The issue: If you spot the ‘URLs with duplicate meta descriptions’ issue in your audit, it means that the URL in question has the exact same meta description as one or more indexable pages on your website.
Why This is a Problem
Think of meta descriptions as your first impression in search.
They’re the short blurbs that tell people why they should click on your link rather than one from a competitor.
When multiple pages share the same meta description, it’s like repeating the same sales pitch for different products—it’s confusing, generic, and ultimately, ineffective.
Resulting in low CTR (Click Through Rate).
Search engines look at these meta descriptions as clues about your content too
And while they may not directly influence ranking (although they used too), they heavily influence click-through rates.
How Does This Happen?
Duplicate meta descriptions tend to crop up when you create similar assets across your website.
For example, you might have multiple versions of the same product, with color as the only differentiator.
It can feel natural to use a similar meta description for each, but doing so can hinder your website’s performance in several ways.
Each page’s meta description needs to be unique, even if it’s just a small detail like color.
Ideally, though, you’ll want to rewrite the entire description to create a distinct, compelling message for each page.
Fixing URLs with Duplicate Meta Descriptions
The best approach?
Get hands-on and make every meta description unique.
*Shock* I know.
You could get by with minor tweaks, like changing a word here and there, but I strongly recommend rewriting each description entirely.
Restructuring these descriptions not only guarantees uniqueness but also makes your message sharper, more engaging, and ultimately, more effective.
Psst, you can even use ChatGPT for this…
While I don’t usually recommend AI for 95% of content tasks (it often leads to more issues than it solves), for a mass meta description overhaul, AI can be your best friend.