Title tag is one of the most important element of on-page SEO. It show as the first impression of your content makes on both search engines and users. In this beginner guide, we will explain what title tag is, why it important, how to use it beneficially, and we will also share an examples to show their importance.
What is Title Tag?
A Title tag, or Meta title tag, is an HTML element that defines a web page’s title. It is used as the clickable headline on search engine results pages (SERPs) and plays a very important role in helping both search engines and users to understand the page’s content or what the page is about.
Where does the title tag appear?
In the <head> section:
As The Title Tag is located in the <head> section of your page so that It can appear in the source code of your page. To do this, press Ctrl + U on your keyboard to see the source code of your page. It will show view-source:htttps://yourdomain.com
In the browser:
The title tag also appears in the title bar of your browser. Just after the favicon icon.
In search results:
As we already discussed in the above that the Title tag appears in the search engine result page (SERP). That’s why it’s very important to do research and write a strong title tag for your page. However it’s a most important ranking factor and visible in search results, it should be catchy and appealing to encourage users to click on your page that can increase the CTR of your page
In social media posts :
If you share your page on social media without defining an OG tag for your page, the title tag automatically appears as the headline of the post.
Length of Title tag
Google does not set a specific limit or number of characters to be used in your title tag length, but it’s a good practice to keep them between 55–60 characters (including blank space) for SEO. While Google generally reads the full title tag, even if it’s longer than 60 characters, it might shorten or rewrite it when showing it on search results. You can see this yourself by searching on Google and checking the title lengths of pages in the results.
Parts of a Title Tag
A normal title tag has the following structure:
Html code <title>Primary Keyword – Secondary Keyword | Brand Name</title>>
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Primary Keyword or Topic:
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This is the main focus of your content. Put the primary keyword in the first to let search engines know what your page is about.
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Secondary Keyword:
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You can add a secondary keyword if it can be use naturally in the title. Keep the title clear and easy to read with avoiding keyword overuse
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Separator (|, -, or other):
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Use a separator to distinguish your primary keyword from any additional information for better readability and aesthetics.
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Brand Name:
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Add your brand name at the end of the title tag. It will enhance the branding effort and trust value.
Importance of Title Tags:
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SEO Ranking Factor:
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Search engines like Google use title tags to know and understand the content and context of your page. Well-optimized title tags get chances to higher rankings.
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User Click-Through Rates (CTR):
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When a title tag is catchy, relevant to user intention and appealing then it encourages users to click on your link. A higher CTR is very helpful for your page’s performance in search engine result page (SERP).
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Browser Tab Display:
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The title tag appears on the browser tab when the user has your page open. It will enable the easy identification of multiple tabs that have opened on your visitor’s browser.
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Social Media Sharing:
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Whenever you share your page on social media, the title tag of your page generally becomes the default headline of that post. A catchy and appealing title encourages more shares and engagement by the social media users.
Best Practices for Creating Effective Title Tags:
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Relevance and Clarity:
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Ensure the title relevancy to the content of the page, providing clarity to both search engines and your users.
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Optimal Length:
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Keep title tags within 55-60 characters with space to avoid truncation or revision by search engine in search results.
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Keyword Placement:
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Place the primary keyword in the beginning of the title for maximum impact. This signals the content’s relevance to search engines.
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Avoid Duplicate Titles:
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Each and every page should have a unique title tag. It helps to prevent confusion for both search engines and users.