SERP Preview Tool & Meta Length Checker
Preview how a page could look in Google search before you publish it. Check title and meta description length, see where text gets cut off and confirm your keyword made it into the title.
Free, no sign-up. Runs in your browser; nothing you type is stored unless you choose to email yourself the results.
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Email me a copy. We'll send it to your inbox with a few tips to get more from it.
Three steps, about a minute
Step 1
Paste your page title and meta description, then add the page URL as it will appear.
Step 2
Enter an optional target keyword to check that it appears in the title and description.
Step 3
Read the character counts and pixel widths, and shorten anything flagged as cut off.
How the serp preview tool works
Google cuts titles by display width, not by a fixed character count, so the tool estimates pixel width as well as counting characters. Wide letters like W and M take more room than i or l. On desktop, titles are cut at roughly 580-600 pixels and descriptions at roughly 920 pixels, which often lands around 150-160 characters. When text runs past those points, the preview adds an ellipsis (…) and shows a warning. If you enter a keyword, the tool flags a title that does not contain it and bolds matches in the description, the way Google bolds words that match a search. Treat the preview as a close guide rather than a promise. Google sometimes rewrites titles or picks different snippet text from the page, and mobile results can show a different amount of text.
Using the numbers like a pro: tips for local service businesses
Put the service and city near the start of the title, such as "Water Heater Repair in Austin", and the business name at the end, where a cut does the least harm.
Write the meta description as a reason to click: what you do, where you do it, one concrete proof point such as licensing or same-day service, and a call to action.
Give every page its own title and description. Duplicate titles across service or city pages make it harder for Google and searchers to tell those pages apart.
Want us to do this for you?
Your title and description work as your ad in the free results. A clear, specific snippet can earn more clicks from the same ranking position. Check your homepage, every service page and your city pages, and fix any that get cut off or read like a string of keywords. When a site has too many pages to fix by hand, our team audits and rewrites them in one pass.
Get a free audit of your marketing
Website, Google Business Profile and a Google Maps rank scan across your area. Plain English, no obligation.
SERP Preview Tool & Meta Length Checker questions
How long should a title tag be?
Google does not set a character limit. It cuts titles that are wider than the available space, roughly 580-600 pixels on desktop. In practice that is often 50-60 characters, depending on which letters you use. Put the most important words first so a cut never hides the service or the city.
How long should a meta description be?
Aim for roughly 150-160 characters, which fits the desktop width of about 920 pixels in most cases. Google can show longer or shorter snippets depending on the search and the device. Make the opening words count, since some results show less, and write for people rather than stuffing in keywords.
Why does Google show a different title or description than mine?
Google may rewrite a title or pull description text from the page when it decides something else better matches the search. It happens more often when titles are too long, stuffed with keywords, repeated across pages or out of step with the page content. Clear, accurate, unique tags reduce rewrites but cannot stop them entirely.
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