What metadata is
Metadata is information in the page code that describes the page. Visitors may not see all of it on the page itself, but browsers, search engines, social platforms, and audit tools can read it.
The three most common metadata pieces are the title tag, the meta description, and social preview tags. They do not force a ranking, but they help label the page clearly. When they are missing, duplicated, vague, or wildly mismatched, search engines and users get weaker signals.
Meta descriptions
A meta description is a short summary of the page. Search engines may use it as the snippet in search results, but they may also rewrite it. That is normal. The description should still be written because it gives the page a preferred summary and helps audits confirm the page is intentionally described.
A strong description says what the page offers, who it is for, and what the visitor can do next. Avoid vague fog like “Welcome to our website, where we provide quality solutions.” That tells no one anything.
How to fix metadata by platform
| Platform | Where to start |
|---|---|
| WordPress | Use the page editor, theme settings, or an SEO plugin. WordPress.com also documents built-in SEO controls and meta description guidance: WordPress SEO support. |
| Shopify | Open the product, collection, blog post, or page and edit the search engine listing. Shopify documents title and meta description editing here: Shopify SEO fields. |
| Wix | Use page SEO settings or default SEO patterns. Start with Wix default SEO settings. |
| Squarespace | Use page settings and SEO descriptions. Squarespace documents SEO descriptions here: Squarespace SEO descriptions. |
| Webflow | Open page settings and edit title and meta description. See Webflow title and meta description docs. |
| GoDaddy Website Builder | Use page settings and the Get Found on Google tools where available. GoDaddy summarizes its builder SEO controls here: GoDaddy SEO guide. |
| HubSpot CMS | Use the content editor SEO recommendations and page settings. Start with HubSpot SEO recommendations. |
| Duda | Use the SEO/AEO panel and page/site settings. Duda documents site SEO/AEO settings here: Duda SEO/AEO settings. |
| Framer | Use page SEO settings and migration/metadata controls. See Framer’s SEO migration checklist: Framer SEO migration checklist. |
| Joomla | Edit article and menu metadata. Joomla documents article metadata here: Joomla article metadata. |
| Drupal | Use the Metatag module or site-specific metadata configuration. |
How to fix metadata on static/custom sites
On static or custom sites, edit the <head> section of the page. A basic setup looks like this:
<title>SEO Services, Static Websites & Managed Hosting in Maine</title>
<meta name="description" content="Technical SEO services, static website development, managed hosting, schema optimization, and custom SEO tools.">
<link rel="canonical" href="https://example.com/services/">
<meta property="og:title" content="SEO Services, Static Websites & Managed Hosting in Maine">
<meta property="og:description" content="Practical SEO and website support for small businesses.">
<meta property="og:type" content="website">
<meta property="og:url" content="https://example.com/services/">After changing metadata, test the page, inspect the source, and re-run the scan. Search results may take time to update.
Official platform references
For exact menu names and platform-specific controls, start with the official docs: WordPress, Shopify, Wix, Squarespace, Webflow, HubSpot, Duda, GoDaddy, Framer, Joomla, and Drupal.
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Open Graph and social previews
Open Graph tags help control how a page appears when shared on Facebook, LinkedIn, Slack, and other platforms. The usual tags are
og:title,og:description,og:type,og:url, andog:image.Social previews are not a core ranking lever, but they support trust and click clarity. If someone shares your page and it looks broken, incomplete, or unlabeled, that is a small trust leak.