Mats Westholm

This plugin lets the user write a separate description for each post, page, front page or custom post type post which is added as a meta description to the html head.
The individual description for a post or page is typed and edited in a separate text field just below the text field for editing the post text.
You can also add meta description to category, tag and custom taxonomy archive as well as front page.
To add description to a category, go to Dashboard > Posts > Categories. Select a category in the table to the wright or create a new category. Type the description in the text field Description, Weather or not this description will be viewed for visitors on the site is up to each theme. The Easy WP Meta Description plugin will add the description as meta information in the html head.
Descriptions for tag and custom taxonomies are edited in similar fashion.
To edit a front page description you would go to Dashboard > Settings > General and edit Front page meta description. 
If you use a static page as Front page the static page Meta description will be used and Front page meta description at general setting will now show.
This plugin relies on the wp_head() action hook. It will only work if the theme uses it. Most themes do.
When deleted uninstall script runs which deletes all changes in the database perfomed by the plugin. 
If you dont want to delete your descriptions and other settings only deactivate and dont delete.
Tested with Gutenberg.

Easy WP Meta Description


Unlike the SEO plugins that are available, this plugin is lightweight and all that is needed.


All that is needed

Simple and easy to use wordpress plugin to add the meta description tag in html head

Jeff Starr

<blockquote>
🤖 The easy way to add meta tags to your site 
 🤖 Performance: light, fast, and user-friendly
</blockquote>
Head Meta Data (HMD) improves the definition and semantic quality of your web pages by adding a custom set of <code><meta></code> tags to the <code><head></code> section of your web pages.
Basic Example
Display any set of custom meta tags for your site:
<pre><code><head>

 <meta charset="utf-8">
 <meta name="abstract" content="Obsessive Web Development">
 <meta name="author" content="Perishable">
 <meta name="classification" content="Website Design">
 <meta name="copyright" content="Copyright Perishable Press - All rights Reserved.">
 <meta name="designer" content="Monzilla Media">
 <meta name="language" content="EN-US">
 <meta name="publisher" content="Perishable Press">
 <meta name="rating" content="General">
 <meta name="resource-type" content="Document">
 <meta name="revisit-after" content="3">
 <meta name="subject" content="WordPress, Web Design, Code & Tutorials">
 <meta name="template" content="Awesome Theme">
 <meta name="robots" content="index,follow">

 

