Google using Meta Description tags?

[TanyaMartin]

I have noticed in the last 2 days results on many of my listings that google is putting the description tag as the description. Instead of pulling text off the page. Is that happening to anyone else?

[John Scott]

Huh. Do you have a sample SERP? I'm not seeing it on a few searches I did.

[TanyaMartin]

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&i...&q=Natural+Bra

3rd one down. Toshopnow.com The descript is my meta tag at least part of it is. First sentence of meta tag, and the rest from first paragraph on my page.

The first sentence isn't anywhere on the page, other then in the meta tag.

[TanyaMartin]

uhm should say that one features a late night commercial...
PG-13?

[TanyaMartin]

oh and if you look at the cache, very bottom of the page.
V12122003 means version 12-12-2003

[John Scott]

Sometimes Gopogle does use an abstract from the meta description tag. Not always. And it doesn't necessarily mean that the keywords in the meta description tag are the reason for the ranking.

[TanyaMartin]

So you are saying, writing good meta tags, that make sense (even though Google doesn't usually use them) is a good thing?

[Pimpen 2010]

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&i...+have+software

75% of that is from my meta tag...

[Fruit & Veg]

Not sure what 'an abstract' is, but whether it's abstract, surreal, cubist or Byzantine - I would always recommend using a meta description tag. I always use a well written, keyword laden tag on my pages.

Remember, there's other search engines except Google, plus search engines can change their algorithms quicker than a shake of a lambs tail.

The bottom line is, you won't get banned for using one, so do it.

[I, Brian]

Google certainly does sometimes use the description tag in the display listings - but has never been believed to have used meta description for actually determining rank.

[samer]

i'm getting the meta description sometimes....