The Title Tag in SEO - Guide to On Page Content Optimization

The title tag has been and probably will always be one of the most important factors in achieving high search engine rankings. In fact, fixing just the title tags of your pages can often generate quick and appreciable differences to your rankings. And because the words in the title tag are what appear in the clickable link on the search engine results page (SERP), changing them may result in more click-throughs.

The title tag in SEO is a fundamental element of on-page content optimization. It is a concise, yet powerful HTML element that defines the title of a webpage and appears as the clickable headline in search engine results. Crafting an effective title tag is crucial for both search engine rankings and user engagement. A well-optimized title tag should include relevant keywords that accurately describe the page's content, enticing users to click through to your website. It's essential to keep the title tag concise, typically under 70 characters, to ensure it displays properly in search results. Additionally, utilizing compelling and unique titles for each page on your site helps search engines understand the content's relevance, contributing to better rankings and increased organic traffic. In summary, mastering the art of title tag optimization is a cornerstone of successful SEO, driving both visibility and click-through rates for your web pages.

Search Engines and Title Tags

Title tags are definitely one of the "big three" as far as the algorithmic weight given to them by search engines; they are equally as important as your visible text copy and the links pointing to your pages, perhaps even more so. Yet, even though this has been common knowledge among SEO professionals for at least 10 years, it is often overlooked by webmasters and others attempting to optimize their websites for targeted search engine traffic.

Do Company Names Belong in the Title Tag?

The answer is a resounding YES! I've found that it's fine to place your company name in the title, and (gasp!) even to place it at the beginning of the tag! In fact, if your company is already a well-known brand, I'd say it's essential. Even if you're not a well-known brand yet, chances are you'd like to be, right? The title tag gives you a great opportunity to further this cause. This doesn't mean that you should put *just* your company name in the title tag. Even the best-known brands will benefit from a few good descriptive phrases added, because they will enhance your brand as well as your search engine traffic. The people who already know your company and seek it out by name will be able to find you in the engines, and so will those who have never heard of you but seek the products or services you sell.

Title Tags Should Contain Specific Keyword Phrases

And finally, if an exact match domain makes sense for your business, go for it. But you need to keep in mind that the folks at Google have already said they're specifically targeting exact match domains, so when you buy it you need to keep your expectations reasonable. You're not going to shoot to the top of the rankings and stay there just because you have an exact match domain. In fact, in light of what Google has said, you may even be making your job more difficult by using a keyworded-domain rather than going for something brandable. We wouldn't be doing a responsible job here if we didn't point this out to people. Sadly, there are a lot of folks out there who are still operating under the idea that all they need to do is have a keyword in their domain name and they'll automatically rank well for that keyword. And a lot of them never consider things like: what happens if you change your business model so the keyword in your domain no longer applies? Are you prepared to start all over from scratch, or would it be better for your business to have a brandable domain so you can change your business focus at any time without launching a whole new domain? So we try to educate them, bring them up to speed, make sure they know what they're potentially getting themselves in to. But if you understand all the potential ramifications - not just SEO-related, but business evolution, branding and marketing implications as well - and you're ready to put in the work it takes to promote it, then by all means buy whatever domain you want.

For example, if your company is "Johnson and Smith Inc.", a tax accounting firm in Texas, you would want your company's site to appear in the search engine results for searches on phrases such as “”Texas tax accountants”” and “”CPAs in Texas.”” (Be sure to do your keyword research to find the best phrases!) If you prefer to work with people only in the Dallas area, you'd need to be even more specific by adding geographical modifiers to your title tags, such as "Dallas tax accountants". Using our Dallas accountant example, you might create a title tag like this one:

"Johnson and Smith Tax Accountants in Dallas" or you might try: "Johnson and Smith – Dallas CPAs"

However, there's more than enough space in the title tag to include both of these important keyword phrases. I find that using 10 to 12 words in my title tags works great.

One way to include two key phrases would be like this: "Johnson and Smith – Dallas Tax Accountants – CPAs in Dallas, TX"

Don't Automatically Generate the Title Tag

You'll want to watch out for certain website content management systems (CMS) and blog software that automatically generate the title tag from information you provided elsewhere. Some, in fact, default to the same exact title tag on every page, which is the best way to kill your search engine leads! The good news is that most of today's CMS's and blog software have workarounds so that you can customize your title tags fairly easily. If yours doesn't, or your developer claims they can't do this, then you'll want to find a new developer or CMS as soon as possible!