What it looks like
<title>Local SEO for Small Businesses | MexSEO</title>
Why title tags matter
- They are one of the clearest signals of what a page is about.
- They are often the first thing a searcher reads, so they decide whether people click.
- They are used when a page is shared or bookmarked.
How to write a good title tag
- Describe the page accurately, with the main topic or keyword near the start.
- Keep it to about 50 to 60 characters; Google cuts off longer titles based on their width in pixels.
- Give every page a unique title.
- Add your brand name at the end if there is room.
- Write for people: a clear benefit or answer works better than a list of keywords.
When Google changes your title
Google sometimes shows a different title in its results, taken from the page’s H1 or other text, when it thinks the title tag doesn’t describe the page well: for example when it is too long, stuffed with keywords or the same on many pages. Clear, specific titles that match the page’s main heading are rewritten less often.
Check the length of your titles as you write with our free online text editor.
Title tag examples
| Weak | Better | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Home | Dentist in Uppsala | Example Dental Clinic | Says what the page is and where |
| Cheap shoes buy shoes best shoes online shoes | Women’s Running Shoes: Lightweight Models | Example Store | No keyword stuffing; says what is on the page |
| Untitled | How to Choose a Mortgage: A Step-by-Step Guide | Missing titles waste the page’s biggest signal |
Title tag, H1 and “title link”
The title tag is separate from the H1, the visible main heading. They can differ slightly, but they should describe the same topic. Google builds the “title link” it shows in results from the title tag, the main heading and other text, and may change it. Google’s guidance asks for unique, descriptive titles, brand names where helpful, and no boilerplate or stuffing.
Common title tag mistakes
- The same title on many pages.
- Stuffing keywords or repeating the brand several times.
- Titles that promise something the page does not deliver.
- Very long titles that are cut off.
How to check your titles
Crawl the site with a tool such as Screaming Frog to list titles and find duplicates or missing ones, and check the Performance report in Google Search Console for pages with many impressions but few clicks. See meta descriptions and what metadata is.
Title tag FAQs
Is the title tag a ranking factor?
It helps search engines understand the page, and a clear title can improve clicks. It works alongside everything else on the page.
How long should a title tag be?
Google sets no character limit, but display is cut by width, so about 50 to 60 characters is a safe aim.