Title Tag Optimization Guide for Google

Are you feeling overwhelmed when it comes to optimizing your website for Google? Don't worry; you are not alone! One of the most important things for a website owner or manager to understand is how to optimize title tags for Google. Title tags, often referred to as "title elements," are actually the words associated with each web page that appear in a user's search results.

Knowing why and how these titles can be optimized can go a long way in helping your web pages rank higher on search engine result pages (SERPs). In this blog post, we'll take an in-depth look at what title tags are, why they're important and share some valuable tips on optimizing them so that you can make sure users see exactly what they should expect from visiting any given page of your site—thereby giving it an increased chance of appearing closer to the top of SERPs.

Title Tag- A Brief Overview

The title tag is an HTML tag located in the head section of a webpage. It includes text that gives context about the content on the page.

It appears as a blue clickable link in the Search Engine Results pages (SERPs).

Title tags may not have a significant impact on SEO. However, it is still crucial as it helps Google to understand the content of the page. Like Meta descriptions, title tags also play a role in search marketing. A catchy title tag can persuade the visitor to click on the link. This drives more traffic to your website.

Ways to optimize Title Tags for Google

Here are the following ways to optimize your title tags for search engines −

Keep the title length optimal

Google actually has not recommended any length for title tags. However, SEO analysts recommend keeping the characters within 50-60. Research suggests that characters under 60 can easily display 90% of the title correctly in SERP in most mobile and desktop browsers.

There are no specific character limits, as the display of title tags varies per pixel width. Usually, google SERPs can display up to 600 pixels. Hence, writing concise titles is better. It ensures users get the most information with minimal reading.

The best thing is Google considers the entire title tag. It doesn't matter if your title tag exceeds the minimal character length. However, it will not be fully displayed on the SERP.

Use concise titles

As discussed above, you should keep the title within 60 characters. If you use length titles, Google will shorten or rewrite ma it. So, keep it brief and concise.

It's not a bad thing to skip your brand name to include more information about your products or services.

Try the following tips to shorten your title −

• Use symbols like & instead of writing "and" to save space

• Remove the brand name if necessary

• Avoid using caps, as uppercase letters take up more space

Use Unique Titles

Write unique titles to specify the content of the page. This influences users to click if they see something they are searching for.

Let's assume you use a generic title such as "clothing and accessories" on all your pages. Now, if a user searches specifically for "jeans for men," they might not click. This is because it doesn't address their specific needs.

So instead, you can try a title such as "Denim jeans for men online starting at $$$" on the page for men's jeans. This title tag will make the link click-worthy.

Insert only one primary keyword

Since the character limit for a title is 60, make sure not to cram it with keywords. The title will look mechanical, and google will automatically detect it. It will also confuse users, making them less likely to click it. Eventually, it will affect your page's ranking.

Title − blue jeans | men's jeans| Affordable jeans for men.

In the title tag, you have stuffed three keywords like

This is not going to rank well for all the keywords. Besides, Google's algorithm can easily differentiate between semantics and keyword variations. The whole title will look spammy and misleading. This stops users from clicking on it.

If it's challenging to use one target keyword for a page, you can do two things. First, you can try creating separate pages for each keyword. Second, you can pick one primary keyword for the title and use the rest in Meta descriptions.

Use a title relevant to the page's content

The content within the page is the critical factor for ranking. Don't use a title different from what is inside the page. Visitors will leave if they can't find the information they need. This will increase the bounce rate. When google notice people are leaving your site, it will lower the page's ranking.

The title tag introduces users to the content of the page. Google will automatically ignore tags that are not related to the page. The key is to link the title and contents of the page. You can do that by using the same keyword in the title in the page's content, like Meta description, URL, body copy and image alt attribute, etc.

Use dynamic alternatives if possible

It is strenuous to write title tags for hundreds and thousands of web pages. You need to semantically code your tags if you have a large website such as an ecommerce website.

Most website platforms and content management systems automatically generate the title tag for a page. Besides, you can always override or customize a page to add more details in the title.

You can create a dynamic structure by adding standard text to all product page tags. The system will automatically produce the product name.

Let's say you use the standard line "Buy affordable [product_name] online at company X."

The content management system will automatically populate the product name in the bracketed part from the database.

The dynamic title method is helpful when selling the same product in different variations or attributes, such as colors, sizes, etc.

Use call-to-action if possible

The title tag is displayed in the blue link on the search engine results page. What you write is going to impact the users' decision to click the page. Therefore, you should focus on assuming the needs of users and addressing them within limited characters.

The title must align the contents inside the page and users' expectations. If you check both boxes, users will likely click the link. In simpler terms, the title tag must fulfill the intent of the searcher.

Use important words, phrases, the primary keyword, and a CTA. Be direct and concise, and ensure the target words appear at the start of the title tag.

If you are selling perfumes for men, you should go for actionable language like

Shop long-lasting and exotic perfume for men at company X.

Conclusion

Don't put yourselves under too much pressure to perfect the title tag. Although it plays an essential role in SEO, you need more than a title tag to rank in SERP. Title tag optimization serves as a tool to convert searchers into visitors. However, it won't work until you rank on the top of the SERP.