[Linda Buquet]

It depends. Typically the meta title is what will show on the natural search results listing. The description is sometimes what you write in the meta, but some engines pull content from the page for the description.

Best thing is to look at some examples. Here's one using 5 Star and Google.

ACTUAL
Meta title: 5 Star Affiliate Programs - High Commission Best Affiliate Marketing Program
meta Description: 5 Star Affiliate Programs - Discover the best high commission, honest affiliate marketing programs. Best affiliate forums, blogs and tips too.

Using Google search "best new affiliate programs" where I come up #1.
Google says:

"5 Star Affiliate Programs - High Commission Best Affiliate
5 Star Affiliate Programs - Discover the best high commission, honest affiliate marketing ... This new affiliate program knows how to treat partners right.

SO above it took part of my description but then tried to pull something relevant about "best new" off the page.

WHen I searched for "best converting affiliate program" I also come up #1 BUT it says:

5 Star Affiliate Programs - High Commission Best Affiliate
DentalPlans - Top Affiliate Program - High Converting Dental Insurance Alternative. This is one of the web’s best converting offers because up to 75% of ...

So this time it didn't use any of my description - it pulled info from the page about just one of my programs trying to help the surfer find something relevent about "best converting".

So here is the key - make sure all the important on page ranking factors are consistent and include the main KW you are targeting. If a page is about green widgets and that's what you want to rank for and you know people also search for "best green widgets" the most, but additionally some search for little green widgets, big green widgets, cheap green widgets, best prices on green widgets. Be sure "best green widgets" is in meta title, description, at least one head tag and a few times in the copy. Additionally add those other keywords in the body or have subsections with an H3 subhead.

SO much to this topic but that's a little overview.