A high-level SEO strategy is essential. The particulars are also important.
When optimizing pages and content, we consider many on-page elements, including the title tag.
It is unlikely that optimizing it alone will result in many ranking changes. However, when used in conjunction with other on-page elements, it can help to build important context and subject-matter relevance for a page, section, and site as a whole.
Beyond the SEO impact and focus, we place on title tags, we must also consider the impact they have on the clickthrough rate and enticing our target audience to visit our site.
When search engines use our title tag as the blue link in the search results page, the contents of that tag can make or break a searcher’s decision to click through to our site.
This chapter will teach you eight best practices for incorporating a strong, optimized title tag strategy into your SEO strategy.
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What Exactly Is A Title Tag?
The title tag is a type of HTML tag that appears in the head section of every webpage. It serves as an initial cue or context for the page’s topical subject matter.
The title tag is prominently displayed on search engine results pages (SERPs) because it is typically used as a clickable link and also appears in the browser window.
Aside from these two locations, the title tag isn’t as visible as other on-page web content (e.g., body copy, image content, and other aspects). As a result, the title tag is sometimes overlooked.
The title tag has little effect on organic rankings on its own. There is no single ranking factor that is magical or powerful – especially if your content is of poor quality or you have neglected technical SEO.
Here are eight things to think about when optimizing your title tags for search.
1. The Page’s Location on the Site
Before you can write an optimized title tag, you must first understand where the page fits into the overall website hierarchy.
A title tag for a home page will be very different from one for a blog post or product page.
Tags that differ from page to page can be difficult to come up with for websites with a large number of pages. That is why it is critical to map out your site and understand where each page fits within the context of your subject matter.
The more specific you can and should be, the deeper you go into the site.
You can repeat words and phrases, but you should be more specific with each step down into the site. Make a plan to avoid duplicate title tags on any pages (more on that below).
Here’s an eCommerce example of title tags with appropriate context at various levels of the site:
- The Man Registry’s home page features groomsmen gifts and unique men’s gifts.
- The Man Registry’s Product Category Page: BBQ sets and utensil gifts for groomsmen.
- The Man Registry’s 5-Piece Customized BBQ Utensil Set product page.
2. Use of Searcher Intent Keywords
We’ve all had the experience of wanting to find an answer to a specific question but finding that the top ranking sites are answering a different question. The same is true for excellent content that goes unnoticed.
Knowing what your audience is looking for and how they are looking for it is essential for title tag optimization.
You run the risk of guessing incorrectly if you don’t know what words and phrases people use when searching.
When optimizing title tags, don’t skip keyword research or ignore it.
In the current context-based era of SEO, you don’t have to worry about every literal version of a keyword or phrase, but you also can’t ignore the searcher and their intent. Find a happy medium, use consistent terminology, and write in a way that flows naturally to your audience.
As long as the perceived intent is the focus of the page’s content, your goal for an optimized title tag is to match the wording you use with what is being searched for.
3. Page-Level Topical Relevance
The next step in determining where the page fits in the overall hierarchy of the website is to assess the content on the page.
When the title tag introduces the topic of the page and the same important keywords are used in the body copy, image alt attribute, meta description, URL, and other aspects of the page, the title tag has the greatest impact on search engines and users.
Don’t squander your opportunity to leverage this element, as well as the other on-page items, by attempting to write it to include words, terms, or phrases that aren’t in the page’s content.
Tags that aren’t helpful or meaningfully related to the rest of the page can and will be ignored by Google.
To tie the topic together, use words in the title tag that are also used in other parts of the page.
4. Distinctive Tags
Duplicate title tags are ineffective for both searchers and search engines.
Duplicate tags will be visible in Google Search Console or Bing Webmaster Tools reports. Frequently, search engines will ignore your title tag and use other content found on your page for the blue link text in the SERP.
This is especially true when it comes to the widespread problem of missing or duplicate title tags.
When multiple pages have the same tag, the search engine ignores those tags if they are too generic or simply list the company or organization’s name. One example is when the entire site uses the same title tag, which is simply the domain name or company name.
For years, Google has substituted page content for the blue link contained in the search results page, whether due to widespread duplication, improperly formatted tags, missing tags, or simply tags with content that Google does not find helpful or useful.
In some cases, this is acceptable; in others, it results in less desirable content in terms of context for the page and also for optimizing for searcher clicks.
