If your website has dozens (or hundreds) of pages, writing meta titles and descriptions can feel endless. Yet these small snippets can be the difference between someone clicking your site or scrolling past.
Writing meta titles and descriptions can be a pain—especially if your website has dozens (or hundreds) of pages. But they’re also crucial: well-optimised meta information improves your visibility in search results, increases click-through rates, and enhances your overall SEO performance. The good news? You don’t have to spend hours manually editing the backend of your site. This guide walks you through how to create effective meta titles and descriptions—faster—with the help of AI.
Why Meta Titles and Descriptions Are Crucial for SEO
Meta titles and descriptions are foundational elements of on-page SEO. They’re often the first thing users see on a search engine results page (SERP), making them your site’s first impression. Here’s why they matter:
- Enhance Click-Through Rates (CTR): While meta descriptions don’t directly influence Google’s ranking algorithm, they heavily impact user behaviour. A compelling meta description acts as a mini ad—persuasive and informative—encouraging more users to click through to your site (source: Yoast).
- Improve User Experience: Clear, relevant meta titles and descriptions help users understand what to expect before they land on your page. This reduces bounce rates and ensures the right traffic lands on the right content.
- Support Keyword Relevance: Including target keywords in your meta titles and descriptions doesn’t directly boost rankings, but it helps users recognise that your page is relevant to their search—especially when Google bolds the keyword in the snippet.
- Maintain Brand Consistency: Consistent formatting and tone in your meta data reinforce your brand’s voice across search listings, building familiarity and trust with your audience over time.
- Control Over Search Snippets: Although Google sometimes rewrites meta descriptions, giving it a well-optimised version increases the chance that your preferred snippet will be shown.
How to Write Effective Meta Descriptions (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Identify the Page’s Focus and Intent
Start by identifying the main topic and the user intent for each page. Is the page meant to inform, convert, or promote a service? For instance, a landing page for a web design agency should contain phrases like “Top London Web Design Agency” to appeal to users looking for a service. If it’s an article, focus more on informational keywords. The meta content must always align with what the user is searching for.
Step 2: Use the Right Structure
Different types of pages call for different meta strategies. Service and landing pages often benefit from a title structure like:
“Top Rated Web Design Agency | Burst Digital”
Whereas informational blogs typically perform better with a more natural, direct format:
“How to Get Started with PPC Advertising”
In blog titles, the company name is usually omitted because users are focused on the value of the content, not the author.
Step 3: Stick to Character Limits
According to Yoast, meta titles should be under 60 characters and meta descriptions between 140 and 160 characters. Anything longer is likely to get cut off, especially on mobile. Short and sharp is best—users often skim search results, so you want to grab attention fast.
Step 4: Use Active Voice and Add a CTA
Write like you’re talking to someone. Use strong, active language and include a call-to-action (CTA) to encourage interaction. Phrases like “Get started,” “Learn more,” or “Explore the guide” increase the chances someone will click through to your site.
How to Use AI to Write Meta Titles & Descriptions at Scale
If your site is already live or in staging, you can use AI (like ChatGPT) to write metadata in bulk. Why does it need to be live or staged? Because tools like ChatGPT use the public URLs to scan and understand the content of each page. If the site isn’t accessible online, even via a temporary staging link, the AI won’t be able to access the page content, making it impossible to generate accurate, context-aware meta titles and descriptions.
Here’s how to automate the process and avoid spending hours writing everything manually:
Step 1: Install Yoast SEO (or a Similar Plugin)
For WordPress users, Yoast SEO is a simple way to generate a sitemap.xml file, which lists all your site’s public URLs. You can also use other SEO plugins like Rank Math or SEOPress, but this guide uses Yoast as the example.
Step 2: Locate Your Sitemap
Once Yoast is installed, your sitemap can usually be found at:
yourwebsite.com/sitemap.xml
This file is a map of all the indexable URLs on your site and is what you’ll use to feed into ChatGPT.
Step 3: Export the URLs to a Google Sheet
Open your sitemap and copy the URLs into a Google Sheet. This creates a simple workspace where you can track, edit, and upload your meta titles and descriptions later.
Step 4: Prompt ChatGPT to Write Metadata
You’re now ready to generate metadata using AI. This step involves getting ChatGPT to visit each URL and create tailored meta titles and descriptions based on the actual page content.
But first, a few important notes:
- ChatGPT can only process 5 URLs at a time. Anything more can lead to skipped pages or lower-quality output.
- ChatGPT uses a browsing tool to access each URL, so your site must be live or in staging mode. If your site is local-only or blocked behind a firewall, ChatGPT won’t be able to access the pages and generate accurate metadata.
- Make sure there are no IP blockers or authentication walls that prevent ChatGPT from reaching your site. These will break the process.
🔧 ChatGPT Prompt (Copy This Exactly):
You are an expert SEO and content strategist.
For every new URL I give you, follow this process precisely:
1. Visit the URL and understand the full page context and content.
2. Determine a relevant short-tail keyword that aligns with the page’s topic.
3. Write a meta title:
– Max 60 characters
– Based closely on the headline or content focus
– Must include the keyword naturally
– Should be clear, compelling, and click‑worthy
4. Write a meta description:
– Aim for 140–155 characters
– Accurately describe the content
– Emphasise benefits, insight, or value to the reader
– No fluff or generic SEO phrases
Output the results in a clean table with these columns:
Keyword | Meta Title | Meta Description
Never skip or combine URLs. Maintain the original order I provide.
Step 5: Add URLs in Batches of 5
ChatGPT performs best when working with five URLs at a time. Drop the first five into the chat, wait for your results, then repeat the process until all URLs have been processed. You should see results similar to the screenshots below:
Step 6: Import into Your Google Sheet or CMS
Copy the output from ChatGPT—keyword, meta title, and description—back into your Google Sheet. From there, either bulk upload to your CMS (if supported), or paste manually into each page’s SEO settings.
Done! What You’ve Gained
By following this method, you’ll generate metadata that’s clean, keyword-relevant, and optimised for both search engines and users. This workflow works not just for web pages but also for blog posts, product pages, and landing pages.
Need Help with Your SEO?
Still find metadata optimisation a chore? Or want a second pair of expert eyes on your site’s SEO? Burst Digital can help. Our team blends human creativity with AI-powered workflows to craft meta titles and descriptions that actually move the needle.
→ Explore our SEO Services or Book a Free Strategy Call today.
