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  1. SEO Basics
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    1 Quiz
  2. Semantic Core
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  3. Keywords Clustering
    14 Topics
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  4. Website Structure
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  5. On-Page SEO
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  6. Technical SEO
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  7. SEO Reporting
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  8. External SEO
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Lesson 5, Topic 26
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What Is an SEO Title

11.02.2022
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An SEO title can also be called a title tag and is part of a site’s meta data, along with the meta description and URL.

It is important to bear in mind that the title tag is in the HTML code of the website and is displayed in search engine results. 

That’s why the title tag should be an accurate representation of what content is found on the page.

At its heart, a well-optimized SEO title tag helps search engines and readers understand the unique value your page offers, which is why they’re so important for ranking well on Google’s SERPs. When you’ve mastered the art of title tag SEO, you’ll increase the likelihood of getting searchers to click through to your page—the all-important first step on a searcher’s journey to becoming a loyal user or customer.

If you right-click and select “inspect” on any web page, you can see its title tag, which appears in the <head> section between the <title> and </title> tags.

When Google puts your page on a SERP, it’ll read that title tag and choose whether to display it as a clickable link for searchers. 

Sometimes Google will disagree with your title tag (we get more into that later), but generally, the title tag you choose will be the one that ends up on the SERP.

Image via Google

Along with the SERPs, title tags also appear at the top of a web browser. If a user has a few browser tabs open, title tags can help them identify the content of the webpage.

Your goal with your title tag is to craft a page title that is both enticing and descriptive of what your page offers. This is often easier said than done, but we’ve collected some rules you can follow to get you going in the right direction.

How Long Should an SEO Title Be?

Google will typically display the first 50-60 characters of your title tag. However, there really is no exact character length because characters can vary in width. 

Google will max out at 600 pixels, which is where the approximate title length comes from. If you keep titles under 60 characters, there is a 90% chance that your title will display properly.

Why Use Title Tags?

Title tags are important for SEO, and many experts consider them a factor in helping search engines see your website so you can get results. 

There are three main areas where title tags are used: search engine results pages, web browsers and social networks.

When a potential customer is looking in the search engine, the first thing they will see is your title tag. 

This is the searcher’s first experience with your site, so it can be a determining factor for whether someone clicks on your website or not.

Title Tags vs H1 Headings

The title tag also displays on the top of your web browser. This is especially important for people that have a lot of browser tabs open at once. 

You want your title tag to be recognizable with keywords in the front, so that people don’t lose track of your content. 

If someone is doing research for a product or service, they may have multiple tabs open, so your title tag should be unique but still properly explain the content on that page so people return to it.

When users post a link on social networks, many times the title tag will be shown in the link preview. 

Some social networks like Facebook allow you to change what appears so it differs from your main title, but the title tag of your website is usually the default.

The title tag should not be confused with the heading that users see on the page. 

The heading of the page can be referred to as the heading tag or the H1 tag. 

The H1 tag should be different from the title tag. This allows another opportunity to explain to users the content of the page and allow you to add keywords to the page.