</head>
</code></pre>
SEO Example
Use shortcodes to dynamically output SEO meta tags:
<pre><code><title>[hmd_post_title] | Your Awesome Website</title>
<meta name="description" content="[hmd_post_excerpt]">
</code></pre>
This outputs dynamic titles and descriptions, useful for SEO. You also can add custom meta tags and markup on specific posts and pages. Check out <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/head-meta-data/#installation" rel="ugc">Installation</a> for more infos.
Features
<ul>
<li>Simple and easy to use</li>
<li>Clean, standards-based code</li>
<li>Customize all <code><meta></code> tags</li>
<li>Add your own custom <code><meta></code> tags</li>
<li>NEW: Add custom tags on any post or page</li>
<li>Use shortcodes to include dynamic information</li>
<li>Includes meta tags on all of your site’s web pages</li>
<li>Check out a Live Preview of your meta tags and custom tags</li>
<li>Automatically adds tags to the <code><head></code> section of all pages</li>
<li>Auto-populates tags using your site’s information</li>
<li>Choose HTML or XHTML format for meta tags</li>
<li>Supports Twitter Cards and Facebook Open Graph tags</li>
<li>Easily disable any unwanted tags</li>
<li>Option to reset default settings</li>
<li>Works with or without Gutenberg Block Editor</li>
<li>Regularly updated and “future proof”</li>
<li>Lightweight, fast, and secure</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
🤖 New! Check out <a href="https://plugin-planet.com/head-meta-pro/" rel="nofollow ugc">Head Meta PRO »</a>
</blockquote>
Shortcodes
Shortcodes enable you to include dynamic bits of information in your meta tags. Head Meta Data currently provides the following shortcodes:
<ul>
<li><code>[hmd_post_excerpt]</code> — post excerpt</li>
<li><code>[hmd_post_date]</code> — post date</li>
<li><code>[hmd_post_author]</code> — post author name</li>
<li><code>[hmd_post_title]</code> — post title</li>
<li><code>[hmd_post_cats]</code> — post categories</li>
<li><code>[hmd_post_tags]</code> — post tags</li>
<li><code>[hmd_year]</code> — current year</li>
<li><code>[hmd_tab]</code> — adds tab space to markup</li>
</ul>
So you can display your own set of customized meta tags exactly as desired. See the <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/head-meta-data/#installation" rel="ugc">Installation section</a> for more information about the HMD shortcodes!
Pro Version Features
The <a href="https://plugin-planet.com/head-meta-pro/" rel="nofollow ugc">Pro version</a> can do everything the free version can do, PLUS:
<ul>
<li>Define meta tags for Custom Post Types</li>
<li>Define meta tags for each type of page-view (e.g., home, posts, pages, archive, search)</li>
<li>Define tags for Facebook (Open Graph)</li>
<li>Define tags for X (Twitter)</li>
<li>Define Facebook and X tags for each type of page view</li>
<li>40+ advanced <a href="https://plugin-planet.com/head-meta-pro-shortcut-variables/" rel="nofollow ugc">shortcut variables</a> like <code>%POST_AUTHOR%</code> and <code>%ARCHIVE_TYPE%</code></li>
<li>Dedicated “Meta Tags” meta box for posts and pages</li>
<li>Add custom meta tags to any post or page-view</li>
<li>Add custom script and style to any post or page-view</li>
<li>Meta Tags box integrates with SEO plugins</li>
<li>Additional meta tags beyond the free version</li>
<li>Dedicated setting for <code>image_src</code> link tag</li>
<li>Premium support for pro purchases</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
🤖 Level up your meta tags with <a href="https://plugin-planet.com/head-meta-pro/" rel="nofollow ugc">Head Meta Pro »</a>
</blockquote>
More Info
Head Meta Data is designed to complete a site’s head construct by including some of the more obscure meta tags, such as “author”, “copyright”, “designer”, and so forth. As a matter of practicality, the more widely used tags such as “description” and “keywords” have been omitted, as they are already included via wide variety of plugins (such as “All in One SEO”) in a more dynamic way. Even so, adding “description”, “keyword”, or any other tags is easy from the plugin’s settings page.
Privacy
This plugin does not collect or store any user data. It does not set any cookies, and it does not connect to any third-party locations. Thus, this plugin does not affect user privacy in any way.
Head Meta Data is developed and maintained by <a href="https://x.com/perishable" rel="nofollow ugc">Jeff Starr</a>, 15-year <a href="https://plugin-planet.com/" rel="nofollow ugc">WordPress developer</a> and <a href="https://books.perishablepress.com/" rel="nofollow ugc">book author</a>.
Support development
I develop and maintain this free plugin with love for the WordPress community. To show support, you can <a href="https://monzillamedia.com/donate.html" rel="nofollow ugc">make a donation</a> or purchase one of my books:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://wp-tao.com/" rel="nofollow ugc">The Tao of WordPress</a></li>
<li><a href="https://digwp.com/" rel="nofollow ugc">Digging into WordPress</a></li>
<li><a href="https://htaccessbook.com/" rel="nofollow ugc">.htaccess made easy</a></li>
<li><a href="https://wp-tao.com/wordpress-themes-book/" rel="nofollow ugc">WordPress Themes In Depth</a></li>
<li><a href="https://books.perishablepress.com/downloads/wizards-collection-sql-recipes-wordpress/" rel="nofollow ugc">Wizard’s SQL Recipes for WordPress</a></li>
</ul>
And/or purchase one of my premium WordPress plugins:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://plugin-planet.com/bbq-pro/" rel="nofollow ugc">BBQ Pro</a> – Blazing fast WordPress firewall</li>
<li><a href="https://plugin-planet.com/blackhole-pro/" rel="nofollow ugc">Blackhole Pro</a> – Automatically block bad bots</li>
<li><a href="https://plugin-planet.com/banhammer-pro/" rel="nofollow ugc">Banhammer Pro</a> – Monitor traffic and ban the bad guys</li>
<li><a href="https://plugin-planet.com/ga-google-analytics-pro/" rel="nofollow ugc">GA Google Analytics Pro</a> – Connect WordPress to Google Analytics</li>
<li><a href="https://plugin-planet.com/head-meta-pro/" rel="nofollow ugc">Head Meta Pro</a> – Ultimate Meta Tags for WordPress</li>
<li><a href="https://plugin-planet.com/simple-ajax-chat-pro/" rel="nofollow ugc">Simple Ajax Chat Pro</a> – Unlimited chat rooms</li>
<li><a href="https://plugin-planet.com/usp-pro/" rel="nofollow ugc">USP Pro</a> – Unlimited front-end forms</li>
</ul>
Links, tweets and likes also appreciated. Thanks! 🙂

Head Meta Data

Adds a custom set of <meta> tags to the <head> section of all posts & pages.

Easy WP Meta Description vs Head Meta Data