diff --git a/_layouts/base.html b/_layouts/base.html
index 39d50b76..95fcf92f 100644
--- a/_layouts/base.html
+++ b/_layouts/base.html
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 <meta property="og:image" content="https://bitcoin.org/img/opengraph.png" />
 <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0, user-scalable=no">
 <title>{% capture title %}{% translate title %}{% endcapture %}{% if title != '' %}{{ title }}{% else %}{{ page.title }}{% endif %}</title>
+{% capture metadescription %}{% translate metadescription %}{% endcapture %}{% if metadescription != '' %}<meta name="description" content="{{ metadescription }}">{% endif %}
 {% lesscss main.less %}
 <!--[if lt IE 8]>{% lesscss ie.css %}<script type="text/javascript" src="/js/ie.js"></script><![endif]-->
 {% if page.lang == 'ar' or page.lang == 'fa' %}{% lesscss rtl.less %}{% endif %}
diff --git a/_translations/en.yml b/_translations/en.yml
index aa49460c..019785f5 100644
--- a/_translations/en.yml
+++ b/_translations/en.yml
@@ -422,6 +422,7 @@ en:
     readmoretxt: "This is only a very short and concise summary of the system. If you want to get into the details, you can <a href=\"/bitcoin.pdf\">read the original paper</a> that describes the system's design, read the <a href=\"/en/developer-documentation\">developer documentation</a>, and explore the <a href=\"https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Main_Page\">Bitcoin wiki</a>."
   index:
     title: "Bitcoin - Open source P2P money"
+    metadescription: "Bitcoin is an innovative payment network and a new kind of money. Find all you need to know and get started with Bitcoin on bitcoin.org."
     listintro: "Bitcoin is an innovative payment network and a new kind of money."
     list1: "Instant peer-to-peer<br>transactions"
     list2: "Worldwide<br>payments"