NEWS: Don`t go writing longer meta descriptions unless you do deep analysis

Selected answers from the Dumb SEO Questions Facebook & G+ community.

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  Micah Fisher-Kirshner: If they think it isn`t ideal, then writing one that is implies they`ll use it, no? :)
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  David Harry: hmmmmm Well, given that Google only adds what they feel some 30% of the time (according to recent research by Dr Pete at least) - there can still be a case for it at times. And certainly I am still seeing some client snippets with the shorter ones. Given that we have position 2 and 3 on this head term for this industry, I added longer ones and we pushed the #4 guy below the fold (in standard resolutions) - so as with all things - `it depends` and can be a case-by-case basis. Ya know? Always work `SERP-out` and establish what`s actually going on. I ain`t gonna do what Danny/Barry tell me lol. Going to use my own judgement ;)
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  David Harry: In short, Google doesn`t ALWAYS add their own wording to expand on the snippet... go to the SERP and see what`s going on in that query space for your own listings
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  Steve Gerencser: You want to know a dirty little secret? For larger eCommerce sites we rarely write meta descriptions anyway. I tested this for more than 2 years on a few fairly large sites and there was statistically no difference between the rankings and the click throughs and the conversions. On smaller sites, or sites with unique products this is a different story, but sites with stacks of generic products? Not any difference that I could find.
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  Alan Bleiweiss: Micah, David, I think this is a multi-faceted issue though. MOST who do SEO don`t have the advanced level, so there are probably FIFTY other things they need to be doing with their time MORE important than lengthening Meta Descriptions. Then there`s the fact that pages don`t just show up for ONE query when done even half-properly. I`ve seen many cases where Google leaves the Title and Description alone for some queries, and changes it for others for the same exact page. So it`s NOT, in my opinion, worth the time or effort, without GRANULAR research and follow-up evaluations all the way to conversion data.
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  David Harry: Steve Gerencser agreed, the site in question I was talking about is a smaller ecom one. That certainly makes a difference - which is also to your point Alan Bleiweiss - when there are but a few pages/products driving the lion`s share of the revenues, I always have time to tweak things. So again, it`s situational and I just don`t like a catch-all statement ya know? luv ya babe!!
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  Barry Schwartz: To be clear, they did later give their "go head" to make your meta descriptions longer https://www.seroundtable.com/google-longer-meta-descriptions-24912.html
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  David Harry: Oh I hear that Barry Schwartz - I just wanted to intimate that it`s situational, as with all things in our world hehe
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  Micah Fisher-Kirshner: And that`s where I think the crucial point needs to be made Alan Bleiweiss that it should be prioritized and recognized that changing them may not be the most impacting given that Google doesn`t always use it, not that one shouldn`t do it. It would be the equivalent of saying to never write a meta description in the same vein based on your initial post.
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  Alan Bleiweiss: Agreed on the situational aspect. And that people can, if they want to. I just still think it`s a waste of time unless the proper deep analysis is done and that it is mostly a shiny object otherwise.
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  Jenny Halasz: In my opinion (OPINION), I think this test will fail. I don`t think users want longer descriptions, especially on mobile, and I think this test will roll back. So I`m not spending any time lengthening descriptions, but rather, using The KICC Method (shameless plug) to better optimize the ones I already have. https://www.slideshare.net/jennyhalasz/this-aint-your-mommas-keyword-research
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  Alan Bleiweiss: Micah, David, Barry... I just edited my post here to better reflect the nuance.
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  Doc Sheldon: I`ve been making use of the additional length on NEW pages, but have only reworked a handful of existing descriptions, where they needed improvement. But on the longer descriptions, I`m rewriting them in a manner that if they ever roll this back, there`s still a decent description in the truncated version. I agree that for a large site that has hundreds, thousands or more of existing descriptions, it would likely be unwise to dedicate a lot of effort to something that might end up being temporary.
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  Barry Schwartz: I cant remember the last time I wrote a meta description by hand.
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  Christopher Fleming: I just can`t get away from that guy! 😕
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  Adam John Humphreys: Depends how relevant to the query most likely the description is.
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  Faith Dugan: Alan Bleiweiss I think googles ultimate goal is to feed google`s AI until it is evolved enough and doesnt need us..or like that.