A Practical Guide to Snippet Controls
Tags and attributes that control how much of a page Google can show in search results.
Samir Haddad
The key figures
- max-snippet
- limits the length of text snippets
- data-nosnippet
- excludes specific sections from snippets
- max-image-preview
- controls image preview size
- Trade-offs
- shorter snippets can reduce click-through
Why this is worth getting right
Publishers sometimes need to limit snippets, and these controls do that without removing the page from search.
Do this, not that
Do
- Use snippet controls only where there is a clear reason
- Apply data-nosnippet to sections rather than whole pages
- Test how listings appear after changes
- Document why controls were applied
- Review controls when content strategy changes
Don’t
- Blanket snippet restrictions
- Blocking snippets for pages that need traffic
- Controls applied and forgotten
- Confusing snippet controls with noindex
When to bring in help
Our advice Bring in help when content licensing affects search display.
Where this comes from
- Google Search Central — Robots meta tag specifications
- Google Search Central — Title links and meta descriptions
The figures and practices above come from the sources listed.
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Where to go next
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