Write Better SEO Page Titles and Meta Descriptions

to improve your website pages' Search Findability

Improve SEO

Improve CTR

Preview Search

Instructions.

  1. Simply start typing.
  2. That's it! There is no step two.
  3. Stumped? Check out best practices below (better yet, learn more about converting website visitors by downloading the "12 questions your prospects are asking" ebook).

unlock deeper questions

68130
 

Search Results Preview

 
 

#7 Best Seller!

Randy-Milanovic-The-Art-of-Flowww-BOOK-CVR-thumb-1

Get the Art of Flowww: Convert the other 95% of website visitors, by Randy Milanovic

SEO: page TITLE Best Practices

Title tips:

PAGE TITLE Best Practices

  • Under 512 pixels in width, generally 55 to 60 characters
  • Place keywords as close to the beginning as possible; the closer a word to the start of the tag, the more influence it exerts
  • Make title tags readable
  • If you include a brand in the title tags, place it at the end unless it is a well-known brand people seek out
  • Make each title unique
  • Avoid stuffing keywords
  • Write in natural language, not jargon or computer categories
  • If your title is too long, it will be truncated and replaced with an ellipsis (…)

Another recommendation, for inset page links, is that the title should form a complete message before Google cuts it off (make them shorter). Title tags that communicate a clear, coherent thought earn a higher click-through rate.

Check out SparkToro's Google in 2020 article.

#1 in 12 Languages!

findability-thumb-300-no1

Get Findability: Why Search Engine Optimizations is Dying, by Randy Milanovic

Marketing: META Descriptions

Meta tips:

  • Write compelling marketing copy
  • Stay shorter than 130 characters
  • Make the description unique on every page
  • Remember that Meta descriptions are NOT a ranking factor, they are a marketing factor
  • Forget quotation marks, they take up space
  • Meta descriptions are not required, but they are helpful
  • If your meta description is too long, it will be truncated and replaced with an ellipsis (…)
  • Google may select alternate text to show in the description
  • Include your page's keyword-phrase to connect the dots

The Meta Description is not used as a ranking factor. Rather, it is meant to draw readers to your website from Search engine results pages (prompt searchers to click). People will accept/want natural language so forget the jargon and watch your click-through rate climb.

Check out more tips for writing great meta descriptions by our friends at MOZ here.