Rather than leaving it to chance, the ideal scenario is to have solid, optimized title tags for users and search engines.
You can use the data provided by Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools to identify problem areas, or you can run your tests using any number of on-page auditors and crawling tools, including my personal favorite, Screaming Frog.
If your site has duplicate tags, include writing custom tags in your SEO action plan.
5. When possible, use dynamic options
Finding ways to semantically code your tags is critical if you have a large website or one that features a large amount of dynamic data, such as an eCommerce website.
The title tag is generated automatically by the majority of content management systems and website platforms. If you want to override or customize the default title tag at scale, work with your developer or within the settings of your website platform to find ways to add more detail and customize at various levels.
The more you can scale without having to manage hundreds or thousands of tags manually, the better.
A dynamic structure might include some standard text in all product page tags, but with the specific product name populated from the database.
For instance, “[product name] groomsmen gifts from The Man Registry.” The “product name” variable in the brackets would be a variable that would populate that part of the title with the actual product name in the database.
In this case, you won’t have to write all product title tags by hand and can ensure they’re unique. If you have the same product with different variations or attributes, such as different colors, you can look into ways to add more variables from the database.
A word of caution: Despite the convenience and scaling that dynamic tags provide, they can also deal a lot of damage quickly. Make sure to audit your tags at the start and at regular intervals to ensure that database and coding implementations are still producing the tags you expect.
6. Call To Action In SERP
Keep in mind that the title tag will appear as the text in the blue link on the SERPs.
This is prime real estate, and the message featured here has a significant impact on the searcher’s decision to click through to your site or move on to the next search result.
Your primary goal should be to respond to the searcher’s question, need, or desire. Provide a compelling reason for the searcher to click on the link that corresponds to your content, goals, and what they’re looking for.
It is critical to have a clear vision of what your page is about and what the desired outcome is for both you and your visitor.
When you’re attempting to achieve too many business goals on a single page, it can be difficult to focus clearly on what the call to action (CTA) should be. If this is the case, consider segmenting your content into more topics and pages.
The title tag, like the art of writing a solid PPC text ad headline, must match the intent of the searcher to earn their click.
When creating your title tag, keep in mind that Google truncates it at around 70 characters. Any word that exceeds that character limit will be hidden from the user.
Google, on the other hand, has stated that they index more characters than that. Regardless of how long you want your title tag to be for Google’s indexing and interpretation, keep your goals for attracting clicks from searchers in mind.
Take into account how the title truncates and what will appear on the SERPs.
Fill in the blanks with your key phrases and words. Be concise, direct, and prioritize important words to appear as early as possible in your title tags.
For example, your home page title tag could be something like “Groomsmen gifts and unique men’s gifts by The Man Registry.”
You could try more actionable language like “Shop The Man Registry for the best groomsmen & unique men’s gifts.”
7. Don’t Put Too Much Effort Into It
Titles that are repetitive and spammy should be avoided.
Resist the urge to go overboard with your title tag.
The search engines are more concerned with context than with keyword use, frequency, and density.
Choose words that are related to the page’s topic and searcher intent.
Longer form areas of the page can be used to elaborate and build on that context.
“Groomsmen Gifts, Groomsman Gifts, Gifts for Men, Unique Gifts” is an example of a risky title tag.
Overplaying and repeating words appears spammy not only to Google but also to searchers.
8. Consider The Importance Of The Title Tag
Don’t overestimate the significance or impact of the title tag alone.
While optimizing all of your site’s title tags may result in a small boost, you shouldn’t expect the title tag to be your only key to SEO success.
The importance of holistic search optimization cannot be overstated.
In many cases, title tag optimization is only the beginning or a starting point. It probably doesn’t make sense to hyperfocus on small adjustments and obsess over minor changes in the language used to see how they impact rankings one position at a time until you’re at the top of the SERPs.
Conclusion
SEO encompasses a wide range of elements, from technical to on-page to links and beyond. While no single element can make or break a strategy, title tags cannot be overlooked as part of the overall mix.
Following these eight best practices will assist you in optimizing and scaling your efforts, as well as contributing to the proper hierarchy and context for your website.
Keep the searcher and your audience in mind at all times. Find the right balance between incorporating important keywords and matching the topic’s intent.
Include the title tag in your optimization strategy, understand how it affects click-through rates, and strive to optimize it for your content and needs.
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Learn more from SEO and read Is Keyword Density A Google Ranking Factor?.
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