |
BMW Retail (Park Lane) | Welcome to BMW Park Lane, London. Your authorised local BMW retailer, with excellent offers on new and approved used BMW's. Visit us today. |
Arnold Clark | Arnold Clark's award-winning new and used car search is constantly updated with new stock, helping you find great deals on your perfect new or used car. |
Brindley Garages | Brindley Group with Honda, Kia, Hyundai, Vauxhall, Volvo, Mazda, Mitsubishi & Nissan dealerships centred around the West Midlands are a premier car dealer group. |
Caffyns | Caffyns Group have 14 locations across Sussex & Kent representing 7 major manufacturers. Speak to us about new & used vehicles across the south of England. |
Cambria Automobiles | Missing |
CEM Day | Welcome to Day's Motor Group where we specialise in new and Ford, Peugeot, FIAT and Ivecos as well as a range of servicing solutions across South Wales |
Chorley Group | Visit Chorley Group in Lancashire & Wigan, established dealership and servicing specialist. Get in touch today to arrange a test drive. |
City West Country | Discover new & used cars, vans, hire cars, and servicing at City West Country. With 40+ years of experience, we're your trusted automotive destination. |
Citygate Automotive | The UK's leading Volkswagen, ?KODA, SEAT, CUPRA & Kia dealer with 14 Locations across London & the South East. |
Cotswold Motor Group | View the new and used cars, parts and servicing available from Cotswold Group in Gloucestershire and Herefordshire. |
Dick Lovett | Welcome to Dick Lovett - The South West leading dealership for BMW, BMW Motorrad, MINI, Ferrari, Land Rover, Jaguar, Porsche and Aston Martin. Personal finance and business leasing available. |
Donnelly Group | Visit Donnelly Group in Northern Ireland established dealership and servicing specialist. Explore our website and browse through our stock for the full range of offers. |
Drive Motor Retail | Missing |
Eastern Holdings / Eastern Western | We have Scotland's largest selection of new and used cars for sale, with dealerships in Edinburgh, Glasgow and across Central Scotland. Visit us today. |
Eden Motor Group | Visit Eden Motor Group in South of England, established dealership and servicing specialist. Explore the website and browse through our full range of offers. |
Endeavour Automotive | Visit Endeavour Automotive in London, Berkshire & Essex established dealership and servicing specialist. Explore our website and browse through our stock for the full range of offers. |
Fish Brothers | Missing |
Foray Motor Group | Ford Dealership Foray Motor Group are approved Ford car dealers in the South West of England; with Ford Motor dealerships in Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire. |
Gates Group | Visit Gates Ford in Essex, Hertfordshire & Middlesex, established dealership and servicing specialist. Explore our website to browse through our new and used stock and discover our full range of offers. Get in touch today to discover the benefits we provide and book a test drive |
Glyn Hopkin | Glyn Hopkin in South East England offer new and used cars and vans and deliver extensive after sales support as well as championing the motability scheme. |
Greenhous Group | Visit Greenhous in the UK offering new and used cars, servicing and parts for vans and trucks from Ford, Nissan, Vauxhall, Volkswagen Commercial, DAF |
Group 1 Automotive | New & Used cars & vans from Group 1 Automotive. Finance Deals, Aftersales, Servicing & Motability. Dealerships all over the UK. Explore our services now. |
Halliwell Jones | Official New & Used BMW and MINI across the North West & North Wales. Complete BMW & MINI Servicing, MOT & Maintenance. |
Hartwell | Hartwell can offer a wide range of new and used vehicles as well as servicing solutions across Oxfordshire, Lincolnshire, Hertfordshire, Herefordshire & Bedfordshire |
Westway | Providing the best deals on City cars, SUV Crossovers, Electric cars, 4x4's & Vans that Nissan offer. View our full stock |
Vospers | Visit Vospers in Devon & Cornwall established dealership and servicing specialist. Explore our website and browse through our stock for the full range of offers. |
