SERP snippet

SERP snippet

If you highlight a URL in the top window, this bottom window tab populates.

The SERP Snippet tab shows you how the URL may display in the Google search results. The truncation point (where Google shows an elipsis (…) and cuts off words) is calculated based upon pixel width, rather than number of characters. The SEO Spider uses the latest pixel width cut off point and counts the number of pixels used in page titles and meta descriptions for every character to show an emulated SERP snippet for greater accuracy.

The current limits are displayed under the page titles and meta description tabs and filters ‘Over X Pixels’ and in the ‘available’ pixels column below.

Google changes the SERPs regularly and we have covered some of the changes in previous blog posts, here and here.

Google don’t provide pixel width or character length recommendations, and hence the SERP snippet emulator in the SEO Spider is based upon our research in the SERPs. Google may use more characters than are displayed in scoring, however it is important to include key information in the visible SERP for users.

The SEO Spider’s SERP snippet emulator defaults to desktop, and both mobile and tablet pixel width truncation points are different. You can update the max description preferences under ‘Config > Spider > Preferences’ to a mobile or tablet length. You can switch ‘device’ type within the SERP snippet emulator to view how these appear different to desktop and our current estimated pixel lengths for mobile.

Editing SERP Snippets

You can edit page titles and descriptions directly in the interface to view how the SERP snippet may appear in Google.

The SEO Spider will by default remember the edits you make to page titles and descriptions, unless you click the ‘reset title and description’ button. This allows you to make as many changes as you like using the emulator to perfect your SERP snippets, export (‘Reports > SERP Summary’) and send to a client or development team to make the changes to the live site.

Please note – The SEO Spider does not update your website, this will need to be performed independently.