Google Snippet Preview Tool
Type your page title, meta description and URL to see roughly how your page could look in Google. Keep the title under about 600 pixels (around 60 characters) and the description between 140 and 155 characters, with the service and town first.
Preview (approximate)
Limits used: title about 600px; description about 920px on desktop and about 680px on mobile. These are rules of thumb, not published Google rules. Our house targets: title up to 60 characters, description 140 to 155 characters.
How it works
The tool measures your text the way a browser draws it: the title in 20px Arial and the description in 14px Arial, using your browser's own canvas. If the width goes past the approximate limit, the preview cuts the text at the last whole word and adds an ellipsis, which is roughly what Google does. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
How Google picks your title and snippet
Google builds the blue title link mostly from your title tag, but it also looks at your main heading and other text on the page, and it may rewrite the title if yours is too long, repeats keywords or is the same across many pages. Google explains this in its title link documentation.
The grey text under the title is the snippet. Google often uses your meta description, but it can pick a different passage from the page if that answers the search better. See Google's snippet documentation for the details. A unique description for every page gives you the best chance of it being used.
Tips for South African small businesses
- Service and town first. "Electrician Pretoria East" in the first few words matches how people search and survives truncation.
- Give a reason to click. A price, a call-out time, a guarantee you really offer or the areas you cover beats generic words like "quality" and "professional".
- One page, one main search. Your geyser repair page and your blocked drains page each need their own title and description.
- Match the page. Keep the title close to the H1 so Google is less likely to rewrite it.
- Brand at the end. Add your business name after a separator if there is room; drop it before you drop the service or town.
Want to see what your live pages use today? Run them through our Website Health Check, which reads the title and meta description from the page.
Related services and guides
- SEO services: we write titles and descriptions that earn clicks
- How to improve your SEO in South Africa
- Local SEO: rank in your town and on Google Maps
- AI search optimisation
- Website Health Check: check the title and meta tags on a live page
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should a page title be?
Keep it under about 600 pixels, which is usually 50 to 60 characters. Google cuts titles by pixel width, not by a fixed character count, so a title full of wide letters (W, M, capitals) runs out of room sooner than one with narrow letters. Our own rule of thumb is 60 characters at most, with the most important words first.
How long should a meta description be?
We aim for 140 to 155 characters. On desktop Google shows roughly 920 pixels of description (about two lines) and on mobile roughly 680 pixels, so a description in that range usually shows in full. Treat these as rules of thumb: Google does not publish a fixed limit and the width changes from time to time.
Why does Google show a different title or description from the one I wrote?
Google may rewrite the title link if it thinks yours does not describe the page well, for example when it is too long, stuffed with keywords or the same on many pages. For the description, Google often picks a passage from the page that better matches the search. A title that matches your H1 and a description that answers the search usually get used as written.
Does the meta description help my rankings?
Not directly. Google has said it does not use the meta description as a ranking signal. It still matters because it is your sales pitch in the results: a clear, specific description can earn more clicks than the page above you.
Should I put my town or suburb in the title?
Yes, if you serve a local area. Someone searching "plumber Durbanville" wants a local business, and seeing the town in your title tells them you are one. Put the service and the town first, then your business name at the end if there is room.
Is this preview exactly what Google will show?
No. It is a close guide, not a copy of Google. Google changes its layout, may add dates, ratings or site links, and can rewrite your text. Use the tool to catch titles and descriptions that are clearly too long or too short.
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