SERP Preview Tool

What is serp preview tool?

Your title and description are your advert in search results. A snippet that is clear, honest and specific earns more clicks than one that is cut off or vague.

This preview shows roughly what searchers will see and flags text that will be shortened.

How to use the serp preview tool

1. Enter your title, URL and description.
2. Watch the preview update.
3. Edit until both are within the limits.

How the serp preview tool works

Text is cut at 60 characters for the title and 158 for the description, with an ellipsis. Google really uses pixel width, so treat these as safe approximations.

Worked example

Common uses of the serp preview tool

• Writing titles and descriptions that fit before you publish.
• Comparing several versions of a snippet.
• Reviewing a client's pages for cut off text.
• Training writers on snippet length.
• Checking a mobile friendly short title.

Tips and common mistakes

Put the main keyword and a benefit near the start.

Google sometimes rewrites snippets. Strong, accurate text is rewritten less often.

Background: what to know before you rely on it

A search result has three parts: the URL line, the title and a description. Google limits the title by pixel width, around 600 pixels on desktop, so the number of characters that fits changes with the letters used. Descriptions get about 920 pixels on desktop and fewer on mobile. Google often builds its own snippet from page text when it thinks that matches the query better, so a meta description is a suggestion and not a promise. Put the most important words early, match the search intent and avoid clickbait that the page does not deliver.

Private, free and fast

This tool runs entirely in your browser. What you type or choose is not uploaded to a server and is not saved after you close the page, which keeps it fast and private. It is free to use as often as you like. See more in all seo tools, or browse the full list of tools.

Related tools

Results are for information and education. For legal, financial, medical or security decisions, check with a qualified professional. Validate markup with search engine testing tools before publishing.