Apparently there was a conversation on Google Groups that provided backing for the argument that meta description tags aren't worthless. Thanks very much for the link, Bruce.

For most of us in the SEO community, it's a contentious debate. Do the major search engines consider meta tags when determining relevance? Which ones do and which ones don't? How relevant do they consider meta tags?

The common wisdom is that meta description tags have been largely discredited due to spam and are generally ignored by the search engine algos. Google specifically has been implicated in devaluing them, which is why this tidbit is so juicy. Assuming for a moment that Google doesn't factor meta tags in for relevance, why would a Google representative suggest using them?

If you'll notice from Ms. Fox's statement, she makes no mention of algorithms or rankings. Instead, she discusses how the search result snippet is generated and points out that a meta description tag could make those snippets much more effective.

Here we discover the difference between search marketing and search engine optimization. The meta description tag gives website owners some control over what gets displayed underneath their page title in the SERPs. It's obviously not the only thing that the search engines consider when generating snippets, but the search engines clearly want website owners to have their say. If you don't believe me, consider the No ODP meta tag.

So what's the point if, in fact, the meta description tag might not provide search relevance? The point, as any good marketer will tell you, is that it provides human relevance. It is a website owner's way of declaring a marketing message before potential visitors. It’s an oft-neglected key to traffic and conversions, a marketing introduction to your website. Whether or not it increases your rankings, it can be as good as gold for reeling in your target audience.

That is, of course, ignoring the likelihood that some search engines may still value meta tags for relevance. Much as I love Google, a good search marketer never puts all of their eggs in one basket.

There's also the indirect benefit that a good search snippet can provide to your rankings, specifically by improving your click-through rate. If you write compelling description tags, users will be more likely to click on your search results. Over time, that data gets logged and can contribute to your site's rankings.

All said, using good meta description tags can possibly improve your rankings and will definitely improve your search result snippets. The naysayers out there are only doing themselves a disservice by ignoring that sort of value.