Some SEO “pros” are advising that adding exact keyword phrases to your Title Tag will get you top rank. In fact, some SEO sites will tell you that without a doubt the Title Tag is the most important tag in terms of rank. Really? Is top rank that easy? Does it all come down to a 65 character line?
Well, let’s take a look at a few random Google searches and see if the exact keyword phrase appears in the title.
Real estate refinance (Only result #9 uses this exact phrase in the title).
Online flower delivery (You won’t find this phrase until after position #5).
Medical coding courses (None of the top 10 sites use the exact phrase).
Of course there are exceptions where almost every result has the exact phrase in the title, for example real estate leads. If the Title Tag is the most important tag and adding the keyword phrase will get you top rank as some SEOs state, then why isn’t result #9 for “real estate refinance” #1? It’s the only site with the exact phrase in the title, yet it’s at the bottom. Likewise, none of the top 10 sites for “medical coding courses” use that phrase in the title.
According to my testing, you can rank #1 for Google for a phrase without including it in the title. In instances where I removed or changed a specific keyword phrase in the title, no reduction in rank occurred. The point is, the Title Tag does not determine rank, so focus less on cramming it with exact keyword phrases, and put more effort into writing titles that get the click through.
While this tag won’t get you onto page one, if used right, it will get you noticed on page one, which leads to click throughs, which lead to sales.
Where is the Title Tag Used?
The Title Tag appears in the head section of the source code:
<html>
<head>
<title>The Title Tag goes here</title>
</head>
The title is used as the Page Title in the user’s browser as shown below, in the SERPs, when your site is bookmarked, and it is often used as the anchor text on social media sites.
Definition of the Title Tag
Everyone likes a Google definition, so here is what they have to say about Title Tags.
“Using descriptive words and phrases in Title Tags helps search engines and users better understand the focus of your page.”
Title Tags help categorize your site by making it easier for search engines to understand what the topic of the page is. It also lets users determine what type of information they can expect to find on that particular page.
The Importance of Title Tags
When a potential buyer performs a Google search they don’t “eeny, meeny, miny, moe” to decide where to click. They look at the title, description, and URL and click on the site that will most likely meet their needs. If your title is irrelevant and unappealing, it won’t get the click through, and if no one sees your message, how are you going to make the sale?
Run a Google search on any phrase you like and look over the titles. Visualize the top 10 sites as salespeople yelling out the Title Tags trying to get your attention. What are they saying? Is it irrelevant to your search? Just a bunch of keywords? Is the message too short or too long and cut off? Are they all saying the same thing, or does one stand out and catch your attention? Listen to what the site titles say. Is there anything missing? Is there a way you can say it better?
Avoid Duplicate Title Tags
Give each page a unique title. It’s fine to repeat some words, like product names, but don’t use the same title on each page. Log into Google Webmaster Tools and look under Diagnostics and then HTML Suggestions to check your sites for duplicate Title Tags.
Creating a Title
Use tools like Google Adwords to determine your strongest keywords for the page. Under the “how would you like to generate keywords” box, choose the “website content” option, enter the page URL, and a list of keywords relevant to the page will be displayed. Work with those keywords when creating a title. Google’s Search-Based Keyword Tool is another excellent tool for this purpose.
Your title should convey your message to visitors and searchers, but it also has to stand out. If you have created a page for weight loss, simply using weight loss as the title isn’t good enough. You should use titles like “Lose Weight Naturally in 15 Days” or “Weight Loss without Crash Diets” – sounds good? ;)
Once you’ve written the title, look for ways to make it better. Is it boring? Does it look like every other title on the page? Never be satisfied!
How Long Should the Page Title be?
Keep titles around 60 characters. If a title is too long Google swaps out the extra words for ellipses (…) aka “blah blah blah.”
To recap, here are a few tips when it comes to writing titles:
- * Keep the title around 60-65 characters. Not too long or too short.
- * Keep it relevant and specific to the page content.
- * Make each title unique.
- * Stay away from generic, uninformative titles like Homepage (boring) or Page 1 of eBook (snoozer).
- * Don’t keyword stuff the title.
- * Don’t overuse CAPS.
More Related Articles:
1. Search Engine Optimization Tips
2. Meta Title Tags Explained
3. Meta Tags: Meta Content Explained
4. Expert Google Search Engine Tips & Help
name tags says
Enjoyed the title tags post. Not many blogs worth bookmarking but this is going on Delicious now!
A Samuel says
I have always believed that title tags are important but to say they will boost rank is too loose.
If you have the title keyworded then you are likely to help that page rank for that term, but you will need good on page seo and some anchor text links pointing to that page from internal and external sources to really help it get highly ranked.
kitsospens says
the best SEO site………….. I like it
Helmuts says
Great article. It just seems that you missed the topic about “Pages with duplicate title tags” that are 2 or more different links that are pointing on the same page. Avoid them always as big G looks on them as a mistake in the construction of your website.
Nic Lucas says
Simple. Straightforward. Easy. Everything I’ve come to expect from you Jerry. Way to many people either get this wrong or completely overthink it.
Idiot Spammer says
Title Tags help categorize your site by making it easier for search engines to understand what the topic of the page is. It also lets users determine what type of information they can expect to find on that particular page.
Jerry West says
Serious? You believe this? Geez. This has got to be one of the dumbest statements I have heard about SEO in awhile.
ashmax says
hmm, this is so true, title tags are the most important and need to be used for a site to rank well.
[Blocked by CFC] Jerry West says
I would suggest you read the entire article … or any of the article next time before you Spam my blog (I removed your link because of it). You don’t need the keyword in the Title tag in order to rank well. That is basic SEO.
Robert says
Interesting stuff, I normally add my keywords to the title tag, but is it really necessary?
Thanks
Personal trainer Glasgow says
Interesting, I recently changed my title tags and saw my rankings go from 106 to 16 for one of my key phrases, so for me it worked.
Su aritma cihazlari says
good article, thanks for the article. Title tags really effect your rankings
posizionamento siti internet says
I wondered what was the meaning of the “website” voice near the keywords field. Now I have another tool to use in google adwords.
best regards
Glasgow Solar Panels says
Interesting theory but it runs counter to every bit of experimentation that I have done. I’ve seen sites jump to the first page just by making sure that the target keywords are in the title. Admittedly, these were in lower competition markets so there weren’t so many other factors in play.
I agree on making sure you have something click worthy in there. You can usually get the keyword phrase in and provide a title that will prove enticing to the searcher by using a bit of creativity.
Jerry West says
Low competing markets are not a factor in tests as they can be manipulated so easily. And do you really need to Spam my blog with “Glasgow Solar Panels” as your name. Really?