The sample title and description below, may get you a high ranking for a keyword search on the word "mortgage":

AAA Mortgage banking, the Mortgage money lenders - Mortgage, lenders, money, mortgages, mortgage money, mortgage loans, home equity loans, mortgage money,

...what it says is entirely unappealing. Instead, look at another site description, that would also be ranked high, and see which site you would be more likely to visit:

Mortgages Approved Overnight!! - Mortgages and mortgage financing secrets that large banks don't want you to know. Learn the 10 ways that we can approve your mortgage in 24 hours, even if you have poor credit!

The listing above has the word "mortgage" as the first word of the title, the first word of the description and repeats the word "mortgage" 4 times. The difference is that this description is compelling, solves a problem and offers a "secret" to the reader if they visit the site.

The direct response marketing business has studied and mastered the art of writing headlines. What they learned is that headlines are most effective when they accomplish 3 things:

• Solve a problem
  
• Solve that problem quickly
  
• Solve that problem for what appears to be a small or reasonable amount of money.

With that in mind, the following headline is acceptable, but not as effective as it could be:

"I can help you to get out of debt and get a good credit rating - I've done it for others I can do it for you!"

A better approach, and, a headline that usually draws more inquiries reads:

"Fix your bad credit in 48 hours for just $49!"

It solves a problem, does so quickly and shows how much money is involved. People relate to this appeal because it has a fundamental basis. Remember the many adages about goal setting, "A goal without a deadline is a wish!"

Or, how about what they teach you in business school about proposal writing, "Never offer a plan that does not include both time and money."

The direct response model is effective because it addresses these things, especially time and money. Think about this when writing your page's Description Meta tag, Title tag, and first paragraph of the page before you submit them to the search engines. Ask yourself:

Is my headline or first paragraph compelling?

• Is it interesting?
  
• Would I read it and want to visit the site?
  
• Does it include time and money?
  
• Does it solve a problem?
  
• Does it suggest that it solves that problem quickly?
  
• Does it show an attractive price?
  
• How does it compare to the descriptions already listed in the top 10?

This direct response model does not apply universally in its purist form. This is because many web sites are not selling things directly or are informational in nature or support what ad execs would call image advertising. However, do not overlook the fundamental truths:

• Being first in the Search Engines is great.
  
• Being first and compelling is better!

Your listing in the search engine should be compelling. If the description of the site right below yours is more compelling, you lose - that prospect just passed over your site.

The next article in this series is Why Do I Keep Hearing about Meta Tags, and What Are They?