When it comes to optimising your website for search engines, having good SEO meta titles is crucial. These titles are not just important for SEO purposes, but also for attracting potential visitors to your site. A well-written meta title can make a huge difference in how your website appears in search engine results, and can ultimately determine whether or not someone clicks on your link in the Google search results.
But what exactly are SEO meta titles, and how can you write them effectively? In this blog post, we’ll dive into the world of meta titles and provide you with tips on how to write good ones for your website.
First, let’s define what meta titles are. In simple terms, meta titles are the titles that appear on search engine results pages (SERPs) when someone searches for a specific keyword or phrase. They are also known as title tags and are considered an important part of on-page SEO. Meta titles are displayed in the blue clickable link that appears on a search engine results page along with a brief description of the content on the page, known as meta descriptions (see below).
To understand the importance of meta titles, let’s use an example. Imagine you are an accountant based in Bookham, a small town in Surrey. Your potential clients are most likely to search for “accountants in Bookham” or “Bookham accountants” on search engines such as Google. If you have optimised your website for these keywords and your meta title stands out, the chances of users clicking on your link drastically increase.
So, how can you write good SEO meta titles? Here are some tips to help you out:
1. Keep it concise and catchy
The ideal length for a meta title is around 60 characters, including spaces. This is the maximum number of characters that will be displayed before being cut off in search results. Make sure to use this space wisely and craft a title that is both concise and attention-grabbing. Use powerful and relevant keywords relevant to your business in your title to make it stand out to users.
For our Bookham based accountant, a good meta title could be “Expert Accountants in Bookham – Quality Services & Affordable Rates”. This title is not only within the character limit but also conveys important information such as the location and key offerings.
2. Use your primary keyword
As mentioned earlier, using relevant keywords in your meta titles is crucial for SEO. Make sure to use your primary keyword in the title, preferably towards the beginning. This will not only help search engines understand the content of your page but also improve its ranking for that particular keyword.
Going back to our example of the Bookham accountant, the primary keyword could be “accountants in Bookham”. Including this keyword in the meta title will make it more relevant and visible to users searching for this term.
3. Make it unique
Avoid using generic or duplicate meta titles for your web pages. Each page on your website should have a unique meta title describing the content of that specific page. This not only helps with SEO but also helps users understand what your page is about before they click on it. It also gives a more professional and organised impression of your website.
4. Don’t stuff it with keywords
While using relevant keywords in your meta title is important, it’s crucial not to overdo it. This is known as keyword stuffing and can actually negatively impact your SEO efforts. Search engines are smart and can detect when keywords are used excessively or unnaturally. This can result in your website being penalised or even blacklisted.
In our Bookham accountant example, it’s important to make sure the keywords are used in a natural and relevant manner without stuffing them in the title. A good balance of keywords and other relevant information will result in an effective meta title.
5. Be descriptive and informative
Meta titles should give users a clear idea of what to expect when they click on your link. It should be a brief summary of what your page will offer. For instance, if your page is about “tax preparation services”, your meta title should clearly state this. Don’t just use “services” or “products” as it’s not descriptive enough and may not interest potential visitors.
For the Bookham accountant example, the meta title could include important services offered such as “Tax Preparation, Accounting, and Bookkeeping Services in Bookham”. This will give users a better understanding of your business and what services you offer.
6. Keep it relevant and updated
Your meta titles should accurately reflect the content of your web page. This is not only important for SEO but also for user experience. If your page content changes or is updated, make sure to update the corresponding meta title as well. This will ensure that your meta title is always relevant to your content, which in turn can improve your website’s search ranking.
SEO meta titles are an important aspect of on-page SEO and should not be overlooked. With the right approach, they can greatly benefit your website’s search ranking and increase your click-through rate. So, make sure to follow these tips and write good SEO meta titles that reflect the content of your website and attract potential visitors.