Sytner Group | The UKs leading retailer of prestige cars and the largest overall automotive retailer in Europe. Proud to be named the best UK retailer to work for by Glassdoor. |
Vindis Group | Missing |
Toomey | Toomey Motor Group in Southend and Basildon offer new and used car?s and van?s and deliver specialised aftersales support. Contact your local car dealership to find out more. |
Vantage Motor Group | Visit Vantage Motor Group in Lancashire & Yorkshire established dealership and servicing specialist. Explore our website and browse through our stock for the full range of offers. |
Thurlow Nunn | Visit Thurlow Nunn in Cambridgeshire, Buckinghamshire, Suffolk, Norfolk & Bedfordshire established dealership and servicing specialist. Explore our website and browse through our stock for the full range of offers. |
Holdcroft | Leading automotive dealership across the Midlands and North West. Find your next car from Holdcroft Group. Visit our showrooms across Staffordshire & Cheshire. |
TC Harrison | TC Harrison Ford has the widest choice of Ford vehicles and services and the highest standards of care. Visit one of our 7 authorised Ford dealerships today! |
Sturgess Motor Group | Sturgess Group in Leicester deliver quality service & all cars undergo vigorous checks. You will be able to find a new or used car that meets your needs. Contact us to find out more about buying online today. |
Steven Eagell | Discover the best Lexus and Toyota offers in the UK and find your nearest dealership for service and maintenance. |
Stephen James Group | For the best choice of new and used BMW and MINI cars for sale across London and Kent, turn to Stephen James Group. View our stock online, book a service and repair or alternatively you can visit your nearest dealership where a member of our experienced team can help with your enquiry. |
Snows Motor Group | Visit Snows in Southern England, established dealership and servicing specialist. Explore our website to browse through our stock and discover our full range of offers. Get in touch today to discover the benefits we provide and book a test drive |
Sinclair Group | At Sinclair Group we have a huge choice of high quality vehicles such as Audi, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mercedes, Volkswagen, Smart and Skoda. Be confident in us as the largest and most successful motor group in Wales. |
SG Petch | SG Petch, a family run multi franchised car dealership with branches in Darlington, Durham, Middlesbrough, Richmond and York. |
Sandown Motor Group | Visit one of the Sandown Group's dealerships and pick up your Mercedes-Benz. Browse our range of new and used cars online. |
Arbury | Arbury have multiple dealerships across the Midlands, representing several brands and offering great value new and used cars, MOTs and servicing. |
Bristol Street Motors* | Looking for a great deal on a new or used car near you? At Bristol Street Motors we have a wide range of new and used cars for sale at great prices. |
Macklin Motors | Find cheap cars for sale in Scotland at Macklin Motors. We have new and used cars for sale at great prices, so why not start your new car search today. |
Vertu Mercedes-Benz* | |
Farnell Jaguar* | Browse the latest Jaguar and Land Rovers for sale today at Farnell Jaguar Land Rover. Click through to find great deals on new and used Jaguar and Land Rovers for sale online. |
Farnell Land Rover* | |
Hereford Audi* | For a great selection of new Audi cars for sale in Hereford, look no further than Hereford Audi. |
Riverside Motors Group | Riverside Motor Group are a trusted Car Dealer in Yorkshire. We are an established dealership and servicing specialists. Explore our website and browse through our stock for the full range. |
William Morgan | |
VT Holdings | |
Specialist Cars Group | |
Sandal BMW | Visit Sandal Motor Group in Wakefield & Huddersfield, West Yorkshire established dealership and servicing specialist. Explore our website and browse through our stock for the full range of offers. |
