How to use the serp preview tool
- Enter your title tag, meta description and page URL.
- Optionally add a site name, a date prefix and a favicon URL.
- Compare the desktop and mobile previews and watch the length meters.
- Edit until the key words are visible, then copy the HTML tags or share the preview link.
Worked example
Local service result
The title "Roof Repair in Denver: Free Inspections | Acme Roofing" is 54 characters and about 499 px (estimate), so it fits. The 149 character description is about 939 px, just over the 920 px desktop guideline, so the desktop preview cuts it after "Call or book online" with an ellipsis, and the narrower mobile preview cuts it after "Get a written".
How it works
Text is truncated at a word boundary so that it plus an ellipsis fits an estimated pixel budget: about 580 px for titles at 20 px Arial and about 920 px (desktop) or 680 px (mobile) for descriptions at 14 px. Widths are summed from Arial character advance widths. The URL is shown as a breadcrumb built from the host and path segments.
Assumptions
- Layout and truncation are approximations of a typical results page, not an exact copy of any search engine.
- The date prefix reduces the space left for the description.
Frequently asked questions
Is this exactly what Google will show?
No. Search engines change layouts, may rewrite titles and snippets, and add features such as ratings or sitelinks. Use the preview to check that important words are not cut off.
Does the preview follow my site theme?
Yes. It switches between light and dark to match this site, so you can check readability in both.
Is my favicon uploaded?
No. If you enter a favicon URL, your own browser loads the image directly. Nothing is sent to our server.
Limitations
- Does not show rich result features such as stars, prices or sitelinks.
- Pixel widths are estimates.