How to write title tags and meta descriptions
The title tag and the meta description are the two lines a searcher reads before deciding whether to visit. The title also tells Google what the page is about. Both are short, both are written once for each page, and on many sites both are left to chance.
Each sounding opens its section
- 01 What the title tag does 50 words
- 02 How to write a title 66 words
- 03 What the meta description does 40 words
- 04 How to write a description 53 words
- 05 What Google rewrites, and why 61 words
- 06 The common mistakes 51 words
- 07 How to check yours 82 words
- 08 Questions people ask 130 words
- 09 Free competitor gap report 101 words
- 10 More guides 32 words
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- Internal links
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What the title tag does
The title tag is the page’s name. It appears as the headline of the result in search, in the browser tab, and as the default text when the page is shared. Google also reads it as a strong statement of what the page is about.
How to write a title
A good title names the page’s subject in the words a searcher would use, and does it early.
- Put the subject first and the brand last.
- Write one title for one page. No two pages should share one.
- Be specific: “Boiler repair in Leeds” says more than “Services”.
- Keep it between 50 and 60 characters, so that it is shown whole.
What the meta description does
The meta description is a summary of the page, written for the searcher. Google often shows it under the title, and sometimes replaces it with a passage from the page that fits the search better.
How to write a description
A description earns its place by answering one question: why this page? Say what the page contains and what the reader will be able to do with it, in about 150 characters. Write a different one for every page, and leave out anything the page does not deliver.
What Google rewrites, and why
Google changes titles and descriptions it judges unhelpful. Titles are rewritten most often when they are very long, repeat the same phrase, or are identical across a site. Descriptions are replaced when a passage from the page matches the search more closely. Neither is a penalty. Both are a sign that the original could say more.
The common mistakes
Five mistakes account for most weak titles.
- The same title on every page, usually the company name.
- A list of keywords in place of a sentence.
- A title too long to be shown whole.
- No description, which leaves Google to choose a passage.
- A home page titled “Home”.
How to check yours
Search Google for site: followed by your domain, and read the results as a stranger would. Each one should say what the page is and why to visit.
Then open Search Console’s Performance report and look for pages with many impressions and few clicks. Those pages are being seen and passed over, and the title and description are the first things to rewrite. Our guide to what a technical SEO audit covers places this check among the others.
Questions people ask
How long should a title tag be?
Aim for 50 to 60 characters. Google cuts titles by width, not by a count of characters, and a title in that range usually fits on one line on a phone and on a desktop.
Is the meta description a ranking factor?
No. Google does not use the meta description to rank a page. It matters because it is often shown under the title, where it helps a searcher choose your result.
Why is Google showing a different title from the one I wrote?
Google rewrites a title when it judges that the one on the page describes it poorly: too long, stuffed with keywords, or the same on every page. A clear, specific title is rewritten far less often.
Free competitor gap report
Titles are quick to compare and quick to fix. Name up to three competitors and we set your titles and descriptions beside theirs, one page type at a time, then send you where theirs make the stronger case.
- Speed and technical health, side by side
- On-page SEO and site structure
- The content they are found for and you are not
- Who holds the searches that matter in your market
- A prioritised list of what to fix first
Request your free report by email
- Address
- contact@hadalmedusa.com
- Include
- your site; up to three competitors; where you compete