Meta Descriptions - Duplicate Content?

[tuckjames]

I have created a Meta Description for a page that is optimized for SERPS. If I also put this exact content on my page for my readers, would this be considered duplicate content? The meta description and content will be listed on the same page with the same URL. Thanks for your help.

[SimonCullum]

Hi there, you'll be glad to know that it's a positive SEO attribute when a Meta Description matches some of the page content, if it ties together then that's considered good for SEO (so long as the said content is not spammy and is relevant to the rest of the page content).

Also, ensure that your Title tag and your H1 tag also reflect what your page is about, optimise those in a similar way to your Description and page content.

So don't worry about duplicate content here, from what you've said in your question, you're doing some good optimisation.

Regards, Simon

[sesertin]

It is not a duplicate and definately good for readers. They read the description in the serp and than your content begins with the description they read so they are ensured they have arrived to the right place they can continue reading right from the point they have finished it. This method is also used with addwords adwertising.

[kpaulin]

You can find and excellent summary of what is duplicate content here...

http://www.seomoz.org/learn-seo/duplicate-content

...and a very interesting update from Dr Pete here...

http://www.seomoz.org/blog/duplicate-content-in-a-post-panda-world

"While duplicate content as an SEO problem has been around for years, the way Google handles it has evolved dramatically and seems to only get more complicated with every update. Panda has upped the ante even more.

So, I thought it was a good time to cover the topic of duplicate content, as it stands in 2011, in depth. This is designed to be a comprehensive resource – a complete discussion of what duplicate content is, how it happens, how to diagnose it, and how to fix it. Maybe we’ll even round up a few rogue pandas along the way."

Well worth a read...

[AlanMosley]

Zsolt and Simon gave good answers.

As long as the description reads well in a serp and helps convert, its done its job,