What do I do with meta name="description content=" "

I used to give similar advice, I agree with the concept of "optimize the content to help boost CTRs on the SERPs".

When creating content try to add long phrases Google might use as the description for a SERP (this isn't easy to achieve consistently, especially for pages with a lot of SERPs).

As a backup ALSO write ad text as the meta description tag which if used will compel a Google user to click your search result rather than the one just above/below it.

A random snippet of text as the description might not be that good, a well written ad like meta description when used will be better as it will increase the click through rate.

For example searching Google for: "Buy Televisions" from the UK (using google.co.uk) in the top 10 is a listing from Argos (well known UK brand).

The Argos page has no meta description tag.

This is the Google SERPs description:

That is awful, that's not going to entice a Google user to click that SERP.

Another well known brand (Tescos) is also listed for that SERP (just below Argos) and they use the meta description tag and Google is using it:

Tesco's has clearly written this like advert text.

Which of those two descriptions are more likely to entice a Google user to click the link?

The best advice is try to include phrases Google might use for important SERPS and as a backup add a meta description tag which reads like an advert with enough SEO so Google will use it.

In the "Buy Televisions" SERP example above if the meta description tag uses Buy and Televisions it's far more likely to be used by Google vs a description lacking those words (test, test, test... until you get it right on important pages).

You can see in the Tesco's description it didn't include the word Buy, but it did use Televisions and TVs (which Google highlighted): that was enough for Google to use the description for this Google "Buy Televisions" search.

David