There are many SEO experts who swear by title tags as the key to good rankings. Most other SEO professionals are able to keep a level-headed view of these wonders of internet science. There is little doubt, however, that title tags are important when it comes to SEO. The ability to write a good title tag is a core component to a successful search engine optimisation campaign.

A good title tag should be short, but contain a clear message. It should be descriptive without being flowery, but it must also be able to catch the eye at the same time. This is a lot to ask of a comparatively small tag, particularly when you consider how many may be written for a whole site.

Title tags require so much work because not only search engines see them. A page’s title tag is the first thing search engine spiders see, and usually the first thing users see as well. A truly great title tag can grab a user’s attention from way down in the rankings, drawing them away from other apparently more successful sites.

It’s no wonder some experts consider them so miraculous. The trick to a good title tag, however, is a mix of art and science. This is a target which a lot of webmasters miss in their rush to create the perfect search engine friendly title.

There are basic things your title tags should include:

Site name: This helps spread your brand. Even if your tag fails to entice in the first search, repeated exposures to your site name helps to develop a relationship with your users that builds up over time. It only takes three points of contact for a human to feel they’ve developed a relationship with someone. Simply seeing your brand on a page could be one of them.

Keywords: These have obvious importance for your site’s SEO. Your title tag needs to include the main keywords for that page to have the best effect.

Message: Your title tag is the first opportunity to sell your site, and it’s a good idea to include your main message. This can also make it easier to include your keywords.

It’s important to note that although these three things are recommended, they’re not absolutely necessary to the writing of a good title tag. As stated above, title writing is a mix of art and science. There is no formula. A formal title tag that includes a business name, slogan and keywords may not work in some areas. For example, ‘Brand Dog: pure bred canines since 1890′ might be suitable for an audience of serious dog owners, but the lightly humorous ‘Puppies! Puppies! Puppies! Puppies!’ could work better for an audience of seven year olds.

Remember that your description tag, while less valuable for SEO, can still be used to win your audience over. Your main message can be carried in the title tag and explained in the meta description for the benefit of human users.

The writing of title tags should be a part of your search engine optimisation plan, and you can talk to our consultants at SEO Consult on this issue.

Get Involved