Is it possible that Google is pulling description from third party websites and displaying in the description section in organic result?

[Malika1]

Hi all,

I have come across the most weird situation ever in my SEO career.

Google is displaying description in organic results for brand term under the website URL that doesnt exist on the website ANYWHERE but this description does appear on some directory sites created back in 2002 or so.

Is there a possibility that Google is pulling info from directory sites and displaying as a description in the organic results?

I am super confused!

Help needed!

Thanks

[ViviCa1]

Yes, this can happen but you can ask Google not to use the description from a directory such as DMOZ by using the "noodp" meta robot tag:

[Linda-Vassily]

Here is a thread about the DMOZ/Open Directory project that ViviCa1 mentioned. [A lot of people are trying to get into DMOZ but can't, you should be happy you have the link. ]

One thing you could look at though is why does Google think that the directory description is the best one to return?

Check and see whether you can improve the descriptive content on the actual site. [At one point I got two new sites to work on, both in DMOZ, the rich, active one returned site-appropriate information, the long-neglected one returned the directory description.]

[Malika1]

awesome thanks!

[Malika1]

Thanks. I think the content on page is pretty good and strong as we have just done an upgrade of the website. Just recently Google decided to show this description from DMOZ.