SERP Preview Tool
Note: Results truncate on pixel width, not character count — sixty narrow characters fit where sixty wide ones do not. And your description is a suggestion: search engines rewrite it most of the time. The title is the part worth the effort.
So the measurement here is pixels, taken by rendering the text in the same weights and sizes search results actually use, with separate limits for desktop and mobile because they differ substantially.
What is worth knowing before optimising too hard: the description you write is a suggestion. Search engines rewrite descriptions the majority of the time, generating one from the page content when it matches the query better than yours does. That is not a reason to leave it blank — your version is used when it is good and relevant, and it is the one shown when your page is shared as a link. It is a reason not to spend an afternoon on a single one.
The title is different. It is used far more consistently and it is the largest, bluest, most clicked thing on the result. Front-load the distinguishing words, keep the brand at the end where it can be truncated harmlessly, and write for the person deciding between ten results rather than for a keyword matcher.
Everything is measured locally; no URL is fetched and nothing is sent anywhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should a title tag be?
Under about 580 pixels on desktop, which is roughly 55 to 60 average characters — but the pixel figure is the real limit. Put the distinguishing words first and the brand name last, so if it is truncated you lose the least important part.
Why does Google ignore my meta description?
Because it generates one from the page when that matches the query better than yours. This happens for most results. Yours is used when it is relevant and well written, and it is what appears when someone shares the link — so write it once, well, and move on.
Do keywords in the title still matter?
For relevance, somewhat; for clicks, enormously. The title is the largest and most-clicked element of a result, so it is worth writing for the person choosing between ten options rather than stuffing terms. A title that reads like a keyword list loses to one that reads like an answer.
Why is my pixel width different from another tool's?
Because it depends on the exact font, weight and size used to measure. This renders text in the browser at the sizes search results use, which is close but not identical to any specific engine's rendering. Treat any figure within a few percent of the limit as borderline rather than exact.
Should the description contain the keyword?
It helps in one specific way: matched terms are shown in bold in the result, which draws the eye. That is a click-through benefit rather than a ranking one, and it only applies when your description is used at all.
