What Is a Website Title (and Why Is It Important?)

Search engines like Google use your query to attempt to match you with the most relevant pages on the internet. 

Though every search engine’s algorithm considers hundreds of data points to determine which page you see on top of the results, the website’s title is one of the most important considerations. 

In fact, no matter what query you enter, the words in your query will always appear in the website titles on the first page of the results. 

But what is a website title? And what makes it so important?

Let’s explore the answers to these questions. 

What is a Website Title?

A website title, also known as a title tag, is a fundamental HTML element that serves as the title of a web page. Its primary purpose is to provide a jist of the page’s content before the user clicks on it. 

The website title also helps the search engine gauge a webpage’s relevance to the searcher’s query. So, a solid website title can mean the difference between the bottom of the SERPs and the very top.

Developers code a website’s title in the head section of an HTML or XHTML document. Here’s an example snippet:

Of course, if you’re using WordPress or another website builder, you won’t need to write such snippets. 

Why is a Website Title Important?

Searchers use website titles to set expectations about the webpage. If a page’s title isn’t relevant to its content, users will quickly click away from the page. 

If many users click away from the page in a manner of seconds, the search engine will take note of this high “bounce rate” and decrease the page’s ranking.

The best content marketers go the extra mile to incorporate copywriting best practices into their website titles. This way, marketers attract more visitors to their web pages, and if the content is equally impressive, the visitor will quickly turn into a lead or customer. 

It’s also important to remember that the longer the visitor stays on your page, the more relevant the search engine will deem its content to be. 

Best Practices for Writing Website Titles

1. Include your focus keyword in the title, ideally at the beginning, as it helps search engines understand what your page is about. So, you must craft a title as close to your focus keyword as possible without sounding unnatural.
2. Add secondary keywords naturally in your title, combining them with your focus keyword to appeal to your target audience’s search intent.
3. Avoid keyword stuffing in the title. Let’s say your focus keyword is “weight loss recipes.” Writing a title like “10 best weight loss recipes” will fare better than a title with two keywords like “10 best weight loss recipes (top weight loss recipes).” Use a strategic approach to include relevant keywords in the title that are compelling to your target audience.
4. Avoid writing titles in capital letters in an attempt to draw the searcher’s attention. Writing website titles in title case has been the norm for decades since it makes the title easier to read. 
5. Consider writing a different H1 heading for the page to add more depth to your page. Note that this is optional, and your H1 heading can be the same as the page’s title.
6. Ensure that your website title accurately reflects whatever is on the page. Avoid misleading titles that harm your SEO efforts.
7. Include your brand name in the title to help with brand recognition and awareness. Using symbols like “| Brand Name” or “- Brand Name” is a chic way to include your brand name in the title. Plus, these symbols don’t take up much space in the title.
8. Write a concise title that’s between 50 to 60 characters long, as it won’t get truncated in search results. Plus, shorter titles tend to be more descriptive, which is what you should be aiming for. 
9. Write the title for your audience and not for the search engine. If your audience files your title compelling, you can be sure that Google will show more users your page. 
10. Write unique titles for every page on your website. All the pages on your site must target a different focus keyword to avoid duplicate titles across your site. So, if you’re running an eCommerce store selling baseball gloves, your pages can have titles like “Infielder’s Gloves” and “Outfielder’s Gloves,” though both the titles have the word “gloves.” 

Examples of Good Website Titles

Here are some real-world examples of website titles that rank #1 on the SERPs:

• Best Cameras for Vlogging in 2022 – CNET
• How To Start a Blog in 2023? Beginner’s Guide To Blogging
• The Ultimate SEO Checklist for 2023 – Neil Patel
• ELLE Edit: 10 Of The Best Skin Boosting Body Products
• How To Advertise on Facebook in 2023 [Complete Guide]

The Bottom Line

An effective website title is essential to make your site appealing to search engines and your target audience. 

Many marketers reduce website titles to minor details that don’t significantly impact a site’s ranking. 

Poorly written website titles discourage users from clicking and may cause them to leave quickly, even if they do click. Conversely, well-written titles have the potential to capture the target audience’s attention and entice them to stay on the page.

Writing website titles correctly kills two birds with one stone, helping users and search engines find and understand your content. 

This, in turn, can lead to higher click-through rates and improved search engine positioning. In today’s digital landscape, where competition for attention is fierce, a well-crafted website title can make all the difference.