RRG Group & Norton Way Motors | Visit RRG Group in Greater Manchester, Lancashire & West Yorkshire, established dealership and servicing specialist. Browse through our stock to explore range of offers and purchase your next vehicle online with us. |
Robinsons Motor Group | We represent the Audi, SEAT, Citro?n, ?KODA, Auto Devotion and Volkswagen brands at our showrooms across East Anglia. |
Richmond Motor Group | Richmond Motor Group are Hyundai, ?KODA, MG, Suzuki and Mitsubishi Dealers with automotive dealerships in Hampshire & Surrey. Each of our garage showrooms provide new car models across the brands including Motability cars, used cars & servicing. |
Renault Retail Group | The best Renault offers on all Renault cars can be found only at the UK's number one Renault dealers - the Renault Retail Group. |
Porsche Retail Group | Missing |
Perrys Group | Visit Perrys, your local car dealer and van dealer, to find over 3000 new & used cars and vans nationwide at over 25 locations in the UK. Servicing, parts & MOT also offered |
Pentagon Motor Group | Buy new and used cars and vans, read our latest news and reviews and book your vehicle in for a service or repair at your local dealer. |
Partridge of Hampshire | Welcome to Partridge of Hampshire, Chandlers Ford. Your authorised local BMW retailer, with excellent offers on new and approved used BMW's. Visit us today. |
Parkway Derby | |
Ocean Automotive (Po & Yeo Audi) | Missing |
Mon Motors | Welcome to Mon Motors, the first choice for new & used cars & specialist aftersales across South Wales & West England. Find out more & browse our range here! |
Marshall Motor Group | View the new and used cars, parts and servicing available from Marshall Motor Group in dealerships across the UK. |
Marsh Wall | Welcome to Berry Chiswick. Your authorised local BMW retailer, with excellent offers on new and approved used BMW's. Visit us ... |
Marriott Motor Group | Visit Marriott Motor Group in Suffolk & Norfolk, established dealership and servicing specialist. Explore the website and browse through our full range of offers. |
LSH Auto UK | Visit LSH Auto Group in Birmingham & Manchester established dealership and servicing specialist. Explore our website and browse through our stock for the full range of offers. |
Lloyd Motors | Find your next new or used car for sale in Cumbria, Lancashire, Yorkshire, the North East or Scottish Borders. Award winning customer service & aftersales support. |
Johnsons Cars | Visit Johnsons across the UK, established dealership and servicing specialist. Explore our website to browse through our stock and discover our full range of offers. Get in touch today to discover the benefits we provide and book a test drive. |
John Grose Group | John Grose: Home of East Anglia's premier Ford, Kia, Citro?n & Peugot dealer. Servicing and aftercare. Competitive prices, outstanding customer service. |
JCB Group | Here at the JCB Group, we specialise in a wide range of cars and vans. View our range online or contact the team to find out more. Free Nationwide delivery! |
Inchcape Retail | Visit one of Inchcape's car dealerships today. Over 100 dealerships nationwide, offering new, approved used & car servicing. All cars with finance available |
HR Owen | With dealerships across England, H.R. Owen is one of the leading sportscar retailers in the UK. Contact us today to view our vehicles or book a test drive. |
Howards Group | We constantly update our new & used car stock across all our dealerships in Somerset and Dorset. Find amazing deals on new & used cars or vans today! |
Heritage Automotive | Heritage Automotive are specialists in new & used Audi, Honda, Jaguar, Land Rover, Volkswagen, SEAT & Skoda sales and in Dorset, Bristol, Somerset and Wiltshire |
Hatfields | New & Used Jaguar, Land Rover, Range Rover & Volvo Dealers based in Wakefield, Hull, Liverpool, Manchester, Shrewsbury & Yorkshire |
Harwoods Group | Harwoods Group has been the leading motor dealership group in the South of England for over 80 years and is proud to represent the prestigious marques; Aston Martin, Audi, Bentley, Jaguar, Land Rover and McLaren. Harwoods also provide authorised service centres for BMW, MINI and Man Trucks. |
Motorline | Visit Motorline Group an established dealership and servicing specialist. Explore our website to browse through our stock and discover our full range of offers. Get in touch today to discover the benefits we provide and book a test drive. |
Swansway | Official car dealer for 12 car brands in 23 locations across North West England and Wales, offering new and used car sales, parts and servicing. |
Rybrook Group | Rybrook Group is among the largest privately owned car dealer groups in the UK, with dealerships representing most major specialist and luxury franchises. |
Park's Motor Group | Visit Group in Abarth East Kilbride, Bentley Glasgow, Douglas Park BMW Hillington, Douglas Park BMW Hamilton, Douglas Park BMW Glasgow, Douglas Park BMW Pinkston Road, Douglas Park BMW Stirling, Citroen East Kilbride, Citroen Coatbridge (Aftersales only), Park's of Hamilton (Coach Hirers) Ltd., Dacia Ayr, Dacia Coatbridge, Dacia Dunfermline, Dacia East Kilbride, Dacia Irvine, Dacia Motherwell, East Kilbride Multi-Franchise Centre, Fiat East Kilbride, Fiat Motherwell, Fiat Irvine, Ford Elgin, Ford Inverness, Ford Perth, Ford Stirling, Ford Transit Centre Inverness, Ford Transit Centre Perth, Ford Transit Centre Stirling, Head Office, Data Preferences, Honda Hamilton, Honda Ayr, Honda Aberdeen, Honda Inverness, Hyundai East Kilbride, Hyundai Irvine, Irvine Multi-Franchise Centre, Jaguar Ayr, Jaguar Inverness, Kia East Kilbride, Kia Coatbridge, Kia Bathgate, Lamborghini Leeds, Land Rover Ayr, Land Rover Inverness, Maserati Hamilton, Mazda Inverness, Mazda Ayr, McLaren Glasgow, McLaren Leeds, Douglas Park MINI Hamilton, Douglas Park MINI Glasgow, Douglas Park MINI Hillington, Douglas Park MINI Pinkston Road, Douglas Park MINI Stirling, Mitsubishi Coatbridge, Mitsubishi Ayr, Douglas Park Motorrad, Nissan Ayr, Nissan East Kilbride, Nissan Irvine, Peugeot Bathgate, Peugeot East Kilbride , Renault Dunfermline, Renault Motherwell, Renault Coatbridge, Renault East Kilbride, Renault Irvine, Renault Ayr, Skoda Hamilton, Suzuki East Kilbride, Suzuki Coatbridge, Suzuki Irvine, Toyota Inverness, Volvo Ayr, established dealership and servicing specialist. Explore our website to browse through our stock and discover our full range of offers. Get in touch today to discover the benefits we provide and book a test drive. |
John Clark Motor Group | Buy or reserve your new or used cars online. Plus, many car deals & finance offers. Click here to locate your nearest car dealer. |
Stellantis and You | Robins and Day are a manufacturer owned car dealer group. Buy Peugeot, Citroen, DS and Vauxhall with confidence | Robins and Day |
Stoneacre | Found in over 100 locations in the UK and representing over 20 franchises, Stoneacre Motor Group is your place to go for New & Used Cars and Aftersales. Visit today. |
Mercedes Benz Retail | Visit Mercedes-Benz Retail Group in London, established dealership and servicing specialist. Explore our website to browse through our stock and discover our full range of offers. Get in touch today to discover the benefits we provide and book a test drive. |
Listers Group | England's largest privately-owned motor group. Trust Listers with all your new and used car and van sales, servicing and parts needs |
JCT 600 | Approved dealerships in over 50 locations across Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire & the North East. Browse cars & book a test drive online. |
Trust Ford | TrustFord is the largest Ford-dedicated dealer group for new and used cars, vans, servicing and repairs. Find a dealership near you today. |
Pendragon | Pendragon PLC is one of the worlds leading automotive retailers. Find out more about our business, our brands and our financial results. |
Lookers | Lookers Motor Group offer new and used cars from leading manufacturers, as well as extensive aftersales services. Available across the UK. |
Hendy Group | At Hendy, we're proud to offer you quality cars from our Ford, Kia, Mazda, Honda, MG, Iveco, Renault, SEAT, Dacia and Suzuki dealerships. View the latest deals